Highest Crime in West Virginia

Top 28 cities ranked by highest crime

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All Countries · United States · West Virginia

Highest Crime — West Virginia

1 Charleston 1,227.0 per 1K

2 Beckley 1,057.1 per 1K

3 South Charleston 841.1 per 1K

4 Wheeling 778.1 per 1K

5 Princeton 760.6 per 1K

6 Huntington 722.5 per 1K

7 Bluefield 715.9 per 1K

8 Moundsville 348.4 per 1K

9 St. Albans 331.5 per 1K

10 Parkersburg 282.6 per 1K

11 Brookhaven 260.4 per 1K

12 Cheat Lake 260.4 per 1K

13 Nitro 234.2 per 1K

14 Morgantown 214.2 per 1K

15 Dunbar 166.2 per 1K

16 Fairmont 164.6 per 1K

17 Clarksburg 154.2 per 1K

18 Bridgeport 154.2 per 1K

19 Charles Town 145.8 per 1K

20 Cross Lanes 140.1 per 1K

21 Hurricane 118.0 per 1K

22 Buckhannon 70.2 per 1K

23 Oak Hill 61.4 per 1K

24 Weirton 60.1 per 1K

25 Pea Ridge 48.6 per 1K

26 Teays Valley 42.9 per 1K

27 New Martinsville 39.1 per 1K

28 Vienna 37.7 per 1K

Cities with the highest crime rates in West Virginia face public safety challenges that affect residents' quality of life and economic development. Charleston has 1,227.0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents.

High crime rates are often linked to economic factors including poverty, unemployment, income inequality, and limited access to education and social services. Addressing crime effectively requires tackling these underlying root causes alongside traditional law enforcement approaches.

Many cities on this list are actively implementing comprehensive safety strategies including community policing, violence intervention programs, youth mentorship, and economic development initiatives aimed at reducing the conditions that contribute to criminal activity.

Did You Know?

1. The violent crime rate in Charleston is 306.7x the national average.
2. Crime rates have been declining nationally for decades — even cities on this list have generally seen improvements over time.
3. Violent crime is heavily concentrated in specific neighborhoods — most areas within these cities are considerably safer than the citywide statistics suggest.

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