crimebycounty

Most Dangerous Counties in Tennessee

Counties with the highest crime rates in Tennessee — ranked by FBI UCR data.

Highest Crime County

Shelby County

1/100

State Avg Safety Score

36/100

State Avg Violent Crime

357.0

per 100K

15 Most Dangerous Counties in Tennessee

1

Shelby County

Shelby County, Tennessee

Violent: 1742.5 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 5544.9 per 100K
1/100

Safety Score

2

Carter County

Carter County, Tennessee

Violent: 712.1 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 5684.1 per 100K
1/100

Safety Score

3

Hawkins County

Hawkins County, Tennessee

Violent: 940.3 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 5085.2 per 100K
1/100

Safety Score

4

Davidson County

Davidson County, Tennessee

Violent: 1201.3 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 3934.6 per 100K
2/100

Safety Score

5

Hamilton County

Hamilton County, Tennessee

Violent: 677.3 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 3134.9 per 100K
4/100

Safety Score

6

Dyer County

Dyer County, Tennessee

Violent: 605.7 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 2805.7 per 100K
6/100

Safety Score

7

McMinn County

McMinn County, Tennessee

Violent: 483.8 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 2703.1 per 100K
7/100

Safety Score

8

Madison County

Madison County, Tennessee

Violent: 732.9 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 2343.8 per 100K
7/100

Safety Score

9

Hamblen County

Hamblen County, Tennessee

Violent: 545.5 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 2340.0 per 100K
9/100

Safety Score

10

Cocke County

Cocke County, Tennessee

Violent: 436.6 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 2304.8 per 100K
10/100

Safety Score

11

Hardin County

Hardin County, Tennessee

Violent: 443.6 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 2274.1 per 100K
11/100

Safety Score

12

Haywood County

Haywood County, Tennessee

Violent: 769.4 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 1948.8 per 100K
11/100

Safety Score

13

Lauderdale County

Lauderdale County, Tennessee

Violent: 989.2 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 1684.5 per 100K
11/100

Safety Score

14

Knox County

Knox County, Tennessee

Violent: 476.7 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 2186.1 per 100K
11/100

Safety Score

15

Grundy County

Grundy County, Tennessee

Violent: 560.9 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 2073.8 per 100K
12/100

Safety Score

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most dangerous county in Tennessee?

Shelby County has the highest crime rate in Tennessee with a safety score of 1/100, based on FBI UCR violent and property crime data.

How are crime rates measured in Tennessee counties?

Crime rates are reported per 100,000 residents using FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data. This includes both violent crimes (murder, assault, robbery) and property crimes (burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft).

What are the 5 most dangerous counties in Tennessee?

The 5 most dangerous counties in Tennessee are: 1. Shelby County (1/100), 2. Carter County (1/100), 3. Hawkins County (1/100), 4. Davidson County (2/100), 5. Hamilton County (4/100).

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Data Sources

Crime data sourced from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (UCR) and County Health Rankings. Safety scores are derived composite metrics.

Data is informational only. Not legal or security advice. Coverage varies by county and reporting year.

Data as of 2026-03-10.

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