Navigating the Shadowlands: Revealing the 10 Most Dangerous Cities in Utah for 2023

RoadSnacks wants to inform the public, so they’ve compiled a list of Utah’s most dangerous locations for 2023. How was this accomplished? by sifting through data.

They looked at data on violent and property crime in all areas with a population of five thousand or more, analyzing 60 cities by consulting the FBI’s most recent crime report. Although Utah’s overall rates of violent and property crime are higher than the national average, there is room for improvement in the state’s most dangerous areas.

10. Tooele

The local Ute tribe’s language may refer to Tooele as “tumbleweed.” Whatever its interpretation, one thing is certain: this north-central Utah community, about 45 minutes from Salt Lake City, offers breathtaking views of the mountains.

Though the tumbleweed connection suggests a Wild West origin, contemporary crime statistics appear to retain some of this. With the tenth-highest rate of violent crime in the state, Tooele has a severe problem with this type of crime. In addition, there are a lot of burglaries and arson in the 36,527-person area.

9. Park City

Located 30 miles southeast of Salt Lake City’s downtown, Park City is a quaint and artistic community that serves as a primary location for the Sundance Film Festival.

Park City is still a charming city, but in recent years, crime has significantly increased. The likelihood of a violent attack in 2020 was 1 in 332, which is approximately three times greater than it was a few years prior.

In addition, property crime rose following a minor decline the previous year. But since larceny accounts for the majority of these crimes, you should be safe if you exercise caution with your personal property.

8. Riverdale

Upon revisiting the Ogden region, we discover that Riverdale ranks as the eighth-least secure place to live in Utah. Riverdale, which ranks eighth on this list, has a crime rate that is more than twice as high as the national average, ranking sixth overall in Utah.

This is mostly because Riverdale has the sixth-highest rate of property crime in the state; in 2020, residents have a 1 in 22 chance of being the victim of theft or vandalism.

On the plus side, Riverdale saw an average of just two violent crimes per month. And there’s always golf to play as a diversion from the high rate of property crime.

7. Moab

The smallest city on this list, Moab, has grown to be a popular travel destination for hikers, off-roaders, and mountain bikers eager to explore Arches National Park. But the rate of crime in the city has increased worryingly.

Violent crime rose dramatically over the previous reporting year, while property crime barely changed. Residents thus faced the third-highest rate of violent attack probability in Utah in 2020, at 1 in 114.

Unfortunately, Moab has the highest rate of sexual assault cases in Utah, which contributes to a large portion of this violence.

A horrific crime happened in 2021 when Kylen Schulte and Crystal Turner, a newlywed couple, were discovered shot to death at their campsite.

6. Ogden

Ogden was ranked as the sixth-greatest place in the country by Forbes in 2010.

Considering Ogden’s depressing crime statistics, this honor is unexpected. In 2020, Ogden ranked fifth in Utah for burglaries, with almost one car theft occurring every day of the year. There is just a chance that thieves won’t choose to take a plane from the Hill Aerospace Museum.

The fact that there is 100% less property crime and 83% less violent crime than in South Salt Lake, however, should comfort the families of Ogden.

5. West Valley

Residents of the West Valley have to contend with Utah’s fifth-highest rate of violent crime. This includes the state’s tenth-highest homicide rate and the fifteenth-highest rate of sexual assault cases.

Thankfully, West Valley property crime has somewhat decreased from the previous year.

The 2012 murder of six-year-old Sierra Newbold was the most horrifying crime. Sierra was kidnapped from her house, molested, and drowned in a canal nearby. Hours after she was reported missing, her body was discovered. The crime startled the neighborhood and prompted more attempts to make the area safer for children.

4. Murray

Murray, which is located south of Salt Lake City, is ranked as Utah’s fourth-most dangerous place to live in 2022. In 2020, residents faced a 1 in 15 chance of being robbed or having their property damaged, as the state had the third highest rate of property crime.

It implies that you should probably lock your doors and secure your belongings before visiting Murray City Park, as Murray experiences multiple car thefts and burglaries every day on average.

This area is also concerned about violent crime, as Murray has Utah’s 16th-highest rate of sexual assault cases.

3. Roosevelt

One of the most horrifying murders in Roosevelt’s history occurred in 1970, when a young woman named Loretta Jones was killed. It was her 4-year-old daughter who found her body after the 23-year-old mother was found brutally murdered in her home.

For many years, the case remained unresolved until 2016, when Thomas Edward Egley, a man, was taken into custody and accused of killing her. Egley, who was 76 years old when he was arrested, was a major suspect in the case from the beginning but was not prosecuted because of insufficient evidence.

2. Salt Lake City

With 1,865 violent crimes reported in 2020, Salt Lake City had the second-highest rate of violent crimes. These included an average of one theft per day and one murder per month.

Given that Salt Lake City has the second-highest burglary rate in the state, security is essential. Additionally, make sure your car is secure; otherwise, you could become one of the 2,192 locals whose cars were stolen in that year.

However, you can greatly increase your safety by staying away from Salt Lake City’s high-risk neighborhoods.

1. South Salt Lake

As of 2020, residents of South Salt Lake have a 1 in 103 chance of becoming victims of assault, theft, sexual assault, or murder—making it Utah’s most violent community. This emphasizes how crucial it is to exercise caution when visiting South Salt Lake’s parks.

In addition, South Salt Lake has the highest rate of property crime in the state, including the highest rate of burglaries in Utah, with about five occurrences per week.

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