The 11 Most Dangerous Small Cities in Michigan for 2025
A new study ranking the "Best Small Cities in America" for 2025 uncovers some disturbing data for several Michigan towns — including 11 that are among the most dangerous small cities in America.
How WalletHub Ranks Small Cities
The annual study, conducted by the personal finance website WalletHub, evaluates American cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 people on a myriad of metrics ranging from affordability, quality of life, education and health, economic health, and safety. That population range includes more than 1,300 U.S. towns, nearly 40 of which are in Michigan.
What the Safety Metric Really Means
Drilling down, the study's "safety" metric encompasses a lot of things. It's not all crime statistics (although each town's violent crime and property crime rates are considered). Other things taken into account when evaluating the relative safety of each city include the number of car crash deaths per capita, the number of pedestrian fatalities, the number of alcohol-related driving fatalities, and the number of deaths due to drug poisonings/overdoses.
READ MORE: Lansing, Flint Listed Among 'Best Cities to Live in the U.S.', But There's a Catch
Crunching the data, these 11 small Michigan cities all rank among America's most dangerous 25%. Here they are, in reverse order:
11. Westland, Michigan
Westland, about 20 miles west of Detroit, ranks as the 11th most dangerous small city in Michigan for 2025, up from #14 last year.
Westland is one of three Detroit suburbs to land among Michigan's 11 most dangerous small cities for 2025. It has a population of around 81,000 people, and ranks in the 22nd percentile nationally for safety.
10. Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon ranks as the 10th most dangerous small city in Michigan, and is in the 17th percentile for safety across the nation.
Located on the shore of Lake Michigan, Muskegon has a population of around 37,000. Its ranking at #10 is unchanged from the 2024 survey.
9. Holt, Michigan
Just south of Lansing in Ingham County, 9th-ranked Holt has a population of just over 25,000 — barely making it eligible for this study.
Up from #17 in 2024, Holt is also in the 17th percentile for safety nationwide.
8. Lincoln Park, Michigan
Wayne County's Lincoln Park ranks as the 8th most dangerous small city in Michigan, up from #9 in 2024.
Lincoln Park's population is just under 39,000, and the city ranks in the 16th percentile for safety among America's small cities.
7. Taylor, Michigan
7th-ranked Taylor is the highest-ranking Detroit suburb to make Michigan's list of most dangerous small cities in 2025, up from #8 last year.
Only 13% of America's small cities rank as more dangerous than Taylor. Around 61,000 people call the city home.
6. Jackson, Michigan
This year's #6 ranking for Jackson is actually an improvement year-over-year. The city ranked #3 on last year's list.
About 31,000 people live in Jackson, which ranks in the 6th percentile for safety compared to other small cities in the United States.
5. Saginaw, Michigan
With a population of around 43,000 residents, Saginaw is Michigan's 5th-most dangerous small city, according to WalletHub. That's unchanged from 2024.
Only 5% of America's small cities rank as more dangerous than Saginaw.
4. Burton, Michigan
Burton, an eastern suburb of Flint, has a population of around 29,000 residents. It ranked as the 6th most dangerous small city in Michigan in 2024; this year it's #4.
Like Saginaw, Burton is also in the 5th percentile for safety among America's small cities.
3. Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo took the crown as the most dangerous small city in Michigan in 2024, but comes in at #3 in the 2025 study.
Around 73,000 people call Kalamazoo home. As far as overall safety is concerned, the city ranks in the 4th percentile nationwide.
2. Battle Creek, Michigan
Just down the road from Kalamazoo, Battle Creek also lands among Michigan's most dangerous small cities. It's #2 on the list; same as last year.
About 52,000 people live in Battle Creek, which is in the 3rd percentile for safety when compared to other American small cities.
1. Flint, Michigan
The dubious honor of being named Michigan's most dangerous small city for 2025 goes to Flint, which leapfrogs from #4 in last year's study.
Flint's home to just under 80,000 residents. It's also in the 3rd percentile for safety nationwide, barely edging out Battle Creek to be the most dangerous small city in Michigan.
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Gallery Credit: Scott Clow