These Are the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities in Idaho

Despite making national news for several high-profile cases within the last five years, Idaho remains one of the safest states in the nation. In fact, U.S. News & World Report ranks Idaho #3 for public safety. 

The rankings were determined using FBI data that evaluates violent crime and property crime rates. Only New Hampshire and Maine ranked safer than Idaho in the publication’s latest release of the safest states in America. 

READ MORE: These are the 9 Idaho Criminals Now Facing Death By Firing Squad

That’s why headlines like “Suspect Identified in Shooting Near Meridian McDonald’s That Left One Dead ” or “Police: 1 Dead in Shooting Near Corporate Drive in Meridian, Suspect in Custody” really shock the community. Things like that don’t happen “here.” 

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But it did on Sunday, January 25, 2026. The arrests page on the Ada County Sheriff’s website shows that 23-year-old Jacob Streat is facing second-degree murder charges. Idaho News 6 reports that he is the suspect connected to the death of an unarmed 27 year-old-man near the McDonald’s on Corporate Drive. It’s believed that Streat fired at the victim nearly a dozen times, leading to the victim dying at the scene. An investigation is underway, but authorities believe the shooting may have been connected to a road rage incident that started on I-84. 

Incidents like this are rare in Idaho, but they’re also a reminder that even in one of the safest states in the country, violent crime isn’t completely unheard of. Crime Data shows that some communities experience it at higher rates than others. 

The 10 Most Dangerous Cities in Idaho for Violent Crime

Using the most recent data from NeighborhoodScout, which is based on FBI crime reporting, we took a closer look at which Idaho cities had the highest violent crime rates. That data includes serious offenses like murder, aggravated assault, robbery and rape. NeighborhoodScout based their violent crime rates on how often those crimes happen per 1,000.

The numbers show that these are the “Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities in Idaho:” 

10. Idaho Falls

• Violent Crime Rate: 3.15
• Population: 68,001
• Chance of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 318

9. Chubbuck

• Violent Crime Rate: 3.18
• Population: 16,362
• Chance of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 315

8. Pocatello

• Violent Crime Rate: 3.62
• Population: 58,064
• Chance of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 276

7. Blackfoot

• Violent Crime Rate: 3.69
• Population: 12,999
• Chance of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 271

6. Nampa

• Violent Crime Rate: 3.71
• Population: 114,268
• Chance of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 270

5. Twin Falls

• Violent Crime Rate: 3.99
• Population: 54,943
• Chance of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 252

4. Caldwell

• Violent Crime Rate: 4.02
• Population: 68,336
• Chance of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 248

3. Emmett

• Violent Crime Rate: 4.47
• Population: 8,492
• Chance of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 223

2. Payette

• Violent Crime Rate: 4.52
• Population: 8,636
• Chance of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 221

1. Garden City

• Violent Crime Rate: 6.88
• Population: 12,784
• Chance of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 145