Jackson is the capital city of Mississippi. The city encompasses museums, parks, river walks, and trails. Jackson is known for a famous historical trail, known as the Mississippi Freedom Trail, that runs through the city. The trail touches a number of historical sites such as the Medgar Evers Home Museum and the Mississippi State Capitol building. The city has a population of 164,422 people. However, no matter how paradisiacal the city sounds for a history buff, the city has high rates of crime. According to the city’s crime rates, as recorded by the FBI crime reporting statistics, it might be better to stay inside at night while living in Jackson, Mississippi.
What Are Crime Rates?
Crime rates for cities and states are determined by the FBI Crime Reporting Statistics. Crime rates fluctuate from city to city, depending on a variety of factors that might influence crime. Crime rates are calculated by dividing the total number of crimes that occur in an area by the total population. The new number is then multiplied by 100,000 in order to create a uniform number. The final product should be “the number of crimes per 100,000 people.” However, once we have the crime rate for a city or state, how do we know if the crime rate is safe or dangerous?
In order to create a baseline for crime, the FBI has created a national crime rate. The national crime rate includes all crime that is committed in the United States. The national crime rate is separated into two types of crime: violent crime and property crime.
Violent crime is defined by the National Institute of Justice as “rape and sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and murder.” In most cases of violent crime, the act is a felony, resulting in over one year in prison. The violent crime rate in the United States is 382.9 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The national violent crime rate can also be separated into murder, rape, robbery, and assault rates:
- National Murder Rate: 5 murders per 100,000 people
- National Rape Rate: 43 rapes per 100,000 people
- National Robbery Rate: 86 robberies per 100,000 people
- National Assault Rate: 247 assaults per 100,000 people
Property crime is burglary, arson, theft, and motor theft. Property crimes are typically misdemeanors, resulting in less than one year in prison. Although, some crimes (such as arson) are still considered felonies. The national property crime rate in the United States is 2,362.2 property crimes per 100,000 people. The national property crime rate can be separated into the crime rates for burglary, theft, and car theft:
- National Burglary Rate: 376 burglaries per 100,000 people
- National Theft Rate: 1,595 thefts per 100,000 people
- National Car Theft Rate: 229 car thefts per 100,000 people
These crime rates help to define crime in the United States. If a crime rate is lower than the national average, the area is considered to be safer than average. If a crime rate is higher than the national average, the area is considered more dangerous than average.
When looking at the crime rates in Jackson, Mississippi, it’s important to first clarify the crime rates for the state. The state of Mississippi has a violent crime rate of 234 violent crimes per 100,000 people, which is lower than the national average. The violent crime rates for murder, rape, robbery, and assault are:
- Mississippi Murder Rate: 6 murders per 100,000 people
- Mississippi Rape Rate: 18 rapes per 100,000 people
- Mississippi Robbery Rate: 53 robberies per 100,000 people
- Mississippi Assault Rate: 157 assaults per 100,000 people
The property crime rate in Mississippi is 2,403 property crimes per 100,000 people. The property crime rates for burglary, theft, and car theft are:
- Mississippi Burglary Rate: 678 burglaries per 100,000 people
- Mississippi Theft Rate: 1,561 thefts per 100,000 people
- Mississippi Car Theft Rate: 144 car thefts per 100,000 people
The odds of becoming a victim of burglary in Mississippi are two times higher than the national average, suggesting that some towns in Mississippi might have incredibly high rates that are skewing Mississippi’s average burglary rate.
How does the crime rate in Mississippi’s capital compare?
Violent Crime Rate in Jackson, Mississippi
The violent crime rate in Jackson is 733 violent crimes per 100,000 people, which is double the national average and triple the Mississippi average. The crime rates for murder, rape, robbery, and assault are:
- Jackson Murder Rate: 23 murders per 100,000 people
- Jackson Rape Rate: 42 rapes per 100,000 people
- Jackson Robbery Rate: 290 robberies per 100,000 people
- Jackson Assault Rate: 379 assaults per 100,000 people
Jackson’s murder rate is four times higher than the national average, making Jackson one of the most murderous cities in the country. Jackson is the sixth most murderous city in the country. Some suggest that this high murder rate is due to high unemployment rates, since the unemployment rate in Jackson is 8 percent (which is twice as high as the national average). Unemployment and poverty often coincide with higher crime rates, since those who are unemployed may turn to unorthodox methods to make a living. The violent crimes reported by the police could also be due to gang violence, drug trafficking, and other criminal activities.
Property Crime Rate in Jackson, Mississippi
The property crime rate in Jackson is 4,852 property crimes per 100,000 people. The property crime rates for burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft are:
- Jackson Burglary Rate: 1,281 burglaries per 100,000 people
- Jackson Theft Rate: 2,927 thefts per 100,000 people
- Jackson Car Theft Rate: 644 car thefts per 100,000 people
The burglary rate in Jackson is 340 percent higher than the national average, meaning that residents of Jackson are likely to experience burglary. Police warn residents to protect their homes proactively against burglary. Residents can protect their homes by using home security systems and by locking their doors (whether or not someone is home).
Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in Jackson
The overall crime rate in Jackson is significantly higher than the national and state average, making Jackson a dangerous town to live in. However, this doesn’t mean that the entire city is dangerous. Jackson is a mix of safe neighborhoods and dangerous neighborhoods. Here are the most dangerous neighborhoods in Jackson.
1. Colonial Heights
Colonial is the most dangerous neighborhood in Jackson. The area has a population of 744 people, yet it has 860 percent more crime than the Jackson average crime rate. In this neighborhood, there are 6,660 violent crimes per 100,000 people. This violent crime rate is 2,846 percent higher than the Mississippi violent crime rate and 1,748 percent higher than the national crime rate.
The property crime rate in Colonial heights is 7,506 property crimes per 100,000 people. The property crime rate in Colonial Heights is 341 percent higher than the national average. Needless to say, residents in Colonial Heights are likely to experience crime. Residents should stay safe by avoiding walking in the area at night.
2. Scotland Heights
Scotland Heights ranks as the second most dangerous neighborhood in Jackson. The area has a population of 945 people and sees a high amount of crime. The area has 845 percent more crime rate than Jackson average and has 6,554 violent crimes per 100,000 people, meaning that residents have a 1 in 15 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.
The property crime rate in Scotland Heights is 5,909 property crimes per 100,000 people. The property crime rate in Scotland Heights is 268 percent higher than the national average. Scotland Heights is a dangerous place to live. Residents living in this neighborhood should protect themselves by installing home security systems and carrying pepper spray while walking in the area.
3. Brookhollow
Law enforcement agencies in Jackson report a high crime rate in Brookhollow. Brookhollow has a population of 350 people, yet sees 410 percent more crime than the rest of Jackson. According to police reports, the area has 3,539 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Residents living in Brookhollow have a 1 in 28 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.
The property crime rate in Brookhollow doesn’t help to redeem the area. The property crime rate is 5,318 property crimes per 100,000 people. Residents have a 1 in 18 chance of becoming a victim of property crime.
4. Woodville Heights
Woodville Heights is the fourth most dangerous neighborhood in Jackson. The area is larger, with a population of 2,070 people. The violent crime in Woodville Heights is 331 percent higher than the crime rate in Jackson, with 2,993 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Woodville Heights’s violent crime rate is 785 percent higher than the national average.
The property crime rate in Woodville Heights is 6,298 property crimes per 100,000 people. The property crime rate in Woodville Heights is 286 percent higher than the national average. Residents living in Woodville Heights have a 1 in 15 chance of becoming a victim of property crime.
5. Poindexter Park
As the fifth most dangerous neighborhood in Jackson, we have Poindexter Park. Poindexter Park has a population of 904 people. The violent crime rate in this area is 295 percent higher than the Jackson average and 719 percent higher than the national average. The violent crime rate in Poindexter Park is 2,741 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
The property crime rate in Poindexter Park is 10,295, one of the highest property crime rates in the country. While living in this neighborhood, residents have a 1 in 10 chance of becoming a victim of property crime. The property crime rate is 481 percent higher than the national average.
6. Washington Addition
Washington Addition has a population of 1,383 people. The area has a violent crime rate that is 287 percent higher than the Jackson average and is 705 percent higher than the national average. The violent crime rate in Washington Addition is 2,687 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
The property crime rate is 10,767 property crimes per 100,000 people. The chance that someone will become a victim of property crime in Washington Addition is almost 1 in 9, making the area highly dangerous. The property crime rate is 489 percent higher than the national average.
7. Maddoxroad
Maddoxroad is the seventh most dangerous neighborhood in Jackson. The area has a population of 925 people, yet sees a violent crime rate that is 286 percent higher than the Jackson average. There are 2,678 violent crimes per 100,000 people reported in Maddoxroad every year.
The property crime rate in Maddoxroad is 2,012, which is actually lower than average. What makes Maddoxroad unique is that you are more likely to become a victim of violent crime than property crime—not a very comforting thought.
8. Skyline Dr
As the eighth most dangerous neighborhood in Jackson, we have Skyline Dr. This area has a population of 929 people yet has twice as much crime as the national average. The area has a violent crime rate of 2,667 violent crimes per 100,000 people, which is 384 percent higher than the Jackson average, 1,139 percent higher than the Mississippi average, and 700 percent higher than the national average.
The property crime rate in Skyline Dr is 2,004 property crimes per 100,000 people. The property crime rate in Skyline Dr is lower than the national average, suggesting that Skyline Dr’s main crime issue is due to gang activity. For the most part, average residents of the area should be safe, as long as they stay away from known crime locations.
9. Mid City Business Association
The ninth most dangerous neighborhood in Jackson is Mid City Business Association. This area has a population of 982 people. It has a violent crime rate of 2,523 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The violent crime rate is 662 percent higher than the national average.
The property crime rate in Mid City Business Association is 5,686, with high reports of burglary and theft. The property crime rate is 282 percent higher than the national average. Residents living in Mid City Business Association have a 1 in 17 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.
10. Enochs Street-Hyde Park
The final neighborhood on our list is Enochs Street-Hyde Park. Enochs Street-Hyde Park has a population of 625 people. The violent crime rate in Enochs Street-Hyde Park is 1,891 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Residents living in Enochs Street-Hyde Park have a 1 in 52 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.
The property crime rate in Enochs Street-Hyde Park is 5,684 property crimes per 100,000 people. The property crime rate in Enochs Street-Hyde Park is 258 percent higher than the national average.