The Most Dangerous Cities in the United States

While many cities remain the "most dangerous," a nationwide drop in crime has actually improved the cities with the most violence. The second on the list Memphis, Tenn., with 1,006 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, was down from 1,146 last year.

"It's commonly expected that crime will rise as economic conditions worsen, but that hasn't been the case in the U.S. – violent crime has fallen for the past four years. In 2010, murder was down 4%, rape fell 5%, robbery dropped 10%, and aggravated assault fell 4%, according to the FBI."

Forbes list used FBI data from "four categories of violent crimes: murder and non-negligent manslaughter; forcible rape; robbery; and aggravated assault."