You Might Want To Avoid Traveling To One Of The US South's Most Dangerous Cities

Safety is a major factor when deciding where to travel and what areas to avoid. There are certain dangerous European destinations you should think twice about visiting, just like South America has its fair share of avoidable dangerous places, but do you know anything about one ofthe most dangerous cities in the United States? Data on violent crime from the FBI shows that Anniston, Alabama, is one of the most dangerous cities.

Located in Alabama's Calhoun County, Anniston boasts a rich history, including significant ties to the U.S. civil rights movement. The city was the site of the infamous burning of a Greyhound bus on May 14, 1961. Despite a 1960 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses was unconstitutional, many areas of the South continued to enforce segregated travel. The bus was attacked because it carried seven civil rights activists known as the Freedom Riders. Today, the Freedom Riders National Monument in Anniston is an integral stop along the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, one of the most culturally important travel projects in America. 

Despite the city's cultural and historic importance, the statistics released by the FBI can't be denied. The data revealed that the violent crime rate in Anniston is over double the national average. Violent crime includes murder and assault, rape and sexual assault, and robbery. Anniston's crime rate works out at an alarming one violent crime for every seven residents. One of the biggest contributing factors to the high rate is poverty, which, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, is 20.1% — almost two times higher than the national average of 11.1%

When visiting a new place, especially one with a not-so-great reputation, it's important to stay alert. Despite being one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S., Anniston still boasts a number of attractions for visitors. Along with the Freedom Riders National Monument, one of the area's top destinations for history and nature is Anniston Museums and Gardens, home to the Anniston Museum of Natural History, the Berman Musuem, and Longleaf Botanical Gardens.

At the Anniston Museum of Natural History, you'll discover a fascinating prehistoric dinosaur exhibit, Ptolemaic-era mummies, and an impressive collection of more than 2,000 historical artifacts. Traveling through history continues at the Berman Museum, which houses a whopping 12,000-piece collection of artifacts and weaponry, as well as a 1,000-piece Asian art collection. Finish off your visit with a stroll through the stunning botanical gardens.

Research into Anniston's safety often highlights mixed opinions. For example, on Reddit, many users agreed that, just like any other city, Anniston has areas to avoid, but is generally considered safe overall. One user said that Anniston is "no more (dangerous) than any other city in Alabama".

While it shouldn't be your responsibility to avoid being a victim of a crime, if you are planning on visiting Anniston, there are certain things you can do to try to keep yourself out of trouble, like staying aware of your surroundings and not traveling alone after dark. The good news is, efforts to improve public safety are ongoing. An April 2025 grant of $150,000 was awarded to Extended Family, a non-profit support organization for families of prisoners, to help prevent crime Calhoun County and surrounding areas, showing that the government is taking steps to curb the issue of crime in Alabama.