HOUSTON – Houston ranks among the most dangerous cities in the country for trick-or-treating, according to a new study that examined crime rates, pedestrian fatalities and other safety factors ahead of Halloween.
The annual analysis by SafeHome.org evaluated 152 U.S. cities, comparing factors including violent and property crime, registered sex offenders, pedestrian fatalities and the number of law enforcement officers.
Houston ranked No. 16 among the most dangerous cities for trick-or-treating, down from No. 15 in last year’s study.
The report cited Houston’s high violent crime rate, elevated pedestrian risks and property crime rate as contributing factors.
How Houston compares to other Texas cities
Several other Texas cities were included in the analysis, with rankings varying across the state. Here’s how the cities compared in the study’s national rankings:
Frisco: No. 3 safest city nationally
El Paso: No. 55
Fort Worth: No. 75
Austin: No. 96
San Antonio: No. 114
Dallas: No. 115
Houston: No. 16 most dangerous
Frisco ranked as the safest city in Texas and the third-safest nationally. Laredo, at No. 41 on the study’s most-dangerous-city ranking, was identified as the highest-ranked city outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Houston’s crime and pedestrian safety numbers
The study highlighted several safety metrics for Houston, including crime rates and pedestrian fatalities.
According to SafeHome.org, Houston recorded:
25.7 law enforcement officers per 10,000 people
34.8 registered sex offenders per 10,000 people
88.6 violent crimes per 10,000 people
380.7 property crimes per 10,000 people
0.5 pedestrian fatalities per 10,000 people
The report placed Houston among the 25 U.S. cities with the highest violent and property crime rates, as well as among the 15 cities with the highest pedestrian fatality rates.
The rankings reflect the study’s selected measures and do not mean every neighborhood in Houston carries the same level of risk.
Which cities ranked as the most and least dangerous?
Memphis, Tennessee, ranked as the most dangerous city for trick-or-treating, followed by St. Louis, Missouri; Little Rock, Arkansas; Oakland, California; and Salt Lake City, Utah.
The five safest cities in the analysis were Pembroke Pines, Florida; Yonkers, New York; Frisco, Texas; Port St. Lucie, Florida; and Chandler, Arizona.
As families prepare for Halloween, parents can take practical precautions by using sidewalks and crosswalks, choosing well-lit routes, keeping children visible to drivers and accompanying younger trick-or-treaters.
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