Philadelphia has been ranked among the least safe cities in the United States, despite a sharp fall in homicides so far this year, according to a new national study.
The city placed 178th out of 182 locations in WalletHub’s 2026 Safest Cities in America rankings, which assess public safety alongside the risk of natural disasters and financial insecurity.
Philadelphia performed worst in the home and community safety category, where it ranked 176th. It was placed 159th for natural-disaster risk and 137th for financial safety, giving it an overall score of 38.96.
Philadelphia among least safe US cities
WalletHub said its comparison used 41 measures, including assaults, traffic fatalities, law-enforcement staffing, unemployment and the proportion of residents without health insurance.
The ranking comes as Philadelphia records a 24 per cent year-to-date reduction in homicides. Figures published by the Philadelphia Police Department showed 138 homicides in the city as of October 18, 2026, although the study’s broader assessment covers far more than violent crime.
Philadelphia was the fifth-lowest-ranked city in the survey. Only Memphis, Baltimore, Baton Rouge and New Orleans were placed below it.
New Orleans came last overall, followed by Baton Rouge, Baltimore and Memphis. The results put several large American cities at the bottom of a list that combines crime, disaster exposure and economic vulnerability.
At the other end of the table, Juneau in Alaska was named the safest city in the country. Warwick in Rhode Island, Overland Park in Kansas, Burlington in Vermont and South Burlington in Vermont completed the top five.
