UPDATE: A new report released by LawStreetMedia.com that claims the City of Burien is the third “most dangerous” city in the state of Washington is wrong – the city should actually be ranked 11th, according to Capt. Bryan Howard of the Burien Police Department.
The study is based on data from the FBI’s most recent “Uniform Crime Report” from 2012, and cities are ranked based on the rate of violent crime per 100,000 people.
The report mistakenly listed Burien’s population at 34,310, when it actually was 47,000 in 2012, according to Howard.
This means the actual Violent Crime Rate per 100,000 people is 368.75, putting B-Town into 11th place, just ahead of Longview. Burien’s most recent Violent Crime Rate – from 2013 – has actually decreased, to 368.52.
Neighboring city rankings were SeaTac at #8, Kent at #10, Des Moines at #17, and Renton at #19. Unincorporated areas like White Center or Skyway were not included.
This report only included cities with a population greater than 25,000, and left out Tukwila (with 29.673 residents).
Worst-ranked (#1) Tacoma’s violent crime rate was 796.96, while #5 Seattle’s was 597.58.
These crimes include murder, rape, aggravated assault and robbery.
According to the website, the “average violent crime rate” for a city of this size (population between 25,000 & 49,999 people) – based on the FBI’s population grouping statistics from the Uniform Crime Report – should be 300.
The state of Washington was ranked 30th “most dangerous” in the entire U.S., with the District of Columbia ranked as #1.
“In the summer of 2013, a group of professionals and students came together in Washington and New York to create a site for students, young lawyers, and everyone who’s interested in law and public policy,” reads LawStreetMedia’s About Page.
Here’s the full, corrected list:
 # | City   | Violent Crime Rate▼ | Population  | Violent Crime  | Murder  | Forcible Rape  | Robbery  | Aggravated Assault  |
1 | Tacoma | 796.96 | 202646 | 1615 | 12 | 93 | 486 | 1024 |
2 | Lakewood | 782.62 | 59416 | 465 | 1 | 39 | 108 | 317 |
3 | Spokane | 645.26 | 212163 | 1369 | 13 | 81 | 537 | 738 |
4 | Yakima | 605.87 | 93419 | 566 | 11 | 52 | 152 | 351 |
5 | Seattle | 597.58 | 626865 | 3746 | 23 | 119 | 1421 | 2183 |
6 | Bremerton | 583.25 | 39434 | 230 | 1 | 38 | 44 | 147 |
7 | Seatac | 559.59 | 27699 | 155 | 1 | 30 | 69 | 55 |
8 | Everett | 456.71 | 105318 | 481 | 1 | 46 | 182 | 252 |
9 | Kent | 444.71 | 122102 | 543 | 2 | 68 | 194 | 279 |
10 | Longview | 421.26 | 37032 | 156 | 1 | 26 | 55 | 74 |
11 | Burien | 368.75 | 47000 | 267 | 2 | 44 | 95 | 126 |
12 | Vancouver | 355.82 | 166375 | 592 | 5 | 72 | 172 | 343 |
13 | Walla Walla | 348.09 | 32463 | 113 | 0 | 16 | 18 | 79 |
14 | Auburn | 343.4 | 72218 | 248 | 6 | 23 | 110 | 109 |
15 | Federal Way | 321.82 | 91978 | 296 | 3 | 43 | 106 | 144 |
16 | Olympia | 314.27 | 47729 | 150 | 5 | 45 | 37 | 63 |
17 | Des Moines | 304.37 | 30555 | 93 | 0 | 2 | 34 | 57 |
18 | Pasco | 304.05 | 63806 | 194 | 1 | 13 | 41 | 139 |
19 | Renton | 301.96 | 93722 | 283 | 2 | 27 | 115 | 139 |
20 | Kennewick | 297.51 | 76971 | 229 | 1 | 33 | 35 | 160 |
21 | University Place | 270.27 | 31820 | 86 | 0 | 10 | 19 | 57 |
22 | Bellingham | 266.13 | 82665 | 220 | 0 | 29 | 53 | 138 |
23 | Puyallup | 253.83 | 37821 | 96 | 0 | 18 | 36 | 42 |
24 | Mount Vernon | 243.95 | 32384 | 79 | 1 | 13 | 21 | 44 |
25 | Spokane Valley | 215 | 91164 | 196 | 1 | 31 | 67 | 97 |
26 | Lynnwood | 201.93 | 36647 | 74 | 0 | 5 | 36 | 33 |
27 | Marysville | 188.98 | 61381 | 116 | 2 | 16 | 36 | 62 |
28 | Kirkland | 183.11 | 50243 | 92 | 0 | 14 | 24 | 54 |
29 | Shoreline | 181.41 | 54574 | 99 | 3 | 23 | 41 | 32 |
30 | Lacey | 176.85 | 43540 | 77 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 58 |
31 | Richland | 163.81 | 50057 | 82 | 0 | 20 | 11 | 51 |
32 | Lake Stevens | 163.71 | 28710 | 47 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 25 |
33 | Edmonds | 140.36 | 40609 | 57 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 32 |
34 | Bellevue | 127.76 | 126022 | 161 | 2 | 26 | 67 | 66 |
35 | Bothell | 101.78 | 34389 | 35 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 19 |
36 | Pullman | 96.01 | 30206 | 29 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 21 |
37 | Redmond | 64.55 | 55770 | 36 | 0 | 8 | 11 | 17 |
38 | Issaquah | 57.43 | 31341 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 10 |
39 | Sammamish | 33.93 | 47158 | 16 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 8 |
Bad data. Huge flaw in Burien’s indicated population. It shows the population as 34,000+, when actually it is almost 50,000. Since the data is seemingly based on population, then their conclusions are wrong and Burien would be further down the list.
Thanks Chris we have adjusted the data, which revises Burien’s ranking to #11.
It looks like the LawStreetMedia.com results did not include the 2010 N Highline Annexation population (14,000 citizens) and crime. You will have to add the N Highline crime data to your calculation.
Otherwise, the LawStreetMedia.com results are more accurate.
Where is Tukwila… Tukwila was ranked #1 in 2011 how is it not on the list?
Get rid of all the apartments in Burien and it would drop out of the top 25! Apartment buildings are the new public housing projects. Section 8 renters are killing Burien.
No, what’s killing Burien is the wannabe thugs like you. I suppose you’re going to change your name to George Zimmerman and start taking the law into your own hands? Oh yeah, and if you want to start shooting Section 8 tenants, find me. The violent crime starts with YOU, jackass.
I am tophat topcat…I did not post this comment it was posted by tophatcat not me! Please do not confuse me with this person.
I don’t know… Jimmy sez you’re the same person!!
I hear Jimmy was wearing his foil hat when he said that.
The Burien police are awesome at statistics!
Placing this high on the list is an insult to those of us calling Burien our home, more Police and City enforcement of the laws and rules in place would go a long way towards fixing our standing. Less hugs and more handcuffs would be a big help towards reaching success.
Are you willing to have your taxes increased slightly for that to happen?
In order to get more law enforcement we would need it.
I personally, am okay with that.
Yeah they need todo something to keep the criminal minded from driving with a loaded weapon ready to shoot someone because they might have less money than them.
P.S. I find it rather shocking that nobody is trying to blame the small group of homeless people for this even though they had nothing to do with it. You have to think the fear monger’s of burien would have came up with some connection by now
Did anyone contact Law Street Media and inform them of their flawed data which produced the erroneous ranking of our city?
Does it really matter if its number 11 or 30?
Either way, something need to be done.
It looks like Tukwila is off the charts!
I think the City of Burien should outlaw marijuana like Gig Harbor and Fife.