SPRINGFIELD, Mo.- As summer ends and a new school year begins, students look for the safest college towns to call home for the next four years. Statistically, Springfield may not be your best choice.

According to an August report by SafeWise, Springfield ranks fourth among the 10 most dangerous college towns in America. The ranking is based on the most recent crime report statistics and population data from the FBI for each city that exceed a population of 15,000 residents and be home to an accredited college that offered four-year degrees.

In the report, Springfield’s violent crime rate per 1,000 was 15.1, and the property crime rate per 1,000 was 69.5. The largest school in the Springfield metro area is Missouri State University-Springfield with the In-state tuition per year being $7,938.

Four-year universities in Springfield that qualified include Missouri State University, Evangel University, Drury University, Cox College, and Baptist Bible College.

10 most dangerous college towns in America

  1. Monroe, LA
  2. Alexandria, LA
  3. Memphis, TN
  4. Springfield, MO
  5. Florence, SC
  6. Chattanooga, TN
  7. Salt Lake City, UT
  8. Spartanburg, SC
  9. Little Rock, AR
  10. Pine Bluff, AR

Springfield also ranks among the top 10 most dangerous metro areas for 2021 according to a SafeWise study.