A new study highlights the most dangerous college towns in America for 2025, raising concerns for parents as students head back to class. Compiled by Wasatch Defense Lawyers, the list uses FBI and local police data from 2023–2025 to rank crime levels in 26 U.S. college towns. While each city faces unique challenges, campus security expert and former U.S. Secret Service agent Bobby McDonald stressed the need for vigilance. “Safety needs to become muscle memory, like buckling a seat belt,” he told Fox News Digital.
The rankings put Gainesville, Florida—home of the University of Florida—at the top with 179 crimes per 10,000 residents. Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Tempe, Arizona, followed closely, fueled by nightlife-related thefts and property crime. New Haven, Connecticut, where Yale University is located, placed fourth with higher violent crime in surrounding neighborhoods. Ithaca, New York, rounded out the top five with burglary and theft driving its crime rate.
McDonald urged students to use common sense, especially when out with friends. “Nothing good happens at that point with respect to that individual that you’re leaving behind,” he warned, stressing the importance of never abandoning someone at a bar. He also advised basic safety practices like locking cars, securing valuables, and traveling in pairs.
Even as universities invest in security, McDonald emphasized ongoing cooperation with law enforcement. “It’s very incumbent upon those police agencies to have a dialogue that’s always going on with students that they are approachable,” he said. His call was clear: “We want students to make good decisions. And we also want them to have common sense.”
