It depends on how you measure: New South Wales (NSW) often has the highest total number of crimes due to its large population, while the Northern Territory (NT) consistently has the highest per capita crime rate (adjusted for population), and Queensland (QLD) frequently reports high rates, sometimes exceeding NSW in specific categories or overall when population is considered, with Victoria (VIC) also seeing rapid increases in recent years.
Rockhampton. Rockhampton is the most dangerous city in Australia. According to the reports, it has a crime index of 67.2, which is one of the major contributors to the country's higher rate. It has a crime rate of 132 per 1000 people, with most of the cases for theft, burglary, and assault.
Which state in Australia has the lowest crime rate? Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory are considered among the safest because of crime rates below the national average.
Considering all the above-mentioned factors, Wallethub determined the following rankings for the most dangerous states in 2023, starting with the most dangerous.
The worst performing states are Tasmania, with incomes 26% below the national income and wealth average, as well as South Australia which is 19% below the average household income and 20% below the national net wealth.
Firstly, the unhappiest city in Australia is Darwin. About 23. 4% of the population here is experiencing anxiety.
New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria provide greater business, financial, and information technology opportunities. Western Australia (WA) and Queensland (QLD) excel in mining, engineering, and healthcare. South Australia (SA) is becoming more welcoming to skilled migrants through its regional migration streams.
Other factors that affect crime rate include registration of complaint, cognisance of offence, which differs in different states. Among states, Kerala has the highest crime rate, and Nagaland has the lowest crime rate in 2022.
Key Takeaways
WASHINGTON – Wallethub has released its 2025 list of the safest states in the U.S., placing Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire at the top of the list. Maine and Utah were the fourth and fifth safest states. The least safe states were Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Florida and Arkansas.
1. Adelaide. Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, is known for being one of the most affordable cities in the country.
10 Best Areas to Live in Australia
Northern Territory: The Harsh Reality
The Northern Territory faces unique and intensified challenges, recording Australia's highest per-capita domestic violence rates, with Indigenous communities disproportionately affected. The remoteness and limited access to services significantly compound these issues.
What are the poorest suburbs in Australia? According to the ATO's latest figures, the lowest-earning suburbs in Australia are Callaghan and Newcastle University, which are located in the city of Newcastle in New South Wales. See the full list of postcodes below.
Canberra is officially Australia's #1 safest city, with a crime index rating of 26 out of 100. That places it as the 49th safest city in the world. This ranking comes from Compare the Market Australia, which analysed 6 years of public data from Numbeo's crime index.
Homicide rate: Australia's homicide rate hovers around 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to the U.S. rate of approximately 6 per 100,000. Property crime: Both countries experience property crime, but Australia's rates are generally lower, and violent property crimes (like armed burglary) are less common.
A table showing the age-adjusted homicide death rate and total homicides by state, for 2023. Mississippi has the highest homicide rate; New Hampshire has the lowest.
It should be noted that in the 2023 report, New Orleans, Louisiana, was listed as the #1 city with a homicide rate of 53.8, but after the FBI released their data, it is now clear that St. Louis was actually #1 with a homicide rate of 53.9.
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Crime rate by country 2025: 10 countries with the highest crime...
Hobart, Tasmania, is widely recognized as the cheapest major city, but smaller regional towns in Queensland and South Australia can offer even lower living costs.
A salary of $70,000 a year puts you just below the average wage in Australia, but it is still well above the average income in Australia.
Australia's richest state, Western Australia, presented its 2025-26 State Budget today. And, as has been the case for much of the past 15 or more years, it shows a very different picture from the budgets of what Western Australians refer to as the 'Eastern States'.