United States

Is the United States safe to visit?

For most visitors, yes, and safer than a year ago. FBI data released in August 2026 show the murder rate fell about 18% in 2025, to 4.1 per 100,000 people, the joint-lowest since the 1950s. Road deaths also fell.

But compared with the other rich countries in our list, the US carries more risk on almost every factor. Its murder rate is still about four times the UK's, its roads are about three times as deadly, and it sits 134th of 163 on the 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary. We score it 73, well below the United Kingdom and above Mexico.

Crime depends on the block, not the country

US violence is highly concentrated. A small number of neighbourhoods in cities such as St Louis, Memphis, Baltimore and New Orleans account for a large share of shootings, and most victims know their attacker. Downtown districts, tourist areas and national parks are generally safe. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary's view is that violent and gun crime rarely affects tourists.

For visitors, the more likely problem is property crime. Thieves break car windows for luggage and electronics in San Francisco (around Fisherman's Wharf, Alamo Square and the Golden Gate Bridge viewpoints), in Los Angeles, and at trailheads across the West. The FCDO specifically warns against leaving passports in rental cars, even in the boot. Our pages on Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando and Washington DC cover those cities in more detail.

In New York City, the subway is safe at most hours, but phone snatching and the occasional erratic passenger mean it pays to stay near the conductor's car (the middle of the train) late at night.

Terrorism and political violence

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in the US. On 1 January 2025, a man drove a truck into New Year crowds on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing 14 people. Political violence has also risen: a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband were shot dead in June 2025, and the activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a Utah university event in September 2025. Protests are common, and the FCDO warns they can turn violent and lead to curfews.

None of this means you should avoid big events. It does mean knowing the exits at concerts and parades, and walking away from protests if police lines form.

Roads: the biggest everyday risk

NHTSA estimates 36,640 people died on US roads in 2025, a 6.7% fall but still about 11 deaths per 100,000 people. Pedestrians are particularly exposed on wide suburban roads with few crossings, notably in Florida, Arizona and around Los Angeles and Houston. For visitors on a road trip, the risks are fatigue on long desert drives, high speeds, and drunk drivers late on weekend nights. In remote areas of Death Valley, Utah and Nevada, carry water and do not leave the car if it breaks down.

Weather, fire and earthquakes

The US is exposed to almost every natural hazard. Hurricanes hit Florida and the Gulf Coast most years from June to November. Tornadoes are common in spring across the Plains and the South. Wildfires burn across the West in summer and autumn, and in January 2025 the Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed thousands of homes in Los Angeles. Flash floods can be sudden and deadly: on 4 July 2025, the Guadalupe River in Texas rose by metres in hours, killing more than 130 people, many at a children's summer camp.

National Weather Service alerts reach phones automatically. When an evacuation order is given, leave.

Health and the cost of care

Medical care is excellent and very expensive. An emergency-room visit can cost thousands of dollars before any treatment, and hospitals will bill visitors directly. Disease risks are low: West Nile virus from mosquitoes in summer, Lyme disease from ticks in the Northeast, and heat illness in the Southwest, where Phoenix and Las Vegas pass 40°C in summer.

How to stay safe in the US

• Buy travel insurance with at least US$1 million of medical cover.
• Never leave anything visible in a parked car, and take your passport with you.
• Turn on Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone and act on hurricane, tornado and flood warnings.
• At big events, note two exits; if you hear shots, run first.
• In the Southwest in summer, hike before 10am and carry at least 4 litres of water a person.
• Call 911 for police, fire or ambulance.

How we scored it

Health (80), violent crime (75) and petty crime (75) are moderate. Road safety (66) and conflict (70) are the weakest factors, reflecting high road deaths, a low Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary rank, terrorism and political violence. If the 2025 crime fall holds, the violent crime score will rise.