7. Birmingham, Ala.
> Violent crimes per 1,000: 14.8
> Population: 213,258
> 2011 murders: 54
> Median income: $30,212
> Unemployment rate: 10.9%

New on the list this year is Birmingham, which ranks among the top five cities in the U.S. for forcible rape and property crime rates. The city also has among the highest rates of burglary and larceny-theft. Like many other high crime cities, Birmingham has one of the highest poverty rates in the country, at 25.1%. Despite the rampant crime, officials announced last year that they planned to lay off 148 employees of the sheriff’s department in an effort to reduce the budget by $12.3 million.