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Mapped: The Highest Homicide Rates in the U.S.

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Mapped: The Highest Homicide Rates in the U.S.

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Key Takeaways

  • New Orleans reports the highest homicide rate among major U.S. cities, at 46 deaths per 100,000 people.
  • Several Midwestern and Southern cities dominate the top of the ranking.
  • Large cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston record high total homicides due to larger populations, but their homicide rates don’t tend to higher ones found in other cities.

Across the United States, there were 22,830 homicides in 2023, averaging 6.8 deaths per 100,000 people.

Homicide rates vary widely across American cities, influenced by factors such as poverty, inequality, gun laws, and local policing strategies.

This map shows the top 40 U.S. cities by their homicide rate per 100,000 residents and the total number of homicides, based on the latest reported data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Where Homicide Rates Are Highest in America

Cities in the South and Midwest tend to show higher homicide rates, reflecting a combination of economic stress, structural inequality, and regional differences in firearm access and enforcement.

The table below ranks the top 40 U.S. cities by homicide rate:

Rank Major City State Homicides per 100,000 people Total Homicides
1 New Orleans LA 46 166
2 Memphis TN 41 372
3 St. Louis MO 38 106
4 Baltimore MD 36 205
5 Washington, DC DC 36 244
6 Birmingham AL 28 187
7 Philadelphia PA 26 402
8 Kansas City MO 25 182
9 Richmond VA 23 53
10 Indianapolis IN 22 211
11 Milwaukee WI 21 190
12 Louisville KY 19 146
13 Cleveland OH 18 220
14 Detroit MI 17 304
15 Norfolk VA 17 40
16 Atlanta GA 16 175
17 Chicago IL 16 805
18 Jacksonville FL 15 153
19 Nashville TN 15 103
20 Dallas TX 12 319
21 Columbus OH 12 159
22 Houston TX 11 540
23 Denver CO 11 77
24 San Antonio TX 10 218
25 Cincinnati OH 10 83
26 New York City (The Bronx) NY 9 128
27 Rochester NY 9 69
28 Las Vegas NV 9 207
29 Portland OR 9 70
30 Oakland CA 8 136
31 Oklahoma City OK 8 66
32 Phoenix AZ 7 337
33 Pittsburgh PA 8 98
34 Charlotte NC 8 90
35 Orlando FL 7 104
36 Minneapolis MN 7 88
37 Los Angeles CA 7 659
38 Miami FL 7 176
39 Newark NJ 7 56
40 Virginia Beach VA 6 29

New Orleans ranks first, with a homicide rate of 46 per 100,000 people. Memphis and St. Louis follow closely, each reporting rates above 38 per 100,000. While these cities have a relatively low number of total homicides, their small population sizes place them among the most violent cities in the country.

In terms of total homicides, Chicago ranks first with more than 800 homicides, followed by Los Angeles and Houston. Despite the high totals, these cities have relatively lower rates due to their large populations.

Many Southern and Western states with high homicide rates also rank highly in gun-related deaths per 100,000 people, reflecting a combination of firearm availability, gun ownership rates, and broader socioeconomic challenges.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you found this infographic interesting, see this graphic on America’s Most Dangerous Cities on Voronoi.

Source
America
United States