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Ranked: The Top 30 U.S. Cities by Homicide Rate

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Ranked: Top 30 U.S. Cities by Homicide Rate

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Key Takeaways

  • New Orleans has the highest homicide rate among major U.S. cities, at 46 homicides per 100,000 people.
  • Per capita rates reveal a different picture than total homicides, with some highly populated cities ranking lower despite high absolute numbers.

This visualization highlights the top 30 U.S. cities with the highest homicide rates per 100,000 residents, offering a population-adjusted view that goes beyond raw totals. The data for this visualization comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention via USAFacts.

New Orleans and Memphis Lead the Nation

New Orleans tops the list with 46 homicides per 100,000 people, followed closely by Memphis at 41. Both cities consistently rank near the top due to long-term structural challenges, including poverty, strained social services, and persistent violent crime.

Rank Major City State Homicides per 100K 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 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
41 Seattle WA 6 141
42 Saint Paul MN 6 33
43 Fort Worth TX 6 134
44 Buffalo NY 6 57
45 Tampa FL 6 90
46 Grand Rapids MI 6 37
47 Sacramento CA 5 86
48 Austin TX 5 71
49 New York City (Brooklyn) NY 5 130
50 San Francisco CA 5 41

St. Louis and Baltimore also remain among the highest-rate cities. Together, these cities highlight the concentration of elevated homicide levels in portions of the South and Midwest.

Large Cities Show Lower Rates Despite High Total Homicides

Chicago, for example, recorded more than 800 homicides but ranks 16th with a rate of 16 per 100,000.

Houston, Los Angeles, and New York City boroughs show similar patterns. These cases demonstrate why total homicide numbers can be misleading when comparing risk across cities.

Mid-Sized Cities Also Experience Elevated Rates

Cities like Richmond, Indianapolis, and Milwaukee register rates between 20 and 23 per 100,000, placing them among the top 15 nationally. Although smaller in population, these mid-sized cities face similar drivers of violent crime found in larger metropolitan areas.

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