Silke Jasso
Crime rates in America have dropped steadily in the last 20 years. According to the Pew Research Center, violent crime rates fell over 50 percent from 1993 to 2015. Despite this overall trend, murder rates in the U.S. have gone up in the past two years. In some cities, murder rates increased at alarming speeds. For example, there were 496 murders in Chicago in 2015, compared with 762 in 2016.
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Which American cities experienced the highest murder rates in 2015? FindTheHome, a real estate intelligence site by Graphiq, found out using data collected by the 2015 FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program. The experts at FindTheHome ranked cities by their murder rate per 100,000 people. Only cities that had populations over 100,000 and murder rates over 10 were included. The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program defines murder and nonnegligent manslaughter as the willful killing of one human being by another.
It’s important to note that although these 70 cities reflect a high murder rate in 2015, rates for the country overall are still historically low. Murder rates in the U.S. are down significantly from the 1980s and 1990s. Cities with higher murder rates range from large metropolises to smaller cities. Tackling crime and the murder rate in particular is a complex challenge for each city.
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Note: Some cities, including Cleveland, Ohio and Newark, New Jersey, have had higher than average murder rates in the past, but are not reported on by the 2015 FBI UCR.
Note: The data published here is meant solely to illustrate the relative rates of crime, and not to make assertions about the effectiveness of law enforcement. There are many factors that affect the rate and nature of crime — such as the degree of urbanization, composition of age groups, economic climate and modes of transportation within an area — which are not considered here. For more information on how to interpret FBI crime data, click here.
70. Jersey City, N.J.
- Population: 265,159
- Murder rate: 10.18 per 100K
- 27 reported murders in 2015
69. Dallas, Texas
- Population: 1,301,977
- Murder rate: 10.45 per 100K
- 136 reported murders in 2015
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
68. Omaha, Neb.
- Population: 452,252
- Murder rate: 10.61 per 100K
- 48 reported murders in 2015
67. Nashville-Davidson, Tenn.
- Population: 658,029
- Murder rate: 10.94 per 100K
- 72 reported murders in 2015
66. Pueblo, Colo.
- Population: 108,810
- Murder rate: 11.03 per 100K
- 12 reported murders in 2015
65. Shreveport, La.
- Population: 197,592
- Murder rate: 11.13 per 100K
- 22 reported murders in 2015
64. Jacksonville, Fla.
- Population: 867,258
- Murder rate: 11.18 per 100K
- 97 reported murders in 2015
63. Norfolk, Va.
- Population: 245,400
- Murder rate: 11.37 per 100K
- 28 reported murders in 2015
62. Minneapolis, Minn.
- Population: 413,479
- Murder rate: 11.41 per 100K
- 47 reported murders in 2015
61. Oklahoma City, Okla.
- Population: 630,621
- Murder rate: 11.58 per 100K
- 73 reported murders in 2015
60. Hampton, Va.
- Population: 136,381
- Murder rate: 11.68 per 100K
- 16 reported murders in 2015
59. Springfield, Mass.
- Population: 154,090
- Murder rate: 11.73 per 100K
- 18 reported murders in 2015
58. Louisville/Jefferson County, Ky.
- Population: 680,550
- Murder rate: 11.85 per 100K
- 81 reported murders in 2015
57. Knoxville, Tenn.
- Population: 185,638
- Murder rate: 11.86 per 100K
- 22 reported murders in 2015
56. Orlando, Fla.
- Population: 268,438
- Murder rate: 11.9 per 100K
- 32 reported murders in 2015
55. Modesto, Calif.
- Population: 210,794
- Murder rate: 11.92 per 100K
- 25 reported murders in 2015
54. Killeen, Texas
- Population: 140,497
- Murder rate: 12.06 per 100K
- 17 reported murders in 2015
53. Charleston, S.C.
- Population: 132,585
- Murder rate: 12.07 per 100K
- 16 reported murders in 2015
52. Wilmington, N.C.
- Population: 115,434
- Murder rate: 12.1 per 100K
- 14 reported murders in 2015
51. Peoria, Ill.
- Population: 116,066
- Murder rate: 12.13 per 100K
- 14 reported murders in 2015
50. Paterson, N.J.
- Population: 146,588
- Murder rate: 12.28 per 100K
- 18 reported murders in 2015
49. Santa Maria, Calif.
- Population: 104,355
- Murder rate: 12.46 per 100K
- 13 reported murders in 2015
48. Rockford, Ill.
- Population: 148,178
- Murder rate: 12.81 per 100K
- 19 reported murders in 2015
47. Bridgeport, Conn.
- Population: 148,313
- Murder rate: 12.82 per 100K
- 19 reported murders in 2015
46. Chattanooga, Tenn.
- Population: 174,969
- Murder rate: 13.15 per 100K
- 23 reported murders in 2015
45. Durham, N.C.
- Population: 257,911
- Murder rate: 13.18 per 100K
- 34 reported murders in 2015
44. Houston, Texas
- Population: 2,275,221
- Murder rate: 13.32 per 100K
- 303 reported murders in 2015
43. Beaumont, Texas
- Population: 117,635
- Murder rate: 13.6 per 100K
- 16 reported murders in 2015
42. Tulsa, Okla.
- Population: 401,520
- Murder rate: 13.7 per 100K
- 55 reported murders in 2015
41. Newport News, Va.
- Population: 182,975
- Murder rate: 14.17 per 100K
- 26 reported murders in 2015
40. Akron, Ohio
- Population: 197,587
- Murder rate: 14.21 per 100K
- 28 reported murders in 2015
39. Vallejo, Calif.
- Population: 121,257
- Murder rate: 14.84 per 100K
- 18 reported murders in 2015
38. Lafayette, La.
- Population: 127,273
- Murder rate: 14.93 per 100K
- 19 reported murders in 2015
37. Syracuse, N.Y.
- Population: 144,027
- Murder rate: 15.27 per 100K
- 22 reported murders in 2015
36. Rochester, N.Y.
- Population: 209,922
- Murder rate: 15.72 per 100K
- 33 reported murders in 2015
35. Buffalo, N.Y.
- Population: 258,096
- Murder rate: 15.86 per 100K
- 41 reported murders in 2015
34. Miami Gardens, Fla.
- Population: 113,469
- Murder rate: 15.89 per 100K
- 18 reported murders in 2015
33. Stockton, Calif.
- Population: 304,890
- Murder rate: 16.07 per 100K
- 49 reported murders in 2015
32. Little Rock, Ark.
- Population: 198,647
- Murder rate: 16.11 per 100K
- 32 reported murders in 2015
31. Montgomery, Ala.
- Population: 199,139
- Murder rate: 16.57 per 100K
- 33 reported murders in 2015
30. Waco, Texas
- Population: 131,413
- Murder rate: 16.74 per 100K
- 22 reported murders in 2015
29. South Bend, Ind.
- Population: 101,240
- Murder rate: 16.79 per 100K
- 17 reported murders in 2015
28. Indianapolis, Ind.
- Population: 863,675
- Murder rate: 17.12 per 100K
- 148 reported murders in 2015
27. Miami, Fla.
- Population: 437,969
- Murder rate: 17.14 per 100K
- 75 reported murders in 2015
26. North Charleston, S.C.
- Population: 109,051
- Murder rate: 17.42 per 100K
- 19 reported murders in 2015
25. Chicago, Ill.
- Population: 2,728,695
- Murder rate: 17.52 per 100K
- 478 reported murders in 2015
24. Philadelphia, Pa.
- Population: 1,567,810
- Murder rate: 17.86 per 100K
- 280 reported murders in 2015
23. Dayton, Ohio
- Population: 140,683
- Murder rate: 18.48 per 100K
- 26 reported murders in 2015
22. Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Population: 306,870
- Murder rate: 18.57 per 100K
- 57 reported murders in 2015
21. Kansas City, Kan.
- Population: 150,370
- Murder rate: 18.62 per 100K
- 28 reported murders in 2015
20. Richmond, Va.
- Population: 220,802
- Murder rate: 19.47 per 100K
- 43 reported murders in 2015
19. Atlanta, Ga.
- Population: 464,710
- Murder rate: 20.23 per 100K
- 94 reported murders in 2015
18. San Bernardino, Calif.
- Population: 216,477
- Murder rate: 20.26 per 100K
- 44 reported murders in 2015
17. Oakland, Calif.
- Population: 419,481
- Murder rate: 20.33 per 100K
- 85 reported murders in 2015
16. Memphis, Tenn.
- Population: 657,936
- Murder rate: 20.52 per 100K
- 135 reported murders in 2015
15. West Palm Beach, Fla.
- Population: 104,919
- Murder rate: 20.97 per 100K
- 22 reported murders in 2015
14. Cincinnati, Ohio
- Population: 298,478
- Murder rate: 22.11 per 100K
- 66 reported murders in 2015
13. Savannah, Ga.
- Population: 240,178
- Murder rate: 22.48 per 100K
- 54 reported murders in 2015
12. Kansas City, Mo.
- Population: 473,373
- Murder rate: 23.03 per 100K
- 109 reported murders in 2015
11. Washington, D.C.
- Population: 672,228
- Murder rate: 24.1 per 100K
- 162 reported murders in 2015
10. Milwaukee, Wis.
- Population: 600,400
- Murder rate: 24.15 per 100K
- 145 reported murders in 2015
9. Salinas, Calif.
- Population: 158,185
- Murder rate: 25.29 per 100K
- 40 reported murders in 2015
8. Hartford, Conn.
- Population: 124,553
- Murder rate: 25.69 per 100K
- 32 reported murders in 2015
7. Baton Rouge, La.
- Population: 228,727
- Murder rate: 26.23 per 100K
- 60 reported murders in 2015
6. Jackson, Miss.
- Population: 170,508
- Murder rate: 31.08 per 100K
- 53 reported murders in 2015
5. Birmingham, Ala.
- Population: 212,291
- Murder rate: 37.21 per 100K
- 79 reported murders in 2015
4. New Orleans, La.
- Population: 393,447
- Murder rate: 41.68 per 100K
- 164 reported murders in 2015
3. Detroit, Mich.
- Population: 673,225
- Murder rate: 43.82 per 100K
- 295 reported murders in 2015
2. Baltimore, Md.
- Population: 621,252
- Murder rate: 55.37 per 100K
- 344 reported murders in 2015
1. St. Louis, Mo.
- Population: 317,095
- Murder rate: 59.29 per 100K
- 188 reported murders in 2015
