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December 27, 2025 Article/Editing:

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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:

RankMajor CityStateHomicides per 100,000 peopleTotal 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

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