Here are 10 cities with the highest crime rates

President Trump has threatened to send National Guard troops into more American cities after deploying soldiers in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles this year.

He’s highlighted Baltimore and Chicago as cities in particular need of help fighting crime, though Monday he appeared to back off his threat to unilaterally deploy the National Guard into cities uninvited.

Baltimore has the third-highest rate of violent crime, while Chicago ranks 29th among cities with at least 500,000 residents, according to the latest FBI data.

Trump’s focus on cities in blue states — those led by Democratic governors — with Black mayors has drawn criticism from Democrats, who have pointed out that some cities in red states have higher crime rates.

Below are the 10 big cities with the highest rate of crime per 100,000 people, based on FBI data from 2024 on murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

Memphis, Tenn.

Memphis, the second-biggest city in the red state of Tennessee, tops the list with 2,501 violent crimes per 100,000 people, according to data from the FBI.

The city has recorded 145 murder victims in the first eight months of the year. Last year, it experienced 40.6 homicides per 100,000, placing it fourth among cities with at least 100,000 residents.

Trump, citing high rates of crime, said Memphis would be placed “early on the list” of cities federal forces could target with an increased law enforcement presence, during an Aug. 21 interview with local radio host Todd Starnes.

City police say overall crime has decreased by 22 percent compared to last year.

Democratic Mayor Paul Young was the victim of an attempted kidnapping in June, when an alleged stalker visited his home with a taser, gloves, rope and duct tape.

Detroit

Detroit closely trails Memphis with a violent crime rate of 1,781 per 100,00 and a rate of 31.2 homicides per 100,000 residents.

Last year, there were 203 homicides, the lowest number since 1965, according to city data. The number marks a 19 percent decrease from 2023 and 34 percent from 2022 for the Motor City.

Mayor Mike Duggan left the Democratic Party to run for governor as an independent, aiming to replace term-limited Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Duggan said Trump deserved some credit for the decline in crime in the city.

“The federal government has been a huge partner in this. The president appointed Jerome Gorgon, the U.S. attorney,” he said on a CNN podcast.

Baltimore

Baltimore had 1,606 violent crimes and 34.8 homicides per 100,000 people last year.

Both Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (D) have tangoed with the president over his comments about the Charm City’s high crime rates.

Scott accused Trump of targeting Black-led cities for criticism, while Moore invited Trump on a walk around communities to see the reality of life in the city.

Instead of accepting the offer, Trump told Moore to focus on driving down the crime rate, indicating he wouldn’t join him for a walk before that.

As of July 1, the city had recorded 68 homicides this year. Police said that reflected a 22 percent year-over-year decrease in homicides and a 19 percent decrease in nonfatal shootings.

Kansas City, Mo.

Kansas City, Mo., saw 1,547 violent offenses per 100,000 people in 2024. Last year, the city saw a 12 percent increase in nonfatal shootings and tallied 144 homicide cases.

Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe has said residents needed safer streets, pledging to remove guns and investing $10 million in public safety training for law enforcement.

“You can’t legislate lower crime, but what you can do is give law enforcement the tools it takes,” he said, according to the Missouri Independent.

Last week, Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) touted a major funding boost to the FBI regional office in St. Louis to improve staffing numbers.

Milwaukee

The city of Milwaukee had 1,431 violent crimes per 100,000.

So far this year, police have recorded 100 homicides and 293 rapes, marking a 10 percent and 1 percent year-on-year increase, respectively.

In January, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) created a statewide violence prevention office and poured $66 million into support services for victims.

Evers noted in a press release that violent crime was going down statewide.

“And, yet, the rate of gun deaths in Wisconsin is trending in the opposite direction. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, the rate of gun deaths increased in Wisconsin by 54 percent from 2014 to 2023, compared to a 34 percent increase nationwide over that same time period.”

He later added that leaders “could do better than nothing” with proper investments in safety funding.

Albuquerque, NM

The FBI reported that 1,182 violent crimes occurred per 100,000 residents in Albuquerque, the largest city in the blue state of New Mexico.

Last year, there was a total of 94 homicides reported, three fewer than the year prior.

City police officers made 1,300 more arrests last year than in 2023, a 28 percent increase, according to KRQE.

Houston

Houston saw 1,148 crimes per 100,000 people last year, and violent crime in the red state of Texas’s largest city increased by about 4.5 percent from 2023 to 2024, Fox 26 reported.

There were 320 murders and 13,354 burglaries in 2024. Much of the crime has been associated with nightlife. Houston Mayor John Whitmire (D) last month announced the formation of a “club unit” of the Houston Police Department designated to target bars and clubs with citations.

His effort resulted in five club closures in a three-day period, Houston Public Media reported.

Nashville, Tenn.

Tennessee’s capital and its largest city, Nashville reported 1,124 violent crimes per 100,000 people; local police face a shortage of 100 officers, and leaders have struggled to increase staffing, the Nashville Banner reported.

Still, crime rates in 2025 are 10 percent lower than last year, according to the city.

The death toll reached 104 in 2024, one more death than the year before.

Denver

Denver saw 993 violent crimes per 100,000 people, according the FBI.

Democratic Gov. Jared Polis has set a goal of reducing violent crime statewide by 6 percent year over year.

“It’s a big state, and you’re always going to see some communities where it goes one way, other communities where it becomes safer. But overall, I’m very proud that violent crime has gone down just in the last two years, 13.9 percent,” Polis said, as reported by ABC7.

Denver Police Department said total violent crime is down 7.31 percent as of August.

Washington, DC

Violent crime was recorded at 926 per 100,000 in the nation’s capital, which is governed by Mayor Muriel Bowser (D). Officials said violent crime is down by 27 percent and at a 30-year low after reaching all-time highs during the pandemic.

City leaders have also touted a 15 percent drop in the murder rate, in part crediting local violence intervention initiatives.

Trump has said the city remains overrun by criminals and this month deployed hundreds of federal agents and National Guard soldiers across the city. Officials say more than 1,000 arrests have been made since the start of the law enforcement surge Aug. 11.

Trump said he will look to retain federal control of Washington beyond the 30-day period outlined in the Home Rule Act.

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