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, via Visual Capitalist’s Niccolo Conte, 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 Homicides1New OrleansLA461662MemphisTN413723St. LouisMO381064BaltimoreMD362055Washington, DCDC362446BirminghamAL281877PhiladelphiaPA264028Kansas CityMO251829RichmondVA235310IndianapolisIN2221111MilwaukeeWI2119012LouisvilleKY1914613ClevelandOH1822014DetroitMI1730415NorfolkVA174016AtlantaGA1617517ChicagoIL1680518JacksonvilleFL1515319NashvilleTN1510320DallasTX1231921ColumbusOH1215922HoustonTX1154023DenverCO117724San AntonioTX1021825CincinnatiOH108326New York City (The Bronx)NY912827RochesterNY96928Las VegasNV920729PortlandOR97030OaklandCA813631Oklahoma CityOK86632PhoenixAZ733733PittsburghPA89834CharlotteNC89035OrlandoFL710436MinneapolisMN78837Los AngelesCA765938MiamiFL717639NewarkNJ75640Virginia BeachVA629
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.
If you found this infographic interesting, see this graphic on America’s Most Dangerous Cities on Voronoi.
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