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Figures as of November 14, 2026, from each chart's current data.

Chart 1 of 1 · Crime

Which big U.S. cities have the most violent crime?

The chart's answer: In 2025, Memphis, TN had the highest violent crime rate of the 89 biggest U.S. cities whose police reported a full year to the FBI, about 1,853 per 100,000 people, followed by Detroit, MI (1,654) and Oakland, CA (1,475). Irvine, CA (79) and Virginia Beach, VA (101) had the lowest; the U.S. rate was about 330. Violent crime is murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. In 2025 the police in New Orleans, Orlando and St. Petersburg, Florida, didn't report a full year of crimes, so they are left out. Each rate is per person the department serves, and a few, such as Las Vegas, Honolulu, Jacksonville and Louisville, serve their whole county. A city's rate also depends on where its borders fall, so compare cities with care.

Key numbers (Violent crimes per 100,000 people)

Questions

  1. Find the city with the highest rate and the one with the lowest. About how many times higher is the top rate?

    • Memphis, TN is about 24 times Irvine, CA
    • Highest: 1,852.9 (Memphis, TN)
    • Lowest: 78.7 (Irvine, CA)
  2. Some departments police a whole county, suburbs included. How could that change a city's rate compared with one that covers only its downtown?

    Open question: answers will vary. Look for answers that use the chart's numbers and source.

  3. These are crimes reported to police. What kinds of crime might never show up in these numbers, and why?

    Open question: answers will vary. Look for answers that use the chart's numbers and source.

Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, Uniform Crime Reporting Program (Public domain (U.S. government work); source FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program) · Data as of Dec 31, 2025 · chart.ly/charts/violent-crime-rate-by-city

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