Crime

Denver's crime rate by year

Police in Denver, CO reported about 882 violent crimes per 100,000 people they serve in 2025 (U.S.: 329), down from a high of 1,076 in 1992, and 6.0 murders in 2025 (U.S.: 4.3), down from a high of 19.3 in 1992. That was the 16th highest violent crime rate of the 89 biggest U.S. cities whose police reported a full year. Rates count only crimes police reported to the FBI.

Violent crime rate, 2025

882

per 100,000 people (U.S.: 329)

Murder rate, 2025

6.0

per 100,000 people (U.S.: 4.3)

Among big cities

16th

highest violent crime rate of 89

Violent crime rate in Denver and the U.S., each year

The interactive chart needs JavaScript. The numbers are in the table below.

Murder rate in Denver and the U.S., each year

The interactive chart needs JavaScript. The numbers are in the table below.

The numbers

Crimes per 100,000 people, as police reported them to the FBI, newest first.

Violent crimes and murders per 100,000 people in Denver, CO and the U.S., each year
Year Violent, Denver Violent, U.S. Murder, Denver Murder, U.S.
2025 882.3 329.3 6.0 4.3
2024 999.7 363.4 9.8 5.2
2023 1,027.8 385.6 12.4 6.1
2022 1,075.9 398.2 12.8 6.9
2021 937.7 360.9 13.5 6.9
2020 867.7 399.3 12.9 6.8
2019 757.4 381.0 9.1 5.2
2018 738.3 384.8 8.9 5.2
2017 685.8 397.5 8.2 5.4
2016 658.1 399.5 8.0 5.4
2015 644.6 384.6 7.8 5.0
2014 601.5 373.7 4.7 4.5
2013 630.7 378.2 6.3 4.6
2012 618.1 390.7 6.2 4.8
2011 608.9 390.1 6.1 4.8
2010 564.4 408.1 4.7 4.8
2009 574.4 436.8 5.8 5.1
2008 566.6 463.7 6.7 5.5
2007 615.3 477.9 8.2 5.8
2006 760.6 486.9 9.0 5.9
2005 787.5 483.0 10.5 5.9
2004 796.5 478.6 15.4 5.7
2003 624.0 493.7 11.1 5.9
2002 534.2 512.9 8.8 5.9
2001 539.6 529.5 7.9 5.9
2000 520.2 534.4 5.8 5.8
1999 570.8 545.8 12.4 5.9
1998 572.5 603.8 10.0 6.6
1997 672.3 644.9 13.1 7.2
1996 742.3 658.8 12.4 7.8
1995 861.3 720.6 16.0 8.7
1994 920.8 740.4 15.8 9.2
1993 1,053.8 764.1 14.8 9.8
1992 1,076.4 785.4 19.3 9.7
1991 1,049.9 798.1 18.4 10.3
1990 899.3 749.8 14.3 9.7
1989 722.2 680.5 11.1 8.9
1988 726.0 630.2 13.8 8.5
1987 753.8 624.9 15.5 8.4
1986 896.6 633.6 17.5 8.7
1985 828.8 570.3 14.0 8.1

Source and notes

FBI Crime Data Explorer, Uniform Crime Reporting Program (Public domain (U.S. government work); source FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program).

These are the crimes the Denver police reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program, per 100,000 people the department serves. Violent crime is murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; murder includes nonnegligent manslaughter. A year counts only when the department reported violent crimes in all 12 months, and not when its rate is far out of line with the years either side (under a quarter, or over 1.75 times, of both), which means it sent only part of its reports or some twice. In 2021 the FBI took only reports from its newer system (NIBRS), and many departments hadn't switched yet, so that year is often missing or less certain. NIBRS counts every crime in an incident, not just the most serious, so a jump or drop when a department switched can come from the change in counting rather than in crime. The FBI widened its definition of rape in 2013. A city's rate depends on where its borders fall, so compare cities with care. The U.S. rates count only the agencies that reported, so they differ a little from the FBI's national estimates.