How did Chicago’s 2023 homicide rate compare to other large U.S. cities in 2023?
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Executive summary
Chicago’s homicide count fell in 2023 but its per‑capita murder rate remained high among large U.S. cities: the city recorded roughly 617 homicides in 2023 and, by several widely used measures, a homicide rate in the low‑to‑mid‑20s per 100,000 — placing it above most big‑city peers on a per‑person basis even as it continued to lead the nation in raw homicide totals [1] [2] [3].
1. Chicago led the nation in total murders, but totals and rates tell different stories
Chicago’s raw homicide total for 2023—commonly reported as about 617 deaths—made it the city with the single largest number of murders in the nation that year, a point emphasized by local and national trackers and by analysts at Wirepoints [1] [2], while county‑level compilations that include suburban areas give even larger counts (Cook County 805 homicides cited by USAFacts) and can change the national ranking depending on definition [4].
2. Per‑capita rankings: high among the largest cities, not universally the worst
Measured per 100,000 residents, Chicago’s 2023 homicide rate has been estimated in the low‑to‑mid‑20s (CCJ: about 23.6 per 100,000 for 2023), a rate that places it above the majority of other very large cities but not always at the top of per‑capita lists depending on which municipal sample is used; some analyses rank Chicago among the top 10–15 worst rates for large cities, while other broader samples place it lower—highlighting that comparisons depend on which cities are included and whether suburbs or counties are counted [3] [5] [6].
3. Methodology matters: city limits vs. counties, population cutoffs, and data sources
Differences in rankings stem largely from methodological choices: counting homicides inside city limits (Chicago proper) yields the 617 figure, while county or metro counts rise significantly (Cook County 805), and per‑capita rates can vary with the denominator used and with whether smaller jurisdictions or outlier cities are included in comparisons; fact‑checking organizations and researchers (CCJ, FBI samplings, BBC analysis) all caution that sample selection and timing (calendar year vs. rolling periods) shift Chicago’s standing [4] [3] [5].
4. Trends: 2023 was a decline from recent peaks but still above pre‑pandemic norms
Multiple research groups and local reports note that homicides in Chicago fell in 2023 compared with the pandemic‑era spike—figures show declines from 2021 peaks and—by some measures—a 13% drop in Chicago’s murder total from 2022 to 2023, and CCJ places the 2023 homicide rate lower than 2021 and 2022 levels [7] [3] [8]; however, many commentators emphasize that despite the drop, 2023 rates remained elevated relative to 2019 pre‑pandemic baselines [2] [9].
5. Political narratives and competing claims complicate public perception
Political actors and some media outlets have pressed competing narratives—some stressing that Chicago remains the nation’s “homicide capital” by totals (Wirepoints), others pointing out that on a per‑capita basis Chicago does not always top lists and can rank lower depending on the dataset (BBC, FactCheck) —and fact‑checkers note that officials’ rebuttals often rely on alternative cutoffs or selections of “big cities,” underscoring how selective comparisons can be used to support opposing claims [2] [5] [3].
6. What the data do and do not resolve
The available reporting makes clear that Chicago suffered one of the highest absolute numbers of homicides in 2023 and maintained a relatively high per‑capita homicide rate among large U.S. cities, but exact rank depends on data source, whether the city or county is measured, and which peer cities are included; the sources reviewed do not provide a single undisputed national rank for Chicago in 2023 because methodological choices change the outcome [1] [4] [3].