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Chicago murder rate ranked by city
Executive summary
Claims that “Chicago has the highest murder rate among U.S. cities” are contested in recent reporting and depend entirely on which dataset, city sample and population cutoffs are used: some analyses of a small sample of cities (or of four cities above 1,000,000 people) show Chicago near or at the top, while broader FBI-based comparisons typically place Chicago well below the very highest per‑capita rates — FBI data put Chicago’s 2024 murder rate at about 17.5 per 100,000 and several outlets report that 22 major cities had higher rates [1] [2] [3]. Available sources do not provide a single, definitive nationwide ranking that resolves these differences without specifying methodology (not found in current reporting).
1. How “highest” depends on the sample and metric
Different organizations use different city lists and definitions: the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) working paper and a related 24‑city study highlight that in a small sample — including just four cities with populations over 1,000,000 — Chicago “consistently had the highest homicide rate” in recent years [4] [5]. By contrast, FactCheck.org and Newsweek, both citing broader FBI tables, show Chicago ranking lower when the comparison expands to 37 cities over 500,000 or 87 cities over 250,000 (Chicago ranked 10th of 37 and 15th of 87 in one analysis) [2] [1].
2. Absolute counts versus per‑capita rates — two different headlines
Chicago often posts the largest absolute number of killings among big U.S. cities, which drives headlines about “most murders,” but that is distinct from per‑capita murder rate. Several sources note Chicago recorded hundreds of homicides in 2024 (e.g., roughly 573 reported by some outlets and 591 in CPD counts), while FBI counts differ; when you divide by population, other cities—especially smaller ones—often have higher rates per 100,000 residents [3] [6] [1].
3. Discrepancies between local police and FBI counts matter
Chicago Police Department (CPD) and FBI totals can diverge because of reporting timing and classification. BBC reporting notes CPD’s higher homicide figure [7] versus the FBI’s lower number [8] for the same period, and analysts attribute some differences to under‑reporting or classification lags to the FBI [3]. Those gaps change where Chicago sits in per‑capita rankings depending on which count you use.
4. Recent headline rankings and political use
Political actors and partisan outlets have seized on particular studies that favor their claims: the White House linked to the RIT group’s small sample finding and asserted Chicago had the highest murder rate in certain contexts, while critics and local officials push back using broader FBI tabulations showing Chicago not atop larger-city lists [3] [9] [2]. The Guardian, Newsweek and NBC Chicago show competing lists and numbers, reflecting how methodology is used to support differing policy arguments [10] [1] [11].
5. Where major outlets placed Chicago in 2024–2025 comparisons
Newsweek reported Chicago’s FBI‑based murder rate at about 17.5 per 100,000 in 2024 and said 22 major cities had higher rates [1]. FactCheck.org found that when expanded beyond a small peer group, Chicago ranked 10th among 37 cities of 500,000+ and 15th among 87 cities of 250,000+ [2]. Other outlets (The Center Square, Wirepoints) reported much higher per‑capita numbers for Chicago (e.g., claims like 21.5 per 100,000) based on different population estimates or selective comparisons [12].
6. Broader context — regional patterns and county data
Analysts caution that county‑level adjustments and metro area breakdowns can shift rankings: USAFacts, looking at county-level homicides, placed Cook County at 15.8 per 100,000 and noted its rank among large metro counties — reminding readers that municipal borders, metro spreads and whether you use city or county data materially affect the picture [13].
7. What readers should look for when comparing cities
To evaluate any “ranked by murder rate” claim, check four things: which dataset (local police vs. FBI), the year covered, the population cutoff (e.g., cities >1,000,000 or >250,000), and whether the metric is absolute homicide counts or per‑100,000 rates. Many claims omit at least one of these and therefore lead to conflicting headlines [4] [2] [1].
8. Bottom line and limits of current reporting
Current reporting shows legitimate disagreement rooted in methodology, not simple error: RIT‑style narrow samples can place Chicago at or near the top, while FBI‑based, broader comparisons usually rank other cities above Chicago on a per‑capita basis [4] [2] [1]. Available sources do not provide a single, universally accepted nationwide ranking that resolves every dispute without stating which cities and definitions were used (not found in current reporting).