Crime rates in memphis
Executive summary
Memphis’s recent data show measurable declines in many major crime categories through 2025, including a sharp drop in homicides from 399 in 2023 to 235 in 2025 according to local reporting, and city officials and the Memphis Police Department calling 2025 a 25‑year low in violent crime [1] [2] [3]. At the same time independent analysts and residents caution that trends differ by offense type, that property crimes have been more volatile, and that perceptions on the street do not always match aggregate numbers [4] [5] [6].
1. A clear downward turn in homicides and major violent crime
Memphis police and local outlets report that homicides fell substantially in 2025 — MPD and media tallies put 235 homicides for the year, down from 301 in 2024 and 399 in 2023 — and city statements describe 2025 as a historic reduction in violent crime [1] [2] [3]. The Memphis Shelby Crime Commission and MPD cite multi‑category declines across the first eight months of 2025 compared with prior years, a narrative reinforced by a TBI audit that officials say validated the reductions [2] [3] [7].
2. The picture is mixed across offense types — property crime and nonviolent offenses
While violent crime shows notable decreases, property crimes and nonviolent offenses have been more variable: reports describe property offenses as “volatile” and note sharp year‑to‑year swings, with some datasets showing residential burglary down in the first half of 2025 while overall property crime comparisons vary by source [5] [4]. Independent aggregators and neighborhood safety services continue to rate Memphis above national averages for combined violent and property crime, underscoring that despite recent improvements the city’s overall crime burden remains elevated compared with many places [8] [9] [10].
3. Multiple data sources, different frames, same broad trend
Local open‑data portals (the City’s Data Hub) and the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission publish quarterly and annual figures drawn from TBI’s incident‑based reporting, and these locally curated datasets align with MPD’s reports of declines, producing a consistent downward signal for several key categories in 2025 [11] [7] [2]. National and private trackers present different metrics and baselines — for example, NeighborhoodScout and Nextdoor highlight high per‑capita crime rates for Memphis overall — which can make comparisons appear contradictory unless the time frame and offense definitions are aligned [8] [9].
4. What officials are crediting and what residents report feeling
City leaders and police attribute the improvements to sustained patrols, technology, prevention efforts, and community partnerships and have announced multi‑year action plans to sustain gains [1] [2] [12]. Yet coverage of resident reaction shows mixed sentiment: some residents express cautious optimism while others say they have not yet felt safer in day‑to‑day life, a reminder that falling counts do not instantly change lived experience or perception of safety [6].
5. Caveats, data nuances, and the role of reporting choices
Crime trends depend heavily on which years and categories are compared; the Council on Criminal Justice warns that Memphis’s homicide rate remains high in long‑run comparisons and has declined more slowly than peer cities, even as it outpaces others in reductions of specific offenses like carjacking and motor vehicle theft [4]. Public dashboards and press statements often emphasize selected winning metrics; independent portals and academic reviewers note the importance of using consistent reporting systems (TIBRS/TBI) and acknowledging underreporting or definitional differences across agencies [7] [4].
6. Bottom line — where the numbers leave the city now
Aggregate reporting from MPD, the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission, and local media points to a meaningful drop in violent crime in 2025 and lower homicide counts than the previous two years, but broader measures of overall crime remain elevated relative to many U.S. cities and property offenses show volatility; residents and analysts caution that continued, multi‑pronged efforts and transparent data monitoring are necessary to sustain and verify the improvements [2] [1] [8] [5].