2025 Milwaukee crime numbers: homicides up, crime overall is down
2025 Milwaukee crime numbers
Crime is down in Milwaukee, but homicides are up. So why is the city going in a different direction than the national trend?
MILWAUKEE - Crime is down in Milwaukee, but homicides are up.
So why is the city going in a different direction than the national trend?
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson says plans are in place to reduce homicides, but he says change needs to start in the home.
2025 Milwaukee crime numbers
The Milwaukee police chief and the mayor released crime data from 2025 on Thursday, Jan. 8.
Year of housing
What they're saying:
That’s why he’s calling 2026 the "Year of Housing."
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"Our public safety approach is built on a two-prong pillar. It's accountability. And it's also prevention," said Mayor Johnson.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson
On Thursday morning, Jan. 8, Mayor Johnson joined Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman and other city leaders to discuss end-of-year crime numbers.
City data shows overall crime decreased from 2024 to 2025 except homicides, which saw an 8% jump.
"Unfortunately, for many of these young individuals, they are taking it into their own hands of what they want to do in regards to their actions breaking into vehicles or not attending school. We need to make sure we are being a good guidance," said Chief Norman.
National data shows overall, U.S. homicides dropped.
Milwaukee police
Timothy Scott is a relative of Jarvis Phillips-Willis, the 19-year-old who was shot and killed in November 2025.
He supports the mayor's belief that housing plays a role in Milwaukee's numbers.
"People are really struggling, piling up in houses, living 2-3 families in one house, so just imagine that," said Scott.
Mayor Johnson says more affordable housing and homeownership opportunities will help create safer neighborhoods.
"Often say before a kid or a young person or anybody before they go out and hit the street and their foot hits the sidewalk, they should be concerned about what their parents are going to think about their actions when they're out there. Those are things that happen at home," added Chief Norman.
"If we’re not willing to do anything, I’m not going say be quiet, but then don’t expect it to get better around you," added Scott.
Chief Norman says police are planning more vacant house checks, domestic violence prevention, and supplying more housing resources.
Expanded crime statistics
By the numbers:
The data shows homicides increased from 132 in 2024 to 142 in 2025 – that is an 8% increase. There was a 3% increase in human trafficking from 2024 to 2025.
What is down?
By the numbers:
The data shows rapes fell by 10% year to year – and there were also drops in robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft and arson.
Officials noted the homicide clearance rate in 2025 was 87%.
Crashes in the city
What we know:
The crime data also shows that crashes were consistent with 14,324 in 2024 to 14,299 in 2025. Hit-and-run crashes were consistent with 5,410 in 2024 to 5,421 in 2025.
Fatal crashes in Milwaukee decreased by 17% – from 66 in 2024 to 55 in 2025.
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Nationwide drop
Big picture view:
Though it wasn't the case in Milwaukee, national headlines celebrated homicide numbers dropping elsewhere in 2025. Chicago, for example, reported its lowest number of homicides in 60 years:
- 416 homicides through Dec. 30, 2025
- Homicides down 29% in 2025 compared to 2024
- Previous low of 395 set in 1965, according to the Chicago Police Department.
Baltimore saw its lowest number of homicides in nearly 50 years, too.
Nationally, homicides were down. The AH Datalytics Real-Time Crime Index suggests homicides in 2025 saw the largest one-year drop. The index includes data from 570 police agencies through October 2025, so it's not the year's picture just yet.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Milwaukee Police Department.