Share

Milwaukee, WI vs Watertown, WI Crime Comparison

Side-by-side crime rates, safety scores, and trends based on FBI data.

Full report: Milwaukee crime rate · Watertown crime rate

Moving from Milwaukee, WI to Watertown, WI?

The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

Get the planner →

Is Milwaukee, WI or Watertown, WI Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Watertown, WI is safer than Milwaukee, WI (Safety Score 65/100 vs 8/100), with a total crime rate of 1,243 per 100,000 versus 4,135 for Milwaukee, WI — 70% lower. Milwaukee has higher rates in 0 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where Watertown has a 100% lower rate.

Note: Milwaukee is 24.8x larger by coverage, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.

Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Milwaukee, WI?

Milwaukee — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Watertown — 5-Year Trend

Flat Violent Flat Property Flat Total

Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee, WI
Safety Score 8/100
Coverage 560,416
Total Crime Rate 4,135.0
Category Wins 0/7

Watertown, WI

Watertown, WI
Safety Score 65/100
Coverage 22,612
Total Crime Rate 1,242.7
Category Wins 7/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Milwaukee Watertown Difference
Total Crime Rate 4,135.0 1,242.7 +2,892.3
Violent Crime Rate 1,434.3 194.6 +1,239.7
Murder Rate 23.9 0.0 +23.9
Rape Rate 68.2 61.9 +6.3
Robbery Rate 308.2 8.8 +299.3
Aggravated Assault Rate 1,030.7 119.4 +911.3
Property Crime Rate 2,700.7 1,048.1 +1,652.6
Burglary Rate 388.1 39.8 +348.3
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,255.1 946.4 +308.7
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 1,057.4 61.9 +995.5

All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.

Moving from Milwaukee, WI to Watertown, WI?

The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

Get the planner →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Milwaukee or Watertown safer?

Watertown, WI is safer with a total crime rate of 1,243 per 100K vs 4,135 for Milwaukee, WI — a 70% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Milwaukee has a violent crime rate of 1,434.3 per 100K while Watertown has 194.6. Watertown has lower violent crime.

About Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee, a city on Lake Michigan's western shore, boasts a rich brewing heritage and a diverse population. Its industrial past is evident in its architecture and strong community ties. With a safety score of 8/100 and a population coverage of 560,416, Milwaukee has a total crime rate of 4,135.0 per 100,000 residents.

About Watertown, WI

Watertown, WI, straddles the Rock River, a city with a rich German heritage and home to the first kindergarten in the United States. This Dodge and Jefferson County community has a population of approximately 24,000. With a safety score of 65/100 and a population coverage of 22,612, Watertown has a total crime rate of 1,242.7 per 100,000 residents.

More Crime Rate Comparisons