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Most Dangerous Cities in Wisconsin 2024

Avg Violent Crime Rate

238
0.5x avg
per 100K (these cities)

Avg Murder Rate

2.7
0.4x avg
per 100K (national: 6.2)

Avg Property Crime Rate

1,474
per 100K (these cities)

Crime Hotspots in Wisconsin (2024)

These 35 cities reported the highest crime rates in Wisconsin. On average, they experience 0.6x the national crime rate, with violent crime averaging 238 per 100,000 (national average: 473).

Milwaukee, WI tops the list with a total crime rate of 4,135 per 100,000 — 1.5x the national average. Its violent crime rate of 1,434 per 100K is 3.0x the national average.

Full Rankings

# City State Population Total Crime Rate Violent Crime Rate Murder Rate vs National
1 Milwaukee WI 560,416 4,135.0 1,434.3 23.9 +50%
2 La Crosse WI 50,893 4,102.7 391.0 2.0 +49%
3 Wauwatosa WI 46,968 2,691.2 208.7 0.0 +-2%
4 Beloit WI 36,231 2,605.5 391.9 11.0 +-5%
5 Fond Du Lac WI 44,164 2,490.7 387.2 4.5 +-10%
6 Superior WI 26,310 2,424.9 220.5 3.8 +-12%
7 Greenfield WI 36,919 2,399.9 92.1 0.0 +-13%
8 West Allis WI 58,862 2,234.0 256.5 0.0 +-19%
9 Madison WI 282,045 2,121.3 256.3 2.5 +-23%
10 Eau Claire WI 70,891 2,068.0 162.2 2.8 +-25%
11 Janesville WI 66,247 1,985.0 143.4 4.5 +-28%
12 Mount Pleasant WI 27,731 1,846.3 111.8 0.0 +-33%
13 Oak Creek WI 37,665 1,831.9 146.0 0.0 +-33%
14 Green Bay WI 105,240 1,807.3 495.1 1.9 +-34%
15 Sheboygan WI 49,610 1,715.4 427.3 4.0 +-38%
16 Oshkosh WI 65,994 1,685.0 233.4 6.1 +-39%
17 Fitchburg WI 32,727 1,616.4 275.0 0.0 +-41%
18 Sun Prairie WI 38,519 1,594.0 184.3 2.6 +-42%
19 Appleton WI 74,394 1,548.5 201.6 2.7 +-44%
20 Muskego WI 25,389 1,544.0 11.8 0.0 +-44%
21 Racine WI 76,243 1,497.8 385.6 5.3 +-46%
22 West Bend WI 31,947 1,414.8 244.2 0.0 +-49%
23 Wausau WI 39,949 1,304.2 295.4 2.5 +-53%
24 Neenah WI 27,480 1,299.1 156.5 0.0 +-53%
25 Franklin WI 35,535 1,257.9 50.7 0.0 +-54%
26 Manitowoc WI 34,546 1,181.0 211.3 0.0 +-57%
27 Brookfield WI 42,019 1,180.4 83.3 0.0 +-57%
28 Kenosha WI 97,652 1,154.1 287.8 3.1 +-58%
29 New Berlin WI 40,186 1,055.1 62.2 2.5 +-62%
30 Waukesha WI 70,202 990.0 115.4 1.4 +-64%
31 Stevens Point WI 25,784 787.3 166.8 3.9 +-71%
32 De Pere WI 25,319 643.8 75.0 0.0 +-77%
33 Mequon WI 25,586 598.0 39.1 0.0 +-78%
34 Menomonee Falls WI 40,076 596.4 67.4 5.0 +-78%
35 Caledonia WI 25,323 533.1 63.2 0.0 +-81%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most dangerous city in Wisconsin?

Milwaukee, WI has the highest crime rate in Wisconsin at 4,135.0 per 100,000 residents in 2024.

What makes a city dangerous?

High crime rates, particularly violent crime, indicate elevated risk. Cities on this list average a violent crime rate of 238 per 100K — 0.5x the national average of 473.

Is the crime rate getting worse?

Crime trends vary by city. Some cities on this list have seen decreasing rates in recent years while others have increased. Visit individual city pages for year-over-year trend data.

See Also

Safest cities in Wisconsin Crime statistics by state Compare two cities

Understanding High Crime Rates

High crime rates often correlate with factors like poverty, unemployment, population density, and policing resources — not a city's inherent character. Many cities on this list have neighborhoods that are quite safe, while others face concentrated challenges in specific areas.

Crime rates also reflect reporting practices: cities with well-funded police departments may report more crimes than those with fewer resources.

Most Dangerous Cities by State

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