Wisconsin ranks #9 of 50 US states by overall crime rate (safest first), placing it in the safest quartile nationally. Its total crime rate is 2,078 per 100,000 residents — 25% below the national average. Safety varies widely by city; the safest reporting city is Hobart-Lawrence.

Wisconsin Crime Rate: #9 Safest State, 83 Cities Ranked

Quick answer

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Wisconsin has a total crime rate of 2,078 per 100,000 residents — 25% below the national average — ranking #9 of 50 US states (safest first), in the safest quartile. Its safest reporting city is Hobart-Lawrence.

Wisconsin Crime Overview

Wisconsin reported a total crime rate of 2,077.7 per 100,000 residents — 25% below the national average of 2,785.9. This ranks Wisconsin #9 out of 50 states (safest first).

Compared to the previous year, Wisconsin's crime rate decreased by 3.7%, with violent crime down 3.2%.

Within the state, Hobart-Lawrence is the safest city (crime rate: 272), while Grand Chute has the highest rate (4,648) — a 17.1x difference that highlights how much safety can vary within a single state.

For residents, travelers, and those considering a move to Wisconsin, these statistics provide a data-driven baseline. Browse the city-level table below to find specific communities, or see how Wisconsin compares to its neighboring states. For the full list of safe and high-crime areas, visit safest cities in Wisconsin or most dangerous cities in Wisconsin.

Crime Breakdown

Crime Type	Incidents	Rate per 100K	National Avg
Violent Crime	13,313	430.5	478.2
Murder	186	6.0	6.3
Rape	1,355	43.8	43.8
Robbery	2,232	72.2	94.0
Aggravated Assault	9,501	307.3	333.5
Property Crime	50,934	1,647.2	2,307.7
Burglary	5,147	166.5	292.0
Larceny-Theft	37,397	1,209.4	1,657.7
Motor Vehicle Theft	8,390	271.3	358.0
Arson	0	0.0	0.0

Understanding Wisconsin's Crime Profile

Of Wisconsin's total crime rate, 20.7% is violent crime and 79.3% is property crime. Nationally, violent crime makes up 17.2% of all crime, meaning Wisconsin has a higher-than-average share of violent offenses.

Wisconsin's murder rate is 6.0 per 100K, which is 5% below the national rate of 6.3. Murder is the least common but most serious violent crime, and even small differences in rate can reflect meaningful differences in public safety.

These statistics are compiled from 83 cities across the state that report to the FBI's UCR program. Coverage varies by state — so these numbers represent the best available estimate, not a perfect census. For details, see our methodology page.

Property crime accounts for the bulk of Wisconsin's total rate at 1,647 per 100K. This includes burglary, larceny-theft (the most common crime nationwide), motor vehicle theft, and arson. While property crime is less immediately dangerous than violent crime, high rates can affect quality of life, insurance costs, and economic investment in affected areas.

Cities in Wisconsin by Crime Rate

Cities ranked from safest to most dangerous (10,000+ residents).

#	City	Coverage	Total Crime Rate	Violent Crime Rate	Safety Score
1	Hobart-Lawrence	18,035	271.7	44.4	99/100
2	Waunakee	15,227	315.2	105.1	98/100
3	Oregon	11,833	321.1	42.3	98/100
4	Oconomowoc	18,830	324.0	15.9	98/100
5	Hartland	10,259	409.4	68.2	96/100
6	Cedarburg	12,649	442.7	47.4	95/100
7	Holmen	11,889	513.1	50.5	92/100
8	Caledonia	25,323	533.1	63.2	92/100
9	Menomonee Falls	40,076	596.4	67.4	89/100
10	Elkhorn	10,218	597.0	58.7	89/100
11	Mequon	25,586	598.0	39.1	89/100
12	Port Washington	12,888	605.2	38.8	89/100
13	De Pere	25,319	643.8	75.0	88/100
14	Waupun	10,873	662.2	285.1	87/100
15	Grafton	12,788	696.0	78.2	86/100
16	Two Rivers	11,138	700.3	215.5	86/100
17	Verona	16,443	711.6	48.7	85/100
18	Stevens Point	25,784	787.3	166.8	82/100
19	Kaukauna	17,622	788.8	107.8	82/100
20	Hartford	15,959	820.9	131.6	81/100
21	Chippewa Falls	14,626	888.8	218.8	79/100
22	Cudahy	17,683	899.2	124.4	79/100
23	Deforest	11,195	902.2	89.3	79/100
24	Whitewater	15,473	917.7	200.4	78/100
25	Whitefish Bay	14,537	949.3	13.8	77/100
26	Waukesha	70,202	990.0	115.4	75/100
27	Fort Atkinson	12,274	994.0	236.3	75/100
28	Middleton	23,353	997.7	107.1	75/100
29	New Richmond	10,890	1,019.3	110.2	74/100
30	Greendale	14,461	1,023.4	83.0	74/100
31	New Berlin	40,186	1,055.1	62.2	72/100
32	Burlington	11,042	1,059.6	99.6	72/100
33	Menasha	18,008	1,060.6	177.7	72/100
34	Plover	14,306	1,118.4	21.0	70/100
35	Baraboo	12,558	1,122.8	103.5	70/100
36	Kenosha	97,652	1,154.1	287.8	69/100
37	Monroe	10,373	1,176.1	28.9	68/100
38	Brookfield	42,019	1,180.4	83.3	68/100
39	Manitowoc	34,546	1,181.0	211.3	68/100
40	Germantown	21,066	1,182.0	61.7	67/100
41	Watertown	22,612	1,242.7	194.6	65/100
42	Franklin	35,535	1,257.9	50.7	65/100
43	Beaver Dam	16,473	1,268.7	145.7	64/100
44	Neenah	27,480	1,299.1	156.5	63/100
45	Wausau	39,949	1,304.2	295.4	63/100
46	Marshfield	18,669	1,328.4	214.3	63/100
47	Menomonie	16,595	1,343.8	132.6	62/100
48	Pleasant Prairie	21,981	1,392.1	313.9	60/100
49	Delavan	10,091	1,407.2	188.3	60/100
50	West Bend	31,947	1,414.8	244.2	60/100
51	South Milwaukee	20,178	1,457.0	158.6	58/100
52	Stoughton	12,996	1,469.7	207.8	58/100
53	Racine	76,243	1,497.8	385.6	57/100
54	Muskego	25,389	1,544.0	11.8	55/100
55	Appleton	74,394	1,548.5	201.6	55/100
56	Sun Prairie	38,519	1,594.0	184.3	53/100
57	Fitchburg	32,727	1,616.4	275.0	53/100
58	Platteville	10,907	1,641.2	366.7	52/100
59	Oshkosh	65,994	1,685.0	233.4	51/100
60	Sheboygan	49,610	1,715.4	427.3	49/100
61	Shorewood	13,629	1,724.3	22.0	49/100
62	Hudson	15,714	1,769.1	120.9	48/100
63	Green Bay	105,240	1,807.3	495.1	47/100
64	Oak Creek	37,665	1,831.9	146.0	46/100
65	Marinette	11,023	1,841.6	172.4	46/100
66	Mount Pleasant	27,731	1,846.3	111.8	45/100
67	Janesville	66,247	1,985.0	143.4	41/100
68	Reedsburg	10,243	2,011.1	126.9	40/100
69	Eau Claire	70,891	2,068.0	162.2	39/100
70	Madison	282,045	2,121.3	256.3	37/100
71	West Allis	58,862	2,234.0	256.5	34/100
72	Onalaska	19,068	2,328.5	36.7	32/100
73	Greenfield	36,919	2,399.9	92.1	31/100
74	Wisconsin Rapids	18,602	2,424.5	532.2	30/100
75	Superior	26,310	2,424.9	220.5	30/100
76	Fond Du Lac	44,164	2,490.7	387.2	29/100
77	Beloit	36,231	2,605.5	391.9	27/100
78	Wauwatosa	46,968	2,691.2	208.7	24/100
79	Brown Deer	12,636	2,959.8	348.2	20/100
80	La Crosse	50,893	4,102.7	391.0	8/100
81	Milwaukee	560,416	4,135.0	1,434.3	8/100
82	Glendale	12,877	4,480.9	295.1	6/100
83	Grand Chute	24,397	4,648.1	233.6	5/100

Wisconsin Crime Rate Trends

Year	Coverage	Total Crime Rate	Violent Crime Rate	Property Crime Rate
2024	3,092,249	2,077.7	430.5	1,647.2
2023	3,074,292	2,156.9	444.9	1,712.0
2022	3,091,955	2,398.6	467.2	1,931.4
2021	3,059,415	2,710.8	505.1	2,205.7
2020	3,051,001	2,553.3	510.4	2,042.9
2019	3,052,014	2,394.5	444.0	1,950.5

Wisconsin Crime Trends: 6-Year Analysis

Over the 6-year period from 2019 to 2024, Wisconsin's total crime rate decreased by 13.2%, moving from 2,394 to 2,078 per 100,000 residents. This long-term trajectory provides important context beyond any single year's snapshot.

In the most recent year-over-year comparison, Wisconsin's crime rate decreased by 3.7%, with violent crime specifically declining 3.2%. Short-term changes don't always indicate a lasting trend, but consecutive years of movement in the same direction are worth noting.

Many factors can influence year-over-year changes, including shifts in policing strategies, economic conditions, population growth, and changes in how agencies report data to the FBI. For the most reliable picture, focus on the multi-year trend rather than any single year's change.

Wisconsin vs Neighboring States

How does Wisconsin's crime rate compare to its neighbors?

State	Total Crime Rate	Violent Crime Rate	Property Crime Rate	vs Wisconsin
Wisconsin	2,077.7	430.5	1,647.2	—
Iowa	2,397.2	350.8	2,046.4	+15.4%
Illinois	2,486.1	356.9	2,129.2	+19.7%
Minnesota	2,549.3	342.5	2,206.8	+22.7%
Michigan	2,589.2	637.8	1,951.4	+24.6%

Among neighboring states, Iowa has the lowest crime rate (2,397 per 100K). Michigan has the highest (2,589 per 100K).

Wisconsin in Regional Context

Wisconsin is safer than 4 of its 4 neighboring states based on total crime rate. Nationally, it ranks #9 out of 50 states (ranked safest first), placing it in the safest quartile of all US states.

Regional comparisons are valuable because neighboring states often share economic conditions, climate, and demographic patterns. If Wisconsin differs significantly from its neighbors, it may point to state-specific factors such as policing policy, drug legislation, or economic programs. Visit individual state pages above for detailed comparisons.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Wisconsin's crime rate?

Wisconsin's total crime rate is 2,077.7 per 100,000 residents, which is 25% below the national average of 2,786. This includes both violent crime (430.5 per 100K) and property crime (1,647.2 per 100K).

How safe is Wisconsin compared to other states?

Wisconsin ranks #9 out of 50 states (safest first), placing it in the safest quartile nationally. Visit our all states page for the complete ranking.

What is the safest city in Wisconsin?

The safest city in Wisconsin is Hobart-Lawrence with a crime rate of 272 per 100,000 residents. View the full list at safest cities in Wisconsin.

More Wisconsin Crime Data

Dive deeper into Wisconsin's crime statistics with our specialized ranking pages, or compare Wisconsin cities against cities in other states using our comparison tool.

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Wisconsin Crime Rate & Safety