Wisconsin is often ranked among the safer U.S. states, but the numbers tell a more complicated story when broken down city by city. In Milwaukee alone, violent crime reaches about 1,480 incidents per 100,000 people, nearly 5× higher than the state average of roughly 280 per 100,000. Across the state’s most populated areas, residents are not just watching statistics; they are living with outcomes that include everything from vehicle theft spikes above 1,000 per 100,000 to property crime clusters in the 2,000–5,000 range per 100,000 in select communities.
This 2026 snapshot, based on the latest available 2025 WIBRS and FBI reporting, shows a state in which overall crime is not uniformly rising or falling but instead is splitting sharply. In Milwaukee, for example, homicides increased by roughly 8% year over year to 142 total cases, even as carjackings dropped nearly 50% and non-fatal shootings declined almost 20%. That contradiction defines Wisconsin’s current crime landscape: improvement in some areas, pressure in others, and persistent hotspots that remain statistically elevated.
Milwaukee Leads Wisconsin with a Violent Crime Rate Above 1,400 Per 100,000
Milwaukee continues to dominate Wisconsin’s crime rankings with a violent crime rate of approximately 1,482 per 100,000 residents, compared with the statewide average of 280 per 100,000. The city also reports property crime levels above 2,400 per 100,000, driven heavily by theft, vehicle-related incidents, and retail crime corridors.
In 2025 alone, Milwaukee recorded about 142 homicides, marking an increase of roughly 8% from the previous year, even as some categories improved. Carjackings fell nearly 49% to 264 cases, and non-fatal shootings dropped close to 19%, showing targeted enforcement gains that did not fully offset broader violence concerns.
For residents, the reality is uneven. Certain neighborhoods experience repeated incidents, while others remain comparatively stable. The concentration of crime in specific zones creates a city where the risk level changes dramatically within just a few miles.
Beloit Records Violent Crime Near 400 Per 100,000 with Elevated Property Risk
Beloit reports a violent crime rate of roughly 412 per 100,000 residents, placing it among Wisconsin’s most impacted mid-sized cities. Property crime adds further pressure, with rates of around 2,189 per 100,000, meaning residents face a combined risk profile significantly above the state average.
Recent data shows that Beloit’s ranking has been influenced by a higher per-capita homicide rate compared with other similarly sized Wisconsin cities. Property crime risk is estimated at about 1 in 46 residents, largely driven by trends in theft and burglary.
The key issue in Beloit is scale. Even modest increases in incidents produce sharp statistical movement, pushing the city higher in statewide comparisons despite its relatively small population.
Wisconsin Rapids Sees Violent Crime Near 500 Per 100,000 Driven by Assault Cases
Wisconsin Rapids reports a violent crime rate close to 498 per 100,000 residents, nearly double Wisconsin’s statewide average. Property crime remains above 2,100 per 100,000, with retail theft and localized hotspots contributing heavily.
Assault-related offenses account for a large share of violent incidents, while property crime is concentrated around commercial corridors, particularly near major retail areas such as the 8th Street zone.
For a city of its size, even moderate increases in incidents translate into high per-capita figures, which is why Wisconsin Rapids consistently ranks among the state’s more concerning mid-tier cities.
Green Bay Balances a Decline in Property Crime with Violent Crime Near 386 Per 100,000
Green Bay shows a mixed profile with violent crime at approximately 386 per 100,000 residents, while overall reported offenses declined by about 8.5% in 2025. Property crime has dropped significantly in some categories, but violent crime has shown slight upward pressure in crimes against persons.
The city continues to function as a regional hub, meaning population movement inflates exposure risk. Even with declining totals in some crime categories, the violent crime rate keeps Green Bay firmly within Wisconsin’s higher-risk urban group.
This dual trend makes Green Bay one of the most statistically complex cities in the state: improving in volume, but still elevated in severity.
Brown Deer Reports Property Crime Above 5,000 Per 100,000 Despite Lower Violent Crime
Brown Deer stands out not for violent crime, which remains relatively moderate at around 253 per 100,000, but for its extremely high property crime rate, which exceeds 5,000 per 100,000 residents.
That figure places it among the highest concentrations of property crime in Wisconsin. Most incidents involve larceny, vehicle break-ins, and theft in apartment-heavy residential zones and retail parking areas.
The risk profile here is clear: while serious violent incidents are less common, everyday property security remains a persistent challenge for residents and businesses.
Sparta Experiences Property Crime Above 2,800 Per 100,000 in a Small Population Base
Sparta reports a violent crime rate near 266 per 100,000 residents, but its property crime rate climbs to approximately 2,852 per 100,000, making it one of the most statistically notable small cities in Wisconsin.
Vandalism, theft, and retail-related incidents are the primary drivers. Because Sparta’s population base is smaller, even limited increases in reported cases create sharp per-capita spikes.
This creates a situation in which residents experience more visible property-related disruptions than violent incidents, shaping their perception of daily safety.
Rice Lake Sees Assault Rates Near 444 Per 100,000 with Rising Residential Theft
Rice Lake reports violent crime around 444 per 100,000 residents, with property crime at approximately 1,431 per 100,000. The city’s profile is heavily shaped by assault cases and increasing residential theft patterns.
Recent reporting highlights a rise in “porch piracy” and residential burglaries, which have become more noticeable in suburban-style neighborhoods.
While overall crime volume remains lower than in larger Wisconsin cities, per-capita rates place Rice Lake higher in statewide comparisons than many residents expect.
Kenosha Records Violent Crime Near 390 Per 100,000 Despite Low Homicide Totals
Kenosha reports a violent crime rate near 390 per 100,000 residents, while recording only 2 homicides in 2025, a relatively low absolute number for its size.
The primary concern is aggravated assault, especially domestic-related cases and incidents concentrated in late-night downtown activity areas.
Property crime rates are near 1,000 per 100,000, placing Kenosha in a mid-range category for theft risk, yet still high enough to keep it in Wisconsin’s top ten.
Pleasant Prairie and Brown Deer Highlight How Suburban Crime Rates Can Spike
Pleasant Prairie reports violent crime near 390 per 100,000 residents, with property crime close to 973 per 100,000, largely tied to retail theft near major outlet shopping zones.
Brown Deer, meanwhile, exceeds 5,000 property crimes per 100,000 residents, showing how suburban density and retail clustering can significantly distort perceptions of safety relative to statewide averages.
Both cities demonstrate a key pattern: Wisconsin’s crime map is not only urban-centered but also shaped by suburban commercial activity and cross-border movement near the Illinois border.
Wisconsin Crime Is Uneven, Not Uniform
Across Wisconsin, violent crime averages around 280 per 100,000 residents, but city-level figures range from under 300 to nearly 1,500 per 100,000 depending on location. Property crime varies even more widely, stretching from under 1,000 to over 5,000 per 100,000 in select suburbs.
The takeaway is not that Wisconsin is uniformly dangerous, but that risk is highly localized. Milwaukee carries the highest absolute burden, while smaller cities like Wisconsin Rapids, Sparta, and Brown Deer show how per-capita statistics can sharply reshape perception.
For residents and readers, the most important number is not just where crime is highest but how quickly it can change from one neighborhood, block, or street to the next.
