Wisconsin: The Best and Worst Cities for Crime

Statewide Crime Trends in Wisconsin

Although the state is overall safer than other states in the U.S., some cities in Wisconsin rank very high in FBI crime data. Milwaukee is actually ranked among the most dangerous cities in the world based on violent and property crime rates.

The intersection of technology and crime could make the situation worse. In May 2024, authorities charged seven teenagers with manufacturing and distributing illegal “ghost guns.”

During the 2024 election year, gun violence tops the list of issues important to Wisconsin voters, along with inflation and health care. So voters in the state consider violent crime in certain areas to be a major public safety problem.

Property Crime in Wisconsin

Wisconsin ranks low — No. 43 for property crime nationwide, with an annual rate per 100,000 residents of 1,385 reported property crimes. That's 29% lower than the national average.

In the most recent year for which data is available, there were 154 burglaries for every 100,000 residents, 250 motor vehicle thefts, and 981 larceny-thefts.

The safest cities in Wisconsin for property crime were Juneau, Barneveld, and Fulton. Juneau is a small town in eastern Wisconsin, within commuting distance of both Madison and Milwaukee.

The least safest cities for property crime are West Milwaukee, Lake Delton, and St. Croix Falls. Lake Delton is a popular tourist destination for people from across Wisconsin, as it is home to a lake, several resorts, and water parks. Property crime can spike in tourist areas, since tourists may not be as familiar with their settings as residents, and therefore may not know which areas to avoid.

Violent Crime in Wisconsin

Violent crime in Wisconsin occurred at a yearly rate per 100,000 residents of 297 in the most recent year, 22 percent lower than the national average and ranking Wisconsin 28th nationally.

Milwaukee and its neighbor, West Milwaukee, had the highest violent crime rates in the state. Though murders have recently declined in the Milwaukee area, leaders say the number of homicides is still far too high. To reduce violent crime, police and community leaders in the area are encouraging residents to store guns securely, urging young people to stay out of trouble and to reach out for mental health support if needed.

Our Data

Our data comes from comprehensive reporting compiled by the FBI and accessed via the Crime Data Explorer website. Property and violent crime state figures were drawn from Table 5 of the 2022 Crime in the U.S. Report. Metropolitan figures were found in Table 6, Crime in the U.S. by Metropolitan Statistical Area. City-level figures were drawn from Table 8, Offenses Known to Law Enforcement by State by City. The population figures in that table are U.S. Census Bureau provisional estimates as of July 1, 2020.

Limitations: According to the FBI, the data in the publication tables may differ from those released on the Explorer Pages of the CDE. These variations are due to the differences in methodologies between the publication tables and data displayed on the CDE. Please note that crime statistics are not the sole measure of a city’s safety.