Jackson recorded 75 homicides in 2025 — a 32% fall on the previous year and the fourth consecutive annual decline. That is down from a record 160 in 2021. Despite the drop, Jackson’s homicide rate per capita has ranked highest in the United States every year since 2021.
Jackson Homicides by Year
| Year | Homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 75 | −32% |
| 2024 | 111 | −6% |
| 2023 | 118 | — |
| 2021 | 160 | record high |
Counts are compiled by WLBT, which has tracked killings in Jackson since 2016, drawing on the Jackson Police Department, Capitol Police and the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office. We have left 2020 and 2022 out of the table rather than publish figures we could not verify against that record.
Why the Rate Matters More Than the Count
Seventy-five homicides is a small number beside Chicago or Philadelphia. Jackson is a small city — and that is precisely the point. In 2024, with 111 homicides, Jackson’s rate was 77.24 per 100,000 residents.
For comparison, WLBT’s analysis measured Jackson against every US city of at least 130,000 people — Birmingham, Louisville, St. Louis, Memphis, Baton Rouge, Baltimore, Detroit, New Orleans, Cleveland and Chicago among them. Jackson’s rate was the highest of all of them, in every year from 2021 onward.
This is the single most important thing to understand about Jackson crime statistics: the absolute numbers are modest, and the per-capita burden is the heaviest in the country.
The 2025 Decline
The fall from 111 to 75 is the largest single-year drop in the series — roughly a third in twelve months, and a 53% reduction from the 2021 peak. Four consecutive years of decline is a genuine trend rather than a fluctuation.
It has not yet changed Jackson’s national standing. WLBT’s follow-up analysis found the city still ranked worst in the nation per capita even after the drop, because the cities it is measured against were falling too.
How to Read Jackson’s Numbers
- Three agencies, one city. Jackson is policed by JPD, Capitol Police and the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office. Totals that count only one agency will be lower.
- Rate beats count in a small city. A city of roughly 145,000 will always post smaller totals than a city of 1.5 million; only the rate makes them comparable.
- Population decline inflates the rate. Jackson has been losing residents. A shrinking denominator raises the per-capita rate even when the count falls.
- Local tracking outpaces federal data. FBI figures lag by roughly a year and depend on voluntary reporting; newsroom counts are timelier but are compiled differently.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many homicides did Jackson have in 2025?
75 — a 32% decline on 2024 and the fourth straight annual fall.
Is Jackson the most dangerous city in America?
By homicide rate per capita, Jackson has ranked highest in the nation every year since 2021, including after the 2025 decline. Other measures of crime produce different rankings.
What was Jackson’s worst year for homicides?
2021, with 160 killings — the highest in the city’s history.
What is Jackson’s homicide rate?
77.24 per 100,000 residents in 2024. The 2025 rate will be lower given the fall in count, though population change also affects it.
Sources & Further Reading
- WLBT — Jackson homicides drop 32% in 2025
- WLBT — Jackson’s homicides drop for third straight year, rate remains highest in the US
- WLBT — Jackson remains deadliest city in nation despite major drop
- FBI Crime Data Explorer
Figures current to 29 August 2026.
Related: Baton Rouge crime rate · murders in Philadelphia by year