This MD City Among Top In U.S. For Highest Increase In Homicide Rates

MARYLAND — A national study from WalletHub reports that Baltimore is the city with the second highest homicide rate increase in the United States.

As of Friday, data from the Baltimore Police Department shows that there have been 204 homicides in the city this year. With five months left in 2022, the city is on track to beat the previous year's number. In 2021, Baltimore reported 338 homicides.

"We lost friends and loved ones, and Baltimore cannot continue to be desensitized by their loss. Far too many interpersonal conflicts and domestic disputes are escalating into fatal violence. Failing to recognize the value of human life cannot continue to be the norm in Baltimore. This should anger all of us to do more so that our city can truly be more," Mayor Brandon Scott said in a Nov. 2021 statement.

Nationwide, homicide rates have risen by an average of 18 percent in 50 of the most populated U.S. cities between Q2 2020 and Q2 2022, and are still rising, according to WalletHub.

"With increasing costs of living and inflation, political and social debates around issues like abortion and gun control, ongoing concerns regarding COVID-19, and the rise of new potential threats to health and well-being like Monkeypox, we may be in for increases in homicide for another year," said Christopher Salvatore, an associate professor of justice studies at Montclair State University.

From Q2 2020 and Q2 2022, Baltimore reported 16.44 homicide cases per 100,000 residents, the study found.

However, one U.S. city had an even higher homicide rate than Baltimore — New Orleans.

The study found that blue cities, like Baltimore, have a higher increase in homicide rates than red cities.

Here are the top 10 cities with the highest increase in homicide rates:

1. New Orleans, LA
2. Baltimore, MD
3. Louisville, KY
4. Milwaukee, WI
5. Washington, DC
6. St. Louis, MO
7. Albuquerque, NM
8. Detroit, MI
9. Anchorage, AK
10. Atlanta, GA

In order to determine which cities have the biggest homicide problems, WalletHub compared 50 of the largest U.S. cities based on per capita homicides in Q2 2022 as well as per capita homicides in Q2 2022 vs. Q2 2021 and Q2 2020.

To read the full report, click here.