Data through Jul 2026 (Baltimore) and Sep 2026 (Washington), FBI
Baltimore vs Washington crime rates
Baltimore’s violent crime rate was 1.7 times Washington’s over each one’s latest 12 months (to Jul 2026 for Baltimore and Sep 2026 for Washington): 1,302 against 777 per 100,000 residents a year. Baltimore’s property crime rate was 1.5 times Washington’s over the same period: 4,037 against 2,656 per 100,000 residents a year. Baltimore recorded 112 homicides (19.9 per 100,000 residents) and Washington 90 (13.0). Over the same period violent crime was down 12% in Baltimore and down 2% in Washington, each against its own previous 12 months.
Side by side
per 100k, per year| Measure | Baltimore, MDcity, Maryland | Washington, DCcity, District of Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Violent crimeper 100,000 residents a year | 1,302 | 777 |
| Property crimeper 100,000 residents a year | 4,037 | 2,656 |
| Homicidescount in the period | 11219.9 per 100k | 9013.0 per 100k |
| Violent crime trendagainst the 12 months before | −12% | −2% |
| Property crime trendagainst the 12 months before | 0% | −23% |
| Residents | 562,811 | 693,645 |
| Period | 12 months to Jul 2026 | 12 months to Sep 2026 |
| Source | Baltimore Police Departmentas reported to the FBI | Metropolitan Police Departmentas reported to the FBI |
Violent crime, month by month
Each line has its own scale, so read the direction, not the height; the table above has the rates.
Robbery and theft
| Offense | Baltimore | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Robberytaken by force or threat | 2,144381 per 100k | — |
| Burglaryentering a home or business to steal | 2,576458 per 100k | — |
| Theft from vehiclesitems or parts taken from a vehicle | 6,1571,094 per 100k | — |
| Other theftshoplifting, pickpocketing and the rest | 9,4611,681 per 100k | — |
Counts over each period; Washington’s source does not separate them yet.
The FBI cautions against ranking or comparing places on these numbers alone: how dense a place is, its economy, how often residents report crime and how each agency records it all shape them. How to read crime numbers
What this comparison does not measure
read before deciding- These are crimes reported to the police. In the federal victim survey for 2024, about half of violent crime (47.9%, homicide aside) and under a third of property crime (30.5%) was reported, and that share can differ from one city to another.
- The two periods are not the same months: Baltimore’s figures run to Jul 2026 and Washington’s to Sep 2026, the latest each agency has reported in full.
- City limits are drawn differently: one city may take in suburbs and open land that another leaves to its neighbors, and that alone moves a citywide rate. A citywide figure says little about any one neighborhood; Baltimore and Washington have neighborhood figures on their page.
More on each place
1 related pairCrime in Baltimore, MDCrime in Washington, DCBaltimore vs Philadelphia
Source and dates
FBI Crime Data Explorer- Baltimore, MD
- Baltimore Police Department, as reported to the FBI. 12 months to Jul 2026; 562,811 residents.
- Washington, DC
- Metropolitan Police Department, as reported to the FBI. 12 months to Sep 2026; 693,645 residents.
- How we count
- Violent crime is homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property crime is burglary, theft, vehicle theft and arson, the FBI’s definitions for every agency. Methodology