Read together, these numbers split rather than agree. Property crime runs 38% above the national average, while violent crime runs 276% above it — that second gap, not the first, is what puts Milwaukee in the 1st percentile of the 13,216 jurisdictions SafeNest grades. The violent rate fell 0.5% in 2024, which SafeNest classifies as stable, so a buyer is reading a level, not a decline. The schools invert what families usually plan around: elementary schools average 2.0/10 while high schools average 3.6/10, and Downtown Montessori reaches 7.1/10, so the 2.4 city average hides real range across 177 rated schools. Wisconsin's 21 federal flood declarations since 1969 are state context, not a parcel finding. Every figure here is a city-wide average; none of it describes one block.
Crime in Milwaukee vs. the national average
Milwaukee reports 1,434 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 276% above the U.S. average of 381, and 2,701 property crimes per 100k versus a national 1,954 (38% above). In the most recent FBI reporting year (2024), the violent crime rate fell 0.5% year over year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as stable.
| Milwaukee | US average | |
|---|---|---|
| Violent crime (per 100k) | 1434 | 381 |
| Property crime (per 100k) | 2701 | 1954 |
City-wide averages hide block-by-block variation — the safest and least safe neighborhoods in Milwaukee can differ dramatically. For a specific address, a SafeNest report covers it directly — or search free in the iPhone app.
Flood & natural hazard risk
Federal disaster records for Wisconsin — the state SafeNest uses for Milwaukee's flood context — list 21 FEMA flood disaster declarations between 1969 and 2026, most recently "Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding". Wisconsin has also seen 1 hurricane or tropical-storm declaration, events that frequently drive flooding. These are state-level federal declarations, not a parcel-level flood-zone determination — a specific Milwaukee address may sit inside or well outside a FEMA flood zone, which SafeNest does not determine; check FEMA's flood maps and flood-insurance requirements for that address.
Schools in Milwaukee
Public schools in Milwaukee average 2.4/10 on the SafeNest School Score across 177 rated schools. By level, high schools rate strongest at 3.6/10 on average, while elementary schools average 2.0/10. The highest-scoring is Downtown Montessori at 7.1/10.
Registered offenders
Registered-offender data is meaningful only at the address level, so SafeNest does not publish a city-wide figure for Milwaukee: a single citywide number would blend blocks with very different profiles and mislead more than it informs. Registered offender counts by distance band for any specific Milwaukee address are included in a SafeNest report, drawn directly from the state's public registry. The iPhone app shows that count free for any address, and maps each registrant with Premium.
Compare other cities
- Compare with Chicago crime rate.
- Also on SafeNest: is Madison safe?
- See also crime and safety data for Fort Wayne.
- Compare how safe Detroit is.
- Another city on the same data: the Toledo safety report.
Check a specific Milwaukee address
City averages are a starting point. A SafeNest report covers one specific address — crime, registered offender counts, flood and disaster history, schools, air quality, taxes — delivered by email as a PDF.
Or search any Milwaukee address free in the iPhone app.
Common questions about safety in Milwaukee
Is Milwaukee, WI safe?
Milwaukee records 1434 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 276% above the US national average of 381. Overall SafeNest grade: F, a city-wide average of reported crime. It does not describe a specific street or address.
What is the crime rate in Milwaukee?
Milwaukee reports approximately 1434 violent crimes and 2701 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2024, the most recent FBI reporting year in our data.
Does Milwaukee have flood risk?
SafeNest reports federal disaster declaration history for the area. For Milwaukee, federal records show 21 FEMA flood disaster declarations for Wisconsin, most recently in 2026; a specific address may still sit inside or outside a FEMA flood zone, which SafeNest does not determine — check FEMA's flood maps for that address.
How this page was built
Every figure here comes from the same public records behind SafeNest's grading. We published the full method and what it does and doesn't support in We graded 13,216 American cities with FBI data — including where a letter grade means almost nothing. City comparisons: safest cities in Wisconsin.
Other city safety reports
Data compiled from public sources including FBI crime statistics, FEMA disaster declarations and the FEMA National Risk Index, NCES education data, and state registries. Last updated 2026-08-17. Figures are city-level estimates; verify with primary sources before making decisions. SafeNest is not a consumer reporting agency (see Terms).