Published on July 28, 2026
In June 2026, President Trump renewed calls for federal intervention in Chicago to address crime and violence.
This brief examines crime trends in Chicago using data from the Council on Criminal Justice mid-year 2026 crime report, released in July 2026. That report examined offenses recorded by law enforcement in Chicago and 35 other American cities from 2018 through June 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Reported levels of 10 of the 13 offenses declined during the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. Seven offenses fell by 10% or more, with robbery (-28%), carjacking (-27%), and drug offenses (-23%) posting the largest declines. Nonresidential burglary rose sharply (+132%), while motor vehicle theft (+8%) and homicide (+3%) also increased.
- Nine of 13 offenses were lower than during the same period in 2019. Seven offenses fell by more than 10%, with drug offenses (-60%) and residential burglary (-52%) declining by more than half. Four offenses remained above 2019 levels: nonresidential burglary (+434%), motor vehicle theft (+96%), shoplifting (+15%), and gun assault (+1%). Table 1 summarizes the changes for all 13 offenses.
Table 1. Percentage Change in Offenses in Chicago, 2025 – 2026 and 2019 – 2026
The charts below present Chicago’s crime rates in six-month intervals for 13 offenses. Monthly counts and rates for Chicago and other cities in the sample can be explored in the offense dashboard accompanying the mid-year 2026 report.
The findings have several limitations. The cities included in this analysis are not necessarily representative of all U.S. jurisdictions, and not every city reported data for every offense. Trends for offenses reported by fewer cities should be interpreted with additional caution. See the Appendix of the mid-year 2026 crime trends report for details on which cities reported each offense. In addition, not all crimes are reported to law enforcement, and the data used in this report may be revised by local jurisdictions.
Homicide
Figure 1 shows Chicago’s reported homicide rate in six-month intervals from January 2018 through June 2026. In the first half of 2026, the rate was 3% higher than during the same period in 2025. The average change among the 30 study cities reporting data for that offense was -18%.
Chicago’s homicide rate was 18% lower in the first half of 2026 than it was during the same period in 2019, compared with an average change of -31% across the study cities.
Of the years examined, Chicago’s homicide rate during the first six months was highest in 2021, at 12.8 per 100,000 residents. The rate during the same period in 2026 was 7.7 per 100,000, 40% lower.
Figure 1. Homicide Rates in Chicago, January 2018 – June 2026
Aggravated Assault
Figure 2 shows Chicago’s reported aggravated assault rate in six-month intervals from January 2018 through June 2026. In the first half of 2026, the rate was 5% lower than during the same period in 2025. The average change among the 21 study cities reporting data for that offense was -2%.
Chicago’s aggravated assault rate was 6% lower in the first half of 2026 than it was during the same period in 2019, compared with an average change of -3% across the study cities.
Of the years examined, Chicago’s aggravated assault rate during the first six months was highest in 2024, at 325.7 per 100,000 residents. The rate during the same period in 2026 was 264.8 per 100,000, 19% lower.
Figure 2. Aggravated Assault Rates in Chicago, January 2018 – June 2026
Gun Assault
Figure 3 shows Chicago’s reported gun assault rate in six-month intervals from January 2018 through June 2026. In the first half of 2026, the rate was 8% lower than during the same period in 2025. The average change among the nine study cities reporting data for that offense was -6%.
Chicago’s gun assault rate was 1% higher in the first half of 2026 than it was during the same period in 2019, compared with an average change of -17% across the study cities.
Of the years examined, Chicago’s gun assault rate during the first six months was highest in 2021, at 125.6 per 100,000 residents. The rate during the same period in 2026 was 83.5 per 100,000, 33% lower.
Figure 3. Gun Assault Rates in Chicago, January 2018 – June 2026
Sexual Assault
Figure 4 shows Chicago’s reported sexual assault rate in six-month intervals from January 2018 through June 2026. In the first half of 2026, the rate was 3% lower than during the same period in 2025. The average rate among the 22 study cities reporting data for that offense increased by 3%.
Chicago’s sexual assault rate was highest in the first six months of 2019, at 30.4 per 100,000 residents. During the same period in 2026, the rate was 29.3 per 100,000, 4% lower. The average change among cities with data for that offense was -13%.
Note: While most crimes are tracked in similar ways across cities, that is not always the case for sexual offenses. For example, cities included in the CCJ sample may have reported rape and other sexual offenses separately, combined them, or excluded some or all of those offenses from their data.
Figure 4. Sexual Assault Rates in Chicago, January 2018 – June 2026
Domestic Violence
Figure 5 shows Chicago’s reported domestic violence rate in six-month intervals from January 2018 through June 2026. In the first half of 2026, the rate was 11% lower than during the same period in 2025. The average rate among the eight study cities reporting data for that offense increased by 8%.
Chicago’s domestic violence rate was 18% lower in the first half of 2026 than it was during the same period in 2019, compared with an average change of -7% across the study cities.
Of the years examined, Chicago’s domestic violence rate during the first six months was highest in 2024, at 121.1 per 100,000 residents. The rate during the same period in 2026 was 98.4 per 100,000, 19% lower.
Figure 5. Domestic Violence Rates in Chicago, January 2018 – June 2026
Robbery
Figure 6 shows Chicago’s reported robbery rate in six-month intervals from January 2018 through June 2026. In the first half of 2026, the rate was 28% lower than during the same period in 2025. The average change among the 31 study cities reporting data for that offense was -17%.
Chicago’s robbery rate was 43% lower in the first half of 2026 than it was during the same period in 2019, compared with an average change of -41% across the study cities.
Of the years examined, Chicago’s robbery rate during the first six months was highest in 2018, at 170.9 per 100,000 residents. The rate during the same period in 2026 was 77.6 per 100,000, 55% lower.
Figure 6. Robbery Rates in Chicago, January 2018 – June 2026
Carjacking
Figure 7 shows Chicago’s reported carjacking rate in six-month intervals from January 2018 through June 2026. In the first half of 2026, the rate was 27% lower than during the same period in 2025. The average change among the seven study cities reporting data for that offense was -47%.
Chicago’s carjacking rate was 31% lower in the first half of 2026 than it was during the same period in 2019, compared with an average change of -51% across the study cities.
Of the years examined, Chicago’s carjacking rate during the first six months was highest in 2022, at 30.1 per 100,000 residents. The rate during the same period in 2026 was 6.5 per 100,000, 78% lower.
Figure 7. Carjacking Rates in Chicago, January 2018 – June 2026
Residential Burglary
Figure 8 shows Chicago’s reported residential burglary rate in six-month intervals from January 2018 through June 2026. In the first half of 2026, the rate was 13% lower than during the same period in 2025. The average change among the 15 study cities reporting data for that offense was -13%.
Chicago’s residential burglary rate was 52% lower in the first half of 2026 than it was during the same period in 2019, compared with an average change of -50% across the study cities.
Of the years examined, Chicago’s residential burglary rate during the first six months was highest in 2018, at 159.9 per 100,000 residents. The rate during the same period in 2026 was 62.6 per 100,000, 61% lower.
Figure 8. Residential Burglary Rates in Chicago, January 2018 – June 2026
Nonresidential Burglary
Figure 9 shows Chicago’s reported nonresidential burglary rate in six-month intervals from January 2018 through June 2026. In the first half of 2026, the rate was 132% higher than during the same period in 2025. The average change among the 15 study cities reporting data for that offense was -10%.
Chicago’s nonresidential burglary rate was 434% higher in the first half of 2026 than it was during the same period in 2019, compared with an average change of -1% across the study cities.
Of the years examined, Chicago’s nonresidential burglary rate during the first six months was highest in 2026, at 181.1 per 100,000 residents.
Note: Chicago’s public crime dashboard reports burglary as a single category rather than displaying residential and nonresidential burglary separately. CCJ separated the two categories using the underlying city data and verified that their combined counts closely align with the burglary totals shown on the city-maintained dashboard. These figures may differ from burglary counts reported through the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting program because Chicago’s nonresidential burglary category includes burglary from a motor vehicle, which the FBI classifies as theft from a motor vehicle.
Figure 9. Nonresidential Burglary Rates in Chicago, January 2018 – June 2026
Larceny
Figure 10 shows Chicago’s reported larceny rate in six-month intervals from January 2018 through June 2026. In the first half of 2026, the rate was 12% lower than during the same period in 2025. The average change among the 31 study cities reporting data for that offense was -6%.
Chicago’s larceny rate was 19% lower in the first half of 2026 than it was during the same period in 2019, compared with an average change of -21% across the study cities.
Of the years examined, Chicago’s larceny rate during the first six months was highest in 2018, at 1,118.3 per 100,000 residents. The rate during the same period in 2026 was 872.9 per 100,000, 22% lower.
Figure 10. Larceny Rates in Chicago, January 2018 – June 2026
Shoplifting
Figure 11 shows Chicago’s reported shoplifting rate in six-month intervals from January 2018 through June 2026. The rate was highest in the first six months of 2025, at 262.0 per 100,000 residents, before falling 16% to 219.3 per 100,000 during the same period in 2026. Among the 18 study cities reporting data for shoplifting, the average rate increased by 4%.
Chicago’s shoplifting rate in the first half of 2026 remained 15% higher than during the same period in 2019, compared with an average increase of 5% across the study cities.
Figure 11. Shoplifting Rates in Chicago, January 2018 – June 2026
Motor Vehicle Theft
Figure 12 shows Chicago’s reported motor vehicle theft rate in six-month intervals from January 2018 through June 2026. In the first half of 2026, the rate was 8% higher than during the same period in 2025. The average change among the 32 study cities reporting data for that offense was -20%.
Chicago’s motor vehicle theft rate was 96% higher in the first half of 2026 than it was during the same period in 2019, compared with an average change of -3% across the study cities.
Of the years examined, Chicago’s motor vehicle theft rate during the first six months was highest in 2023, at 548.4 per 100,000 residents. The rate during the same period in 2026 was 319.1 per 100,000, 42% lower.
Figure 12. Motor Vehicle Theft Rates in Chicago, January 2018 – June 2026
Drug Offenses
Figure 13 shows Chicago’s reported drug offense rate in six-month intervals from January 2018 through June 2026. In the first half of 2026, the rate was 23% lower than during the same period in 2025. The average rate among the 18 study cities reporting data for that offense increased by 12%.
Chicago’s drug offense rate was highest in the first six months of 2019, at 288.1 per 100,000 residents. During the same period in 2026, the rate was 114.4 per 100,000—60% lower. The average change among cities with data for that offense was -15%.
Figure 13. Drug Offense Rates in Chicago, January 2018 – June 2026
