San Francisco has experienced a significant increase in homicides during the first half of 2026, contrasting sharply with a broader national trend of declining murder rates. According to data from the Council on Criminal Justice, the city’s homicide rate rose by 55% compared to the same period last year. This increase places San Francisco among only eight major U.S. cities reporting a rise in murders so far this year, with Norfolk, Virginia, seeing the highest jump at 64%.
The spike means San Francisco’s homicide surge is notably higher than that of other cities such as Dallas and Salt Lake City, which recorded increases of 30% and 20%, respectively. Meanwhile, the country overall marked a historic decline in homicides last year, with a 20% drop in murders from 2024, potentially reaching the lowest national levels since 1900. During the first half of 2026, an average decrease of 18% in homicides was reported across 21 of 30 major cities surveyed.
In San Francisco, police records indicate 16 homicides so far this year, compared to 12 during the same timeframe in 2025. Most of these killings involved firearms, according to law enforcement officials. While the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) acknowledges the slight increase in murders, a spokesperson emphasized that the city ended 2025 with its lowest homicide rate in seven decades and vowed to prioritize addressing violent crime.
“Even one homicide is one too many, and the SFPD will continue to make these crimes our top priority,” the spokesperson stated. Aside from homicides, most other crime categories—including property-related offenses and vehicle thefts—have reportedly declined in San Francisco this year.
The rise in homicides has been predominantly concentrated in the SFPD’s Southern District, which includes neighborhoods such as the Embarcadero, Mission Bay, and Treasure Island. This area recorded six homicides in the first half of 2026, up from zero in the same period last year. Police Chief Derrick Lew noted that the nature of recent killings has made prevention more challenging. Unlike gang-related homicides, which tend to follow more predictable patterns, many of the new cases appear to be isolated incidents.
On the national level, some cities have seen substantial declines in homicide rates. Lincoln, Nebraska, reported zero murders in the first half of 2026, a sharp drop from six during the same period last year. Rochester, New York, experienced a 76% decrease, while Little Rock, Arkansas, and Arlington, Texas, saw reductions of 61% and 60%, respectively. Other major cities including Washington, D.C., and New York City also recorded significant decreases in homicides, with declines of 41% and 22%.