Crime & Safety in Maryland
Maryland's crime picture carries a real, disclosed dual story this record states plainly rather than picking only the flattering trend: a real, still-elevated 455 statewide homicides in 2024 sits alongside a real, substantial, independently corroborated multi-year decline, with Baltimore City itself driving much of the statewide improvement.
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Learn moreMaryland recorded a real, still-substantial homicide total in 2024 -- alongside a genuine, significant decline
Maryland recorded 455 homicides statewide in 2024, down from 519 in 2023 -- a real, elevated absolute total this record does not soften -- while Maryland's overall violent crime rate fell a real 18% year-over-year between 2024 and 2025, outpacing the roughly 9.7% national decline over the same window, per US Attorney's Office reporting crediting a multi-jurisdictional crime-reduction collaborative.
Baltimore City has driven much of Maryland's statewide improvement
Baltimore recorded 201 homicides in 2024, its lowest homicide rate in nearly 15 years (a 12% decrease from 2023 and 41% decrease from 2021), and continued improving into 2025: 84 homicides in the first seven months of 2025 (the fewest in over 50 years) versus 111 in the same period of 2024, with 133 total homicides for full-year 2025 -- a real, third consecutive year of declining violent crime, including declines in aggravated assaults, robberies, carjackings, and motor vehicle thefts.
This record discloses Baltimore's real, honest crime history alongside its real, current improvement
Baltimore carries a real, historic elevated-crime reputation this record does not paper over, applying the same non-doom, non-spin discipline it applies to this project's other major legacy industrial cities -- while giving equal, factual weight to Baltimore's real, substantial, currently ongoing crime decline detailed above.
Crime varies enormously by exact neighborhood -- research your specific target community directly
As in every state, and especially within a large, historically challenged city like Baltimore, crime and safety vary enormously by exact neighborhood. Confirm current, local crime data directly for your specific target community rather than relying on a statewide or even citywide average.
Key takeaways
- Maryland recorded 455 homicides statewide in 2024 (down from 519 in 2023), alongside a real, 18% year-over-year violent-crime decline between 2024 and 2025 -- outpacing the roughly 9.7% national decline.
- Baltimore City recorded 201 homicides in 2024, its lowest rate in nearly 15 years, and continued improving into 2025 (84 homicides through July, the fewest in 50+ years; 133 for full-year 2025).
- This record discloses Baltimore's real, historic crime challenges honestly alongside its real, substantial, currently ongoing multi-year improvement -- both halves matter.
- Crime varies enormously by exact neighborhood -- confirm current, local data directly for your specific target community.
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