FBI UCR Homicide Data — 9,014 recorded incidents
Philadelphia consistently ranks among the most homicide-ridden large cities in America, with most killings concentrated in under-resourced North and West Philadelphia neighborhoods where poverty, inadequate schooling, and a legacy of redlining have created persistent cycles of violence. The city has also become notorious for cases involving families and intimate partners — a pattern prosecutors have described as a "family annihilator" trend. Philadelphia's homicide clearance rate has struggled, leaving tens of thousands of cases unresolved. Among the city's most infamous serial cases: the Frank Stewart serial murders in the 1980s, which targeted elderly women, and more recently, the 2023 arrest of 22-year-old Nasir Wilson in connection with multiple shootings that left two women dead in Fishtown. FBI UCR homicide data feeds The Murder Channel's Philadelphia coverage, tracking both the statistics and the human stories behind the numbers.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has recorded 9,014 homicides over the tracked period, with 9,082 victims identified. Philadelphia recorded 4090 homicides in 2026, 11% decreased from 4572 in 2025. The city ranks #1 among 339 U.S. cities tracked by the FBI, with a clearance rate of 1% — meaning an arrest or suspect identification was made in 90 of those incidents.
Firearms — predominantly firearm - handguns — account for 39% of homicides with weapon data, followed by firearm - type unknown, knife/cutting instrument. The highest single month on record was October 2025, with 846 homicides.
Philadelphia's homicide rate is 11637% above the average for tracked U.S. cities, based on FBI UCR data. 8,776 cases remain under investigation. The primary reporting agency was Philadelphia Police Department, which filed 8960 incident reports. See also our Pennsylvania state homicide data page for broader context. The Philadelphia metropolitan area continues to be monitored as part of the national homicide tracking effort.