NORFOLK, Va. — The city of Norfolk saw a spike in homicides in the first half of 2026 following a record low in 2025, according to a study conducted by the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ).
The CCJ report is a mid-year 2026 update on crime trends in U.S. cities, which found the overall average reported homicide rate in the first half of 2026 was 18% lower than during the same period in 2025. Compared to 2019, the average homicide rate so far this year is 31% lower across the U.S.
CCJ compiled a list of 30 U.S. cities and measured them by the percentage change in homicides from both 2019–2026 and 2025–2026.
Norfolk had the largest increase in homicides among the sample group: up 64% from the first half of 2025 to the first half of 2026. More than two-thirds of the cities measured in the report saw homicide decreases during the same period, including Baltimore, New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Nasvhille, and Richmond.
Dallas, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Denver, Chicago, and Charlotte all saw increases in that same time.
Watch previous coverage: 2025 Virginia crime report shows drops in homicides, hate crimes, rise in pornography offenses
After Norfolk's 2025 decrease in homicides — a 40-year low — the 2026 numbers from January through June are comparable to previous year rates.
In its annual crime report, Virginia State Police said Norfolk had 27 murders 2025 — a 25% drop from the previous year. Across the commonwealth, violent crimes decreased in 2025, with the overall murder rate dropping by about 13% from 2024.
Norfolk had a 36% increase in homicides from 2019 to 2026, the report found, making it one of only four cities in the report to see increases.
Motor vehicle thefts were also reportedly higher in the comparison data, where Norfolk saw a 26% increase in the first half of 2026 from the first half of 2025.
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