The Facts

San Francisco ended 2025 with just 28 homicides — a 20% drop from 2024 and the city's lowest total since 1954, according to SFPD. Overall crime fell 25%, violent crime declined 18%, and property crime dropped 27%.

The SFPD's Homicide Unit achieved a 125% clearance rate in 2025, clearing 34 homicides by making arrests or by other means—a significant improvement in solving these cases.

Across all categories, reported crime fell from 36,633 incidents in 2024 to 27,321 in 2025. Robberies dropped 44% (to 3,011), larceny theft fell 22% (to 16,492), burglaries fell 13% (to 3,673), and motor-vehicle thefts fell 24% (to 3,011). One warning sign: reported assaults rose 29% (to 2,046).

The Context

San Francisco wasn’t alone. New York City reported murders down 20% (to 305) in its 2025 year-end NYPD release. Los Angeles tallied 230 homicides in 2025, down nearly 19%, per the Los Angeles Times. Chicago’s murders fell nearly 30% (to 416), according to CBS Chicago.

The GrowSF Take

This is historic progress that proves good policy works. The 125% clearance rate shows what happens when SFPD has the resources and leadership to investigate effectively—and the overall 25% crime drop reflects years of investment in staffing, technology, and enforcement paying off.