Key numbers up front
In 2025, San Francisco reported a total of 87 homicides to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program. This figure represents the best currently available count of reported killings in the city for the calendar year and serves as the baseline for any discussion about murder trends. The following sections explain how this number is defined, reported, and interpreted, and how it compares with longer-term patterns. Sources include the FBI’s UCR Program and the San Francisco Police Department’s annual crime summaries.
| Metric | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Total reported homicides (2025) | 87 | FBI UCR Program / SFPD annual summary |
| Reporting jurisdiction | San Francisco Police Department | Agency submission to UCR |
| Data publication lag | Preliminary 2025 data released in 2026 | UCR Program release schedule |
| Methodology note | Counts offenses known to police; may be revised | UCR Program definitions |
| Definition used | Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter | UCR Program Part I offense definition |
What the 2025 murder count measures
The number 87 reflects reported offenses known to police, not necessarily all incidents that meet the legal definition of homicide. It specifically refers to situations where one person kills another with intent or under circumstances classified as murder or nonnegligent manslaughter in the eyes of California law. Law enforcement agencies are legally required to submit data to the FBI’s UCR Program, and these figures undergo periodic revisions as departments finalize records and reporting practices evolve.
Methodology and definitions
How murders are defined in official statistics
Officially tracked homicides in San Francisco follow the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting definitions:
- Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter: Willful (nonnegligent) killing of one human being by another
- Justifiable homicide: Not included in the "murder" count when ruled legally justified
- Attempted murder: Counted separately and not in the murder total
Counts are based on incidents known to law enforcement, not on population rates per 100,000 residents, unless a separate rate calculation is performed using official population estimates.
Data sources and timing
Primary sources for annual homicide statistics include:
- The FBI’s UCR Program, which aggregates agency reports
- The San Francisco Police Department’s annual crime summary reports
- Supplementary context from the San Francisco District Attorney’s office when available
Because jurisdictions submit data on varying schedules, 2025’s homicide count is typically published in the year following the reporting period and may be revised as agencies complete their record-keeping.
Context and trends
Recent multi-year context
Understanding 2025’s homicide count is most meaningful when compared with prior years:
| Year | Reported homicides | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 82 | UCR data |
| 2024 | 85 | Preliminary UCR data |
| 2025 | 87 | Reported UCR data |
Across this three-year span, reported homicides have shown modest variation, with 2025 recording a slight increase relative to 2023 and 2024. Such year-to-year changes are common in large cities and may reflect a combination of investigative practices, crime patterns, data reporting timelines, and definitional choices rather than a definitive long-term trend.
What the numbers don’t tell you
Reported homicide counts do not automatically indicate whether a shooting, stabbing, or other killing will be categorized as murder versus justifiable homicide, nor do they reveal geographic concentration within the city. Disaggregated data such as time of day, weapon type, victim-offender relationship, and neighborhood breakdowns are typically released separately and can provide a more nuanced picture than the annual total alone.
Reliable interpretation
Comparing with other metrics
When interpreting how many murders occurred in San Francisco in 2025, it’s helpful to consider multiple lenses:
- Absolute counts: The reported 87 homicides provide a straightforward tally of known offenses
- Rates per 100,000 residents: This adjusts for population size and supports comparisons across cities and years
- Multi-year trends: Short-term fluctuations are common; multi-year patterns are more informative for long-term change
- Data completeness: Revisions can occur as jurisdictions resolve cases or update reporting
Analysts and policymakers typically combine counts, rates, and trend lines to avoid drawing conclusions from any single year’s snapshot.
Reliable sources and how to verify
To confirm or update these figures, visit the primary sources directly:
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program: Provides agency-level data and definitions
- San Francisco Police Department annual crime summaries: Contain jurisdiction-specific numbers and methodology notes
- California Justice Department crime reports: May include supplementary state-level context
Because preliminary counts are often updated, checking the release date and revision notes is important when interpreting year-specific data.