Canada has a much lower murder rate than the United States: Canada recorded 1.61 homicide victims per 100,000 people in 2025, while the FBI estimates the US murder rate at 4.1 per 100,000, about 2.5 times higher. On robbery, car theft and break-ins the two countries are much closer, and Canada’s rates are similar to or higher than US rates.
Data: Statistics Canada, police-reported crime statistics for 2025 (released 22 July 2026), Table 35-10-0177-01; FBI, UCR Summary of Reported Crimes in the Nation, 2025 (released 14 August 2026). Ratios and percentage differences are our own arithmetic. Updated 19 October 2026.
All figures are for calendar year 2025, the latest full year both countries have published. We compare only offences that are defined in a broadly similar way in both countries.
Key facts
- Canada’s homicide rate was 1.61 per 100,000 in 2025 (672 victims), down 16% from 2024 (Statistics Canada, released 22 July 2026).
- The US murder and nonnegligent manslaughter rate was 4.1 per 100,000 in 2025, tied with 1955 and 1956 for the lowest on record (FBI, released 14 August 2026).
- The US murder rate is about 2.5 times Canada’s homicide rate (our calculation from Statistics Canada and FBI data).
- Canada’s robbery rate was 55 per 100,000 in 2025, about 11% above the US rate of 49.4 (our calculation).
- Motor vehicle theft was almost identical: 201 per 100,000 in Canada and 197.0 in the United States.
- Canada recorded 262 break-ins per 100,000, about 35% above the US burglary rate of 193.6 (our calculation).
Is Canada safer than the United States?
Canada is safer than the United States for the most serious violent crime: the US murder rate of 4.1 per 100,000 in 2025 was about 2.5 times Canada’s homicide rate of 1.61. For everyday property crime the picture is different. Canada’s 2025 rates for robbery, vehicle theft and break-ins were close to, or above, the matching US rates. So “Canada is safer” is clearly true for lethal violence, but not for every type of crime.
| Offence (2025) | Canada rate per 100,000 | United States rate per 100,000 | Difference (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide / murder | 1.61 | 4.1 | US about 2.5 times Canada |
| Robbery | 55.05 | 49.4 | Canada about 11% higher |
| Motor vehicle theft | 200.84 | 197.0 | Canada about 2% higher |
| Break and enter / burglary | 262.29 | 193.6 | Canada about 35% higher |
Sources: Statistics Canada Table 35-10-0177-01 (homicide = victims per 100,000); FBI UCR Summary of Reported Crimes in the Nation, 2025 (national estimates). Definitions and counting rules differ between the two systems, so small gaps should not be over-read.
The clearest and most reliable gap is homicide. The other three rows are close enough that differences in how police record incidents could explain part of the gap. Our crime rate in Canada guide explains how the Canadian figures are built.
Why can’t you compare total crime rates between Canada and the US?
Total crime rates for Canada and the United States cannot be compared directly because the two countries count different offences. Canada’s crime rate of 5,585 per 100,000 in 2025 includes every Criminal Code incident except traffic offences, such as mischief, fraud, uttering threats and minor assault. The FBI’s headline violent crime rate (327.6 per 100,000 in 2025) covers only four offences: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Its property crime rate (1,534.8) covers burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft.
Putting Canada’s 1,443 violent incidents per 100,000 next to the US figure of 327.6 would wrongly suggest Canada is more violent, because the Canadian total includes common assault and threats that the FBI headline does not. That is why this guide compares individual offences only.
- Crime rate is the number of police-reported incidents per 100,000 people in a year.
- The Crime Severity Index (CSI) is a Canadian measure that weights each offence by its seriousness. The United States has no equivalent index, so the CSI (75.0 for Canada in 2025) cannot be compared with any US figure. See our Crime Severity Index explainer.
How does the Canadian homicide rate compare with the US murder rate?
Canada’s homicide rate of 1.61 per 100,000 in 2025 was about 60% lower than the US murder rate of 4.1, according to Statistics Canada and FBI figures (our calculation). Both countries saw large drops in 2025. Canada’s homicide rate fell 16%, its largest decline since 1986, and the number of US murders fell an estimated 18.1%, according to the FBI.
Regional differences inside Canada matter. In 2025 Saskatchewan’s homicide rate (5.21) and the Thunder Bay metro area’s rate (6.06) were above the US national rate of 4.1, while the Toronto metro area’s rate (0.91) was less than a quarter of it (our calculation from Statistics Canada data). Manitoba’s rate was 3.64. Our homicide rate by city page and our guide to the murder capital of Canada have the full list.
| Area (2025) | Homicide / murder rate per 100,000 |
|---|---|
| Thunder Bay (CMA) | 6.06 |
| Saskatchewan (province) | 5.21 |
| United States (FBI estimate) | 4.1 |
| Manitoba (province) | 3.64 |
| Winnipeg (CMA) | 2.48 |
| Canada | 1.61 |
| Ontario (province) | 1.27 |
| Quebec (province) | 0.97 |
| Toronto (CMA) | 0.91 |
Most Canadians live in provinces and metro areas with homicide rates well below the US average, but a few Canadian regions are above it.
Is car theft worse in Canada or the US?
Car theft is about as common in Canada as in the United States: Canada recorded 200.84 motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 people in 2025, and the FBI estimates a US rate of 197.0. Both fell sharply in 2025. Canada’s rate dropped 16% and US vehicle thefts fell an estimated 22.7%. Inside Canada, rates range from 361 per 100,000 in the Red Deer metro area to well under 100 in some Quebec metros. See car theft in Canada for the city ranking.
Are break-ins more common in Canada than in the US?
Break-ins were more common in Canada than burglaries in the United States in 2025: Statistics Canada recorded 262.29 breaking-and-entering incidents per 100,000 people, about 35% above the FBI’s US burglary rate of 193.6 (our calculation). Both countries are at or near long-term lows. Canada’s rate fell 11% in 2025 and is 41% below 2015, while US burglaries fell an estimated 15.8%. Our break-ins in Canada guide covers the trend by city.
How reliable is a Canada vs US crime comparison?
- Different systems. Statistics Canada’s Uniform Crime Reporting Survey covers 99.6% of Canada’s population. The FBI’s 2025 figures are national estimates built from agencies covering 96.2% of the US population.
- Different definitions. Rape and sexual assault, and aggravated assault and Canada’s assault levels, are defined differently, so we do not compare them.
- Different units. Canada’s change figures above are mostly rate changes; the FBI’s are changes in the estimated number of offences.
- Reported crime only. In Canada only about 29% of victimizations were reported to police in 2019, so all figures undercount crime.
Read the original releases: the Statistics Canada 2025 release and the FBI Summary of Reported Crimes in the Nation, 2025.
What does this mean if you are moving to or visiting Canada?
For someone moving from the United States, the biggest difference is a much lower risk of homicide in most of Canada; the risk of vehicle theft and break-ins is about the same or higher. Lock vehicles, keep valuables out of sight and use basic home security. Check the specific city, because Canadian rates vary widely. Start with our crime rate in Canada by city table, the Canada Crime Map and our guide is Canada safe?. Visitors can also read our safety tips for tourists in Canada.
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Canada vs US crime FAQ
Does Canada have less crime than the US?
Canada has far less lethal violence: its 2025 homicide rate was 1.61 per 100,000 against a US murder rate of 4.1. For robbery, car theft and break-ins, Canadian rates were similar to or higher than US rates in 2025.
What is the murder rate in Canada compared with the US?
Canada recorded 672 homicide victims in 2025, a rate of 1.61 per 100,000. The FBI estimates the US murder rate at 4.1 per 100,000, about 2.5 times higher.
Is the US crime rate going down?
Yes. The FBI says the US violent crime rate fell 9.3% in 2025, the largest yearly decline since its estimates began in 1936. Canada’s Crime Severity Index also fell 5% in 2025, to 75.0.
Is Canada’s violent crime rate higher than the US?
No. Canada’s figure of 1,443 per 100,000 looks higher than the US 327.6 only because it includes common assault, threats and other offences the FBI headline excludes. On homicide, the most comparable violent offence, the US rate is about 2.5 times Canada’s.
Which Canadian provinces have a higher homicide rate than the US?
In 2025 Saskatchewan (5.21 per 100,000) was above the US murder rate of 4.1. Manitoba (3.64) was just below it, and every other province was far lower.
Related: crime rate in Canada · crime rate by province · is crime going up in Canada? · safest cities for newcomers · safest cities in Canada · gun crime in Canada. In an emergency call 911.