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United States · Safety report last updated
Safety Report
IsMyTripSafe.com
United States · Assessed 13 October 2026
62
/ 100
What drives this score
01 · Official Guidance
No advisory against travel
“This travel advice also covers American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and United States Virgin Islands. Before you travel No travel can be guaranteed safe.”
Updated 2026-10-07T10:48:24Z
Full advisory →Exercise normal security precautions
“Canada's official risk level for United States: exercise normal security precautions.”
Updated 2026-10-10T19:41:02.6992267-04:00
Full advisory →02 · Evidence Signals
Mugging & robbery risk
City SignalCity Web Research
Pickpocketing & theft risk
City SignalCity Web Research
Visitor safety sentiment
City SignalCity Web Research
Urban scale factor
City SignalCity Geocoding
Homicide rate
Robbery / mugging
ModerateWorry about being mugged or robbed is high, and violent crime is seen as a significant local problem.
Pickpocketing
ModerateProperty crime is perceived as a significant local problem, suggesting a moderate risk of pickpocketing and bag-snatching in busy areas.
03 · Environment
04 · Institutions
05 · Field Research
Traveller sentiment score
Negative
54/100
Locals report feeling unsafe walking alone at night and express significant worry about mugging and robbery, indicating low traveler confidence in personal safety.
Milwaukee is a city where travelers should exercise normal security precautions, as crime rates are a notable concern.
While official advisories are low-risk, local sentiment and crime statistics indicate that visitors should be aware of their surroundings. Violent and property crime are perceived as significant local problems, with particular concern for drug-related issues.
Recent developments
Common scams
Full briefing
Milwaukee presents a mixed safety profile for travelers. While official government advisories from Canada and the UK suggest exercising normal security precautions, local sentiment and crime data indicate a higher level of caution is warranted. Residents report feeling unsafe walking alone at night, and there is significant worry about mugging and robbery.
Recent news highlights both ongoing crime concerns and efforts to address them. The opening of a new crime lab and medical examiner's office in October 2026 signifies a focus on law enforcement and evidence processing. While homicides saw a reported 30 percent decrease in the first half of 2026, other crime indicators remain a concern. A recent report in September 2026 detailed a significant fraud scheme, underscoring the risk of financial scams.
Travelers should be particularly aware of their surroundings, especially after dark, and avoid areas with visible drug activity or known high crime rates. Property crime is also a concern, so keeping valuables secure and out of sight is advisable. Be wary of unsolicited investment opportunities, as a recent fraud case demonstrates. Despite these concerns, the city's air quality is good, and there are no active natural disaster alerts.
Was this Milwaukee, United States report helpful?
06 · Neighbourhoods
Our field research rated 7 Milwaukee districts for visitors: 2 safer, 4 needing caution and 1 best avoided. See them plotted on the Milwaukee safety map.
Northwest SideavoidThis area has higher reported crime rates and is not recommended for general tourist activity.
DowntowncautionGenerally safe during the day, but exercise caution after dark due to increased risk of petty crime.
East SidecautionCan be lively, but some areas may experience higher crime rates, especially late at night.
Walker's PointcautionKnown for its nightlife and dining, but be aware of your surroundings, particularly after dark.
South SidecautionMixed areas; some neighborhoods are safe, but others have higher crime rates. Exercise caution and stay aware.
Historic Third WardsaferA popular and generally safe area for tourists, known for its shops and restaurants.
Menomonee River ValleysaferPrimarily industrial and recreational, generally safe with good daytime activity.
07 · After Dark
60% of people in United States say they feel safe walking alone at night in their area (UN SDG survey, 2023).
Worry about being mugged or robbed is high, and violent crime is seen as a significant local problem.
After dark, be most careful around Northwest Side, Downtown, East Side, Walker's Point. Stick to busy, well-lit streets and licensed taxis or ride-hail late at night.
08 · Questions
Milwaukee is a city where travelers should exercise normal security precautions, as crime rates are a notable concern. While official advisories are low-risk, local sentiment and crime statistics indicate that visitors should be aware of their surroundings. Violent and property crime are perceived as significant local problems, with particular concern for drug-related issues. (Assessed 13 October 2026.)
Safety is not one number, and this Milwaukee report does not pretend it is: the score is re-weighted for who is travelling. A woman travelling alone, a family with children and a solo backpacker face different street-level risks, so the headline score shifts and the report leads with the findings that matter for that group. Personalize this report in one click to see the 2026 score and safety briefing for your specific travellers.
Field research flags Northwest Side as best avoided. See the district-by-district safety map.
Milwaukee ranks #9 of 9 United States destinations we've assessed, scoring 62/100. See the United States safety overview for the full list.
The score blends 13+ public data sources — government advisories, UNODC/World Bank crime statistics, FBI crime data for U.S. cities, WHO health data, live air quality and disaster alerts — with AI field research over current local reporting. The databases carry the bulk of the weight (and U.S. reports lean more on the latest field research); the traveller-sentiment score from field research carries the rest. Full methodology.
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Raw data: milwaukee.json (CC BY 4.0).
