Axios Seattle
August 21, 2025
1 big thing: How our murder rate compares
Seattle's homicide rate was above the national average last year but far lower than in many U.S. cities, according to FBI crime data.
The big picture: Seattle's murder rate fell in 2024 — and the city didn't crack the top 100 for large-city homicide rates, an Axios analysis of the FBI data finds.
Zoom in: Seattle police recorded 52 homicides in 2024 — a rate of 6.8 homicides per 100,000 residents.
- That's higher than the national average (5 per 100,000) but trailed many cities across Washington state and the country.
By the numbers: Seattle's homicide rate ranked 121st among 316 U.S. cities with at least 100,000 people.
- Jackson, Mississippi, topped the list at nearly 78 homicides per 100,000 residents — more than 15 times the national average.
- Birmingham, Alabama, was second with almost 59 per 100,000, followed by St. Louis and Memphis, Tennessee.
The fine print: Among cities with more than 500,000 people, Seattle's homicide rate ranked 25th out of 37.
- Several smaller Washington cities — including Lynnwood, North Bend, Yakima, Olympia and Spokane — also had higher homicide rates.
Context: The U.S. murder rate in 2024 dropped to its lowest level since the Obama era, when violent crime hovered near 30-year lows.
Yes, but: Even with Seattle's year-over-year decline, the 52 homicides logged citywide in 2024 were double the total in 2015 — outpacing population growth and fueling concern about long-term crime trends.
Between the lines: President Trump has often suggested the nation's murder problem is particularly bad in blue cities such as New York, Chicago, Baltimore, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. — Democratic-run cities in Democratic-led states (or district, in D.C.'s case).
- But the FBI crime figures tell a different story, Axios' Russell Contreras reports.
- Thirteen of the 20 U.S. cities with the highest murder rates last year were in Republican-run states. Many of those cities were run by Democrats who often are at odds with state officials.
2. 🍦 Ice cream and ferry views
The new Molly Moon's on the Seattle waterfront has quickly become my favorite outpost of the local ice cream chain.
Zoom in: The location — which opened in May in the historic Washington Street Boat Landing pergola — is ideal for lingering and watching ferries dock.
- Seating under the pergola provides an ideal shaded location to savor ice cream while looking out over Elliott Bay.
The vibe: I've been a few times now — and even on weekdays, there tends to be a modest line.
Yes, but: Workers were serving up scoops out of four separate windows on my last visit, cutting down the wait time.
The bottom line: I initially wasn't sure that Seattle needed another Molly Moon's — but I'll be returning to this one every chance I get.
What we're watching: The steady foot traffic makes me think Seattle's waterfront could easily support another artisan ice cream shop (paging Frankie & Jo's).
Stop by: 199 Alaskan Way. Open 11am–10pm daily.
3. Morning Buzz: 🪧 Microsoft protest response
4. Where we were: R.I.P., Benihana
Many of you quickly guessed our mystery location from last week: we were at 5th Avenue and University Street, looking toward the former IBM building.
- The location was remembered by many readers as the past home of a Benihana restaurant.
- Several of you also noted that that the building was the work of Seattle-born architect Minoru Yamasaki, who designed the World Trade Center in New York, as well as Seattle's Rainier Tower and Pacific Science Center.
And there's more: A plaque remembers the site as the former location of the Seattle Ice Arena, where the Seattle Metropolitans became the first U.S. team to win the Stanley Cup in 1917.
- The arena was used as a parking garage for many years before eventually being torn down in 1963.
Thanks to all of you for playing — we'll try to do a better job of stumping you next week!
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that the team's mystery location was at 5th Avenue and University (not 5th Avenue and Union).
Axios Seattle
