Violent crime plummets 36% in downtown Seattle, lowest since 2017

Seattle is showing encouraging crime statistics as violent crime in the heart of the city has fallen to its lowest summer level since 2017, according to the data from the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA).

Between June and August 2025, officials reported that violent crime incidents in downtown Seattle dropped by 36% compared to the same period in 2024. This marks the lowest total for the summer months since 2017.

Downtown Seattle crime drops, economy rebounds

On the economic side, the DSA’s September 2025 dashboard revealed that downtown visitor numbers have bounced back to slightly above levels seen in September 2019.

Hotel room demand has returned to approximately 100% of 2019 levels. The number of occupied apartment units in downtown has grown to nearly 60,700, a roughly 20% increase compared with 2019.

City and business leaders said the drop in violent crime is an important sign of progress. Still, they said the recovery is not yet complete.

Worker foot traffic in downtown remains at about 62% of the weekday volume recorded in September 2019, showing that there is still room for more office workers to return.

For everyone in downtown, from businesses to residents and visitors, the news is looking brighter. With violent crime down and the economy showing strong signs of life, numbers indicate downtown Seattle is finally turning a corner.