Crime rates in the United States fell in every category in 2024, according to a report released by the FBI on Tuesday. This includes significant decreases in murder, violent crime, and motor vehicle thefts. The data reflects a continuing trend of declining violent crime rates following a spike that occurred after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The FBI's annual Unified Crime Report, which compiles statistics from law enforcement agencies nationwide, indicates that a violent crime occurred on average every 25.9 seconds last year. The report is based on data from 16,675 agencies, covering a population of over 325 million people, or approximately 95.6% of U.S. residents.

While the report highlights positive trends, it does not provide explanations for the decrease in violent crime. An FBI official stated, "It's difficult if not impossible for us to say why, and each reporting agency would have a different reason why."

The report shows that violent crime overall decreased by an estimated 4.5% in 2024 compared to the previous year. Each subcategory of violent crime also saw reductions. The murder and nonnegligent manslaughter rate dropped by 14.9%, while robbery fell by 8.9%. Rape decreased by 5.2%, and aggravated assault was down by 3%.

The murder rate has now dropped for two consecutive years, falling from 6.5 to 5.7 murders per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, and further down to 5 per 100,000 in 2024. The highest murder rate in the past two decades was recorded in 2020, at 6.7 per 100,000 residents, while the lowest was in 2014, at 4.4 per 100,000.

Jeff Asher, a criminal justice data expert, noted that while murder, rape, and robbery rates have returned to below pre-COVID levels, aggravated assaults remain "stubbornly high."

In a notable change, both the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office contributed data to the FBI report. LAPD Chief of Detectives Alan S. Hamilton attributed the crime drop in Los Angeles to community and violence intervention programs, stating, "We made an investment in the future and I think these are the dividends."

Rodney Harrison, former police commissioner of New York's Suffolk County, suggested that some of the decline in violent crime may be due to criminals shifting their focus to online crimes, such as identity theft. He remarked, "If they don't have to go out on the street and run drugs and can make money sitting at the computer, some criminals will do that, which presents a new challenge to police."

Property crime also saw a significant decrease of 8.1% in 2024, following a 2.4% drop in 2023. Motor vehicle thefts experienced an 18.6% decline, marking the largest one-year drop ever recorded in that category, although the overall rate remains higher than in 2019. Other property crime subcategories included burglary, which fell by 8.6%, and larceny-theft, down by 5.5%. The overall property crime rate in 2024 was the lowest since 1961.

Looking ahead, the FBI's report indicates that the downward trend in crime is continuing. Analysis from the Council on Criminal Justice shows that the homicide rate continued to decline in the first half of 2025, reaching levels not seen in a decade. However, many cities still report higher homicide rates compared to the first half of 2019.

Ernesto Lopez, a senior research specialist at the Council on Criminal Justice, commented, "These numbers are promising but not surprising. After significant increases in violent crime starting in 2020, the decline in all major crime types across all sizes of jurisdictions is promising."

The council also highlighted the limitations of the FBI's data, noting that it does not encompass the entire U.S. population and only measures crimes reported to law enforcement. Advocates for victims of sexual assault often point out that many rapes go unreported, emphasizing that the actual volume of crime is likely much higher than what is represented in the report.