Violent crime up in Washington state, despite nationwide drop

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The FBI released its annual data on violent crime, and despite nationwide drops, Washington state reported an increase.

From 2019-2024, the national murder rate dropped by around 3%. In Washington over that same time, the rate increased by 42%.

Washington had the lowest police staffing per capita in the nation for the last 15 years.

Following the release of this data, financial company WalletHub published a report ranking Washington last in safety for the United States.