About OpenCrime

OpenCrime makes FBI crime statistics accessible to everyone. We take raw data from the FBI's Crime Data Explorer and present it in a clean, searchable format that anyone can understand.

9,800+
Pages
12,826
City Profiles
45
Years of Data
8
Analysis Articles

Our Data

All data comes from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program:

  • National estimates: 1979–2024 (45 years of trend data)
  • State-level data: All 50 states + DC
  • City-level data: 9,700+ cities (2020–2024)
  • Crime types: Violent crime, property crime, murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft

Why We Built This

Crime data is public information, but it's often buried in dense government reports or hidden behind paywalls. We believe everyone should be able to understand what's happening in their community without needing a statistics degree or subscription.

OpenCrime translates raw FBI data into clear, searchable profiles. Search your city, compare it to others, explore trends over time, and understand the bigger picture of crime in America.

Important Notes

  • Reported vs actual crime: Crime statistics reflect reported crimes, not all crimes that occur. The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates roughly half of violent crimes and about a third of property crimes go unreported.
  • Rankings can be misleading: The FBI cautions against using crime data to rank or compare communities. Crime rates are influenced by many factors including population density, economic conditions, climate, policing practices, demographics, and reporting methods. Use comparisons as one data point, not the whole story.
  • NIBRS transition gap: There is a gap in national estimates between 2017–2020 due to the FBI's transition from the Summary Reporting System (SRS) to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). NIBRS captures far more detail about each incident.
  • Rate calculations: Rates are calculated per 100,000 residents using the population figures provided in the FBI data. This allows fair comparison between cities of different sizes.
  • Missing cities: Some cities don't appear if their law enforcement agency didn't submit complete data to the FBI for that year, or if the city is very small.

What Makes OpenCrime Different

  • Comprehensive coverage: We cover every city in the FBI's published data — not just the big ones.
  • Historical context: 45 years of national data lets you see long-term trends, not just year-to-year noise.
  • Analysis, not just numbers: Our analysis articles dive deep into patterns most news coverage misses.
  • Transparent methodology: We document exactly how we process and calculate everything.
  • Completely free: No subscriptions, no login walls, no ads cluttering the data.

No Paywalls, No Ads

OpenCrime is completely free. No paywalls, no login required, no ads. Public data should be publicly accessible.

Part of TheDataProject.ai

OpenCrime is part of TheDataProject.ai, a network of free data platforms making public records accessible. Our sister sites cover healthcare, government spending, immigration, prescriber data, lobbying, farm subsidies, and more.

Data Sources & Methodology

All data comes from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program via the Crime Data Explorer (CDE). The UCR program collects crime statistics from over 18,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide.

We download raw datasets from the FBI CDE, process them for consistency, calculate rates per 100,000 residents, and organize everything into a searchable database. Our methodology is fully documented for transparency.

Key sources:

  • FBI Crime Data Explorer (CDE) — cde.ucr.cjis.gov
  • Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) — victimization surveys and supplemental data
  • CDC WONDER — mortality data for homicide trends

Explore

Data Limitations & Accuracy

While we strive for accuracy, it's important to understand the limitations of crime data:

  • Reporting is voluntary: Law enforcement agencies aren't required to submit data to the FBI. Participation rates vary by state and year.
  • Definitions vary: What counts as "aggravated assault" vs "simple assault" can vary between agencies.
  • Population estimates: We use FBI-provided population figures, which may differ from Census estimates.
  • Timing: FBI data is typically released 9-12 months after the reporting year ends.

Despite these limitations, the FBI UCR program remains the most comprehensive source of crime statistics in America. We supplement FBI data with Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) victimization surveys and CDC mortality data where relevant.

Contact

Questions or feedback? Found an error? Want to collaborate? Reach us at info@thedataproject.ai

We welcome feedback from journalists, researchers, law enforcement professionals, and anyone interested in understanding crime data better.