Crime Clock
How often do crimes happen in the United States? Based on 2024 FBI data, this clock shows the frequency of reported crimes across the country. These numbers represent real crimes reported to law enforcement — the actual rate is higher due to unreported crimes.
Time on this page
00:00:00
0
Violent Crimes
0
Property Crimes
0
Cars Stolen
0.00
Murders
Violent Crime
One every
26 seconds
3,323 per day · 0 since you arrived
Murder
One every
31 minutes
46 per day · 0 since you arrived
Rape
One every
4 minutes
350 per day · 0 since you arrived
Robbery
One every
3 minutes
565 per day · 0 since you arrived
Aggravated Assault
One every
36 seconds
2,400 per day · 0 since you arrived
Property Crime
One every
5 seconds
17,280 per day · 0 since you arrived
Burglary
One every
40 seconds
2,160 per day · 0 since you arrived
Larceny-Theft
One every
7 seconds
12,343 per day · 0 since you arrived
Motor Vehicle Theft
One every
36 seconds
2,400 per day · 0 since you arrived
Understanding the Crime Clock
The FBI Crime Clock has been a staple of crime reporting since the 1950s. It translates raw annual crime statistics into frequencies that are easier to understand — instead of saying "1.22 million violent crimes per year," it shows that a violent crime occurs approximately every 26 seconds.
Important: The Crime Clock should not be taken to imply regularity in the occurrence of crimes. It simply represents the annual ratio between crime totals and the number of seconds in a year. Crime does not occur at fixed intervals — it is influenced by time of day, geography, weather, and many other factors.
What the Data Shows
- Property crime dominates: A property crime occurs every 5 seconds — roughly 5× more frequent than violent crime.
- Assault is the most common violent crime: One every 36 seconds, making up over 60% of all violent crime.
- Motor vehicle theft surged: One every 36 seconds — the fastest-growing crime category in recent years.
- Murder remains relatively rare: While every murder is a tragedy, it occurs once every 31 minutes — a rate that has dropped 15.7% from 2023 to 2024.
Historical Context
The 2024 crime clock shows a significantly safer America compared to the early 1990s. At the peak in 1991, a violent crime occurred every 17 seconds. Today that figure is 26 seconds — a testament to decades of declining crime rates, though the story varies significantly by city and crime type.