42 years of FBI crime data (1979–2024)
Key Insights
- →Violent crime is down 52.6% from the 1991 peak of 758.2 per 100K — the longest sustained decline in American history.
- →The U.S. recorded 16,935 homicides in 2024 at a rate of 5.0 per 100K — below the 45-year average of 7.4.
- →Property crime accounts for 83% of all reported crime, yet receives a fraction of media attention compared to violent offenses.
- →The 2017–2020 data gap in national estimates reflects the FBI's troubled transition from SRS to NIBRS — the largest disruption in crime data since the UCR began in 1930.
Violent Crimes
1,221,345
Rate: 359.1
Homicides
16,935
Rate: 5.0
Property Crimes
5,986,400
Rate: 1760.1
Since 1991 Peak
-52.6%
Peak: 758.2
YoY Change
-7.2%
2023 → 2024
2024 Crime Breakdown
Violent Crime: 1,221,345
Murder16,935
Rape127,527
Robbery205,952
Aggravated Assault870,931
Property Crime: 5,986,400
Burglary779,542
Larceny-Theft4,326,531
Motor Vehicle Theft880,327
Violent Crime Rate (1979–2024)
Homicide Rate (1979–2024)
Property Crime Rate (1979–2024)
Crime Type Comparison
Note: Murder shown as rate per 100K; robbery and assault shown as raw counts (different scales)
National Arrest Demographics by Race
| Race | Arrests | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 4,225,897 | 65.5% |
| Black or African American | 1,965,911 | 30.5% |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 134,688 | 2.1% |
| Asian | 103,274 | 1.6% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 25,119 | 0.4% |
| Total | 6,454,889 | 100% |
22.3%
Hispanic or Latino
77.7%
Not Hispanic or Latino
Arrest data reflects law enforcement activity and policing patterns, not necessarily the distribution of criminal behavior. Factors including poverty, policing intensity, and systemic inequities affect arrest rates. See full demographic breakdown and our analysis of racial disparities.
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, SRS Estimated Crimes. National data gap 2017–2020 due to FBI transition from SRS to NIBRS reporting system.
Data last updated: March 2026 · Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer