North Carolina Crime Statistics
47 years of data (1979–2024)
Key Insights
- →North Carolina ranks #20 out of 51 states for violent crime rate (375.8 per 100K).
- →Violent crime decreased 4.5% from 2023 to 2024.
- →266 cities report crime data. Safest: Rolesville (33.7/100K). Most dangerous: Laurinburg (1894.1/100K).
- →832 murders in 2024 — a rate of 7.5 per 100K residents.
- →Since 1979, North Carolina's violent crime rate has changed by -16%.
Violent Crime Rate
375.8
-4.5% YoY
Murder Rate
7.5
832 total
Property Crime Rate
1968.1
217,402 total
Population
11,046,024
2024
2024 Crime Breakdown
Violent Crime: 41,511
Murder832
Rape3,091
Robbery5,540
Aggravated Assault32,048
Property Crime: 217,402
Burglary35,777
Larceny-Theft153,559
Motor Vehicle Theft28,066
Violent Crime Rate Trend
Homicide Rate Trend
Violent Crime Breakdown (2024)
Most Dangerous Cities
| City | Violent Rate | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Laurinburg | 1894.1 | 14,994 |
| Henderson | 1791.6 | 14,791 |
| Lumberton | 1676.5 | 19,087 |
| Goldsboro | 1076.4 | 33,444 |
| Shelby | 1044.1 | 22,028 |
| Salisbury | 960.0 | 36,564 |
| Kinston | 958.6 | 19,298 |
| Statesville | 955.5 | 30,245 |
| Burlington | 952.3 | 60,906 |
| Greensboro | 923.7 | 304,306 |
Safest Cities
| City | Violent Rate | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Rolesville | 33.7 | 11,884 |
| Davidson | 41.9 | 14,332 |
| Stallings | 51.2 | 17,564 |
| Apex | 52.6 | 74,105 |
| Waxhaw | 58.6 | 23,893 |
| Pinehurst | 58.8 | 18,716 |
| Fuquay-Varina | 69.6 | 47,436 |
| Cary | 71.0 | 181,793 |
| Elon | 77.7 | 11,585 |
| Holly Springs | 80.9 | 48,199 |
Crime Velocity — Which Cities Are Changing Fastest
Fastest Improving
Fastest Worsening
Velocity scores measure the direction and speed of crime changes. Negative = improving, positive = worsening. Full methodology →
Hate Crimes in North Carolina
326 incidents reported
Top bias motivations: Sexual Orientation (28), Religion (2)
Explore full hate crime data →All StatesSafest Cities in North CarolinaMost Dangerous in North CarolinaCompare CitiesArrest DataHate Crimes
Arrest Demographics (National)
The FBI publishes state-level total arrest counts but does not break down arrest demographics by race at the state level in the same detail as national data. For national arrest demographic patterns, see our dedicated pages:
Related Analysis
More for North Carolina
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer. Rates per 100,000 residents. City data from Table 8.