Published April 7, 2026 · Updated annually
Are US Cities Getting Safer? What the Data Shows
The national trend is clear: America is significantly safer than it was 30 years ago. Per-capita violent crime has fallen over 50% from its 1991 peak. But national averages mask enormous local variation. Some cities have improved dramatically while others have seen crime rates climb. Here is what the FBI data actually shows, city by city.
National Crime Rates: The Long View
The national violent crime rate peaked at approximately 758 per 100,000 residents in 1991. Today it stands at approximately 364 per 100,000 — a decline of more than 50%. Property crime has dropped even more steeply, from 5,140 per 100,000 in 1991 to roughly 1832 today, a decline of nearly two-thirds.
This long-term decline is one of the most significant and under-reported social trends of the past three decades. It occurred across nearly every crime category and in cities of all sizes.
The 2020-2021 Disruption
The long-term downward trend was interrupted in 2020-2021. Homicide rates spiked approximately 30% in a single year — the largest year-over-year increase on record. Aggravated assaults and motor vehicle thefts also rose. However, property crimes like burglary and larceny actually decreased during the same period, likely due to pandemic-related changes in daily routines.
By 2023-2024, FBI preliminary data shows the homicide spike reversing, with rates returning toward their pre-pandemic trajectory. The disruption was real but temporary, not a permanent reversal of the multi-decade improvement.
Cities Getting Safer
These cities have seen the largest improvements in their 5-year crime trends (measured by per-capita total crime rate decline):
| City | State | Safety Score | Grade | 5-Year Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pueblo | CO | 83 | A | -15.0% |
| Modesto | CA | 82 | A | -15.0% |
| Pasadena | CA | 82 | A | -15.0% |
| Birmingham | AL | 80 | A | -15.0% |
| Vallejo | CA | 80 | A | -15.0% |
| Visalia | CA | 80 | A | -15.0% |
| Portland | OR | 78 | B | -15.0% |
| Omaha | NE | 78 | B | -15.0% |
| Pasadena | TX | 71 | B | -15.0% |
| Chula Vista | CA | 69 | B | -15.0% |
Cities Where Crime Has Increased
These cities have experienced the steepest 5-year increases in per-capita crime rates:
| City | State | Safety Score | Grade | 5-Year Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Way | WA | 61 | C | +9.0% |
| Chesapeake | VA | 59 | C | +9.0% |
| New York | NY | 54 | C | +9.0% |
| Garland | TX | 47 | D | +9.0% |
| Wichita | KS | 43 | D | +9.0% |
| Corpus Christi | TX | 43 | D | +9.0% |
| Buffalo | NY | 39 | D | +9.0% |
| Lexington | KY | 60 | C | +8.0% |
| Lincoln | NE | 60 | C | +8.0% |
| New Haven | CT | 60 | C | +8.0% |
Safest vs Least Safe: A Comparison
The gap between the safest and least safe cities in America is enormous. The top 5 safest cities have violent crime rates well below the national average of 363.8 per 100,000, while the bottom 5 can exceed it by 3-5x. This disparity underscores why city-level data matters more than national averages for anyone evaluating where to live.
How to Interpret Trend Data
A single year of data can be noisy. Short-term spikes may reflect one-off events, reporting changes, or statistical anomalies. The 5-year trend is a more reliable indicator of a city's trajectory. When evaluating any city, look at the direction over multiple years, not just the most recent number.
Explore trend data for any city on our improving cities ranking or the worsening cities ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Down. The national violent crime rate is approximately 364 per 100,000 — more than 50% below the 1991 peak of 758. Property crime has fallen nearly two-thirds from its peak. While 2020-2021 saw a temporary spike in homicides, preliminary data shows that reversing.
Cities with the strongest improving trends tend to be mid-size communities that invested in community policing, economic development, and data-driven crime reduction strategies. See the "Cities Getting Safer" table above for the top improvers by 5-year trend.
Research from Gallup and Pew consistently shows 60-80% of Americans believe crime is worsening nationally, even in years of decline. This perception gap is driven by increased media coverage of individual incidents, social media amplification, and availability bias — dramatic events are more psychologically available than gradual statistical trends.
FBI Uniform Crime Report data is the gold standard for US crime statistics, compiled from law enforcement agencies nationwide. However, not all agencies report consistently, and the ongoing transition from the legacy UCR system to NIBRS has created some data gaps. Our methodology accounts for reporting inconsistencies and only includes cities with reliable multi-year data.
/methodology