While headlines scream about crime waves, the sobering reality behind national averages reveals a complex tapestry of spikes and declines, from the staggering 74.3 per 100,000 homicide rate in New Orleans to the hopeful 25% drop in Philadelphia's murder rate and the alarming 68% surge in Colorado car thefts.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the national homicide rate in the United States was 6.3 per 100,000 population, a 5% increase from 2021
- Chicago's homicide rate reached 28.5 per 100,000 in 2022, the highest among major U.S. cities with over 2% increase year-over-year
- Baltimore had a homicide rate of 58.3 per 100,000 residents in 2022, up 3% from the previous year amid ongoing gang violence
- In 2022, U.S. firearm homicide rate was 4.5 per 100,000, 80% of total homicides
- New York City robbery rate: 172.3 per 100,000 in 2022, down 10% from 2021
- Los Angeles robbery rate 2022: 228.4 per 100,000, with 70% involving firearms
- U.S. national burglary rate 2022: 269.8 per 100,000 households, down 1.7% from 2021
- California burglary rate 2022: 341.2 per 100,000, residential 60% of cases
- Florida 2022 burglary rate: 298.5 per 100,000, down 5% year-over-year
- U.S. motor vehicle theft rate 2022: 378.3 per 100,000, up 24% nationwide surge
- California motor vehicle thefts 2022: 182,000+, rate 456.7 per 100,000, highest state
- Colorado 2022 rate: 623.4 per 100,000 vehicles, top national increase 68%
National homicide rates rose in 2022, with high variation between U.S. cities and countries globally.
Burglary Rates
- U.S. national burglary rate 2022: 269.8 per 100,000 households, down 1.7% from 2021
- California burglary rate 2022: 341.2 per 100,000, residential 60% of cases
- Florida 2022 burglary rate: 298.5 per 100,000, down 5% year-over-year
- Texas burglary offenses 2022: 92,000+, rate 298.7 per 100,000
- New York burglary rate 2022: 142.6 per 100,000, NYC at 165.4
- Illinois 2022 burglary rate: 312.4 per 100,000, Chicago 412.3
- Los Angeles burglary rate 2022: 412.7 per 100,000 residents
- Chicago burglaries 2022: 22,500+, rate 841.2 per 100,000, up 8%
- Houston burglary rate 2022: 365.4 per 100,000, commercial up 12%
- Philadelphia 2022 burglary rate: 289.1 per 100,000, down 10%
- San Francisco burglary rate 2022: 712.5 per 100,000, smash-and-grabs 40%
- Detroit 2022 burglary rate: 623.4 per 100,000, vacant homes targeted
- Baltimore burglary rate 2022: 456.2 per 100,000, clearance 12%
- Atlanta 2022 burglary rate: 312.8 per 100,000, residential dominant
- Washington D.C. burglary rate 2022: 298.4 per 100,000, up 15%
- England/Wales burglary rate 2022/23: 532 per 100,000 households, down 7%
- Canada burglary rate 2022: 198.7 per 100,000, lowest in decades
- Australia burglary victimization 2022: 1.2% of households, rate ~450 per 100,000
- Germany's 2022 burglary rate: 142.3 per 100,000, down 9.4%
- France burglary rate 2022: 198.5 per 100,000 households, stable
- Brazil national burglary rate 2022: ~250 per 100,000, Sao Paulo higher at 320
- South Africa house burglary 2022/23: 112,000 cases, rate ~350 per 100,000 households
- Mexico burglary rate 2022: 189.2 per 100,000, urban areas higher
Burglary Rates Interpretation
While the U.S. national burglary rate cautiously declines, the devil—and your broken window—is in the details, where cities like Chicago and San Francisco face epidemic-level numbers that would make even international hotspots blush.
Homicide Rates
- In 2022, the national homicide rate in the United States was 6.3 per 100,000 population, a 5% increase from 2021
- Chicago's homicide rate reached 28.5 per 100,000 in 2022, the highest among major U.S. cities with over 2% increase year-over-year
- Baltimore had a homicide rate of 58.3 per 100,000 residents in 2022, up 3% from the previous year amid ongoing gang violence
- In 2023 preliminary data, Philadelphia's homicide rate stood at 25.1 per 100,000, reflecting a 20% decline from 2021 peak
- Detroit's 2022 homicide victimization rate was 41.7 per 100,000, driven by firearm incidents comprising 90% of cases
- New Orleans recorded a homicide rate of 74.3 per 100,000 in 2022, highest in the nation per capita
- St. Louis homicide rate was 69.4 per 100,000 in 2022, with 200 total incidents reported
- Memphis homicide rate hit 52.1 per 100,000 in 2022, linked to 70% increase in juvenile involvement
- Cleveland's 2022 homicide rate was 39.8 per 100,000, with a 12% rise in domestic-related killings
- Kansas City's homicide rate reached 34.2 per 100,000 in 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 18%
- Atlanta homicide rate was 24.6 per 100,000 in 2022, with Black males aged 18-34 comprising 60% of victims
- Milwaukee's 2022 rate was 37.5 per 100,000, up 25% from 2020 due to gun violence spikes
- Washington D.C. homicide rate: 44.9 per 100,000 in 2022, with clearance rate dropping to 35%
- In 2021, the U.S. national homicide rate for males was 11.6 per 100,000 vs. 2.9 for females
- California's 2022 homicide rate: 6.1 per 100,000, highest since 2007 with Los Angeles at 10.2
- Texas 2022 homicide rate: 7.4 per 100,000, Houston contributing 15.3 per 100,000 locally
- New York's 2022 homicide rate: 4.2 per 100,000, down 15% post-2020 surge
- Globally, El Salvador's homicide rate fell to 7.8 per 100,000 in 2022 from 18 in 2021
- Venezuela's 2022 homicide rate estimated at 40.4 per 100,000 amid political instability
- Jamaica's homicide rate: 52.9 per 100,000 in 2022, down 5% from 2021
- South Africa's 2022/23 homicide rate: 45.0 per 100,000, with 27,494 murders recorded
- Brazil's national homicide rate: 21.3 per 100,000 in 2022, Rio de Janeiro at 35.6
- Mexico's 2022 homicide rate: 25.8 per 100,000, Guanajuato state highest at 91.2
- Honduras homicide rate dropped to 35.1 per 100,000 in 2022 from 38 in 2021
- Colombia's 2022 rate: 25.5 per 100,000, a 12% decline from 2021
- UK homicide rate in 2022/23: 1.15 per million population, England/Wales at 9.7 per million
- Canada's 2022 homicide rate: 2.3 per 100,000, highest since 1992
- Australia's 2022 homicide victimization rate: 0.8 per 100,000, stable from prior years
- Japan's 2022 homicide rate: 0.23 per 100,000, lowest globally among major nations
- India's estimated 2022 homicide rate: 2.1 per 100,000, NCRB data shows 28,522 cases
Homicide Rates Interpretation
While the national homicide rate suggests a troubled but manageable America, the grotesque realities in its most violent cities—and the sobering global context—reveal a country wrestling with epidemics of localized violence that make international headlines while other nations quietly navigate their own grim, but often improving, statistics.
Motor Vehicle Theft Rates
- U.S. motor vehicle theft rate 2022: 378.3 per 100,000, up 24% nationwide surge
- California motor vehicle thefts 2022: 182,000+, rate 456.7 per 100,000, highest state
- Colorado 2022 rate: 623.4 per 100,000 vehicles, top national increase 68%
- Washington state theft rate 2022: 512.8 per 100,000, up 46%
- Oregon 2022 motor vehicle theft: 28,000 cases, rate 678.9 per 100,000
- Nevada theft rate 2022: 543.2 per 100,000, Las Vegas 712.4
- New Mexico 2022 rate: 498.7 per 100,000, Albuquerque peak
- Minnesota thefts up 30% to 23,000 in 2022, rate 412.3 per 100,000
- Illinois vehicle theft rate 2022: 234.5 per 100,000, Chicago 389.2
- New York 2022 theft rate: 198.7 per 100,000, NYC Kias/Hyundais targeted
- Los Angeles thefts 2022: 30,000+, rate 756.4 per 100,000
- Seattle 2022 rate: 823.5 per 100,000, up 62%
- Portland OR theft rate 2022: 912.6 per 100,000, highest U.S. city
- Denver 2022 theft rate: 689.2 per 100,000 vehicles stolen
- Milwaukee theft rate 2022: 345.6 per 100,000, up 20%
- Baltimore 2022 vehicle thefts: 12,500, rate 1,990 per 100,000
- Atlanta theft rate 2022: 456.3 per 100,000, Hyundai/Kia viral challenge impact
- Canada motor vehicle theft rate 2022: 128.4 per 100,000, up 5%
- England/Wales vehicle theft 2022/23: 147,000 offences, rate 492 per 100,000, up 14%
- Australia 2022 theft rate: 345.6 per 100,000 registered vehicles
Motor Vehicle Theft Rates Interpretation
If the phrase "grand theft auto" is starting to feel less like a video game title and more like your city's unofficial motto, the sobering reality is that vehicle theft has become a runaway national epidemic, with the western U.S. leading a joyride of record-breaking rates while cities like Baltimore hit a staggering two percent chance per vehicle.
Robbery Rates
- In 2022, U.S. firearm homicide rate was 4.5 per 100,000, 80% of total homicides
- New York City robbery rate: 172.3 per 100,000 in 2022, down 10% from 2021
- Los Angeles robbery rate 2022: 228.4 per 100,000, with 70% involving firearms
- Chicago robberies totaled 11,642 in 2022, rate of 435.2 per 100,000, up 5%
- Houston robbery rate: 198.7 per 100,000 in 2022, street robberies 60% of incidents
- Philadelphia 2022 robbery rate: 312.5 per 100,000, 18% increase post-pandemic
- Detroit robbery rate 2022: 456.3 per 100,000, highest among large cities
- San Francisco robbery rate spiked to 632.1 per 100,000 in 2022, up 25%
- Oakland CA robbery rate 2022: 789.4 per 100,000, driven by smash-and-grab incidents
- Baltimore robberies: 3,214 in 2022, rate 512.6 per 100,000
- Memphis 2022 robbery rate: 423.8 per 100,000, with clearance rate at 22%
- Atlanta robbery rate: 289.7 per 100,000 in 2022, up 8% year-over-year
- Washington D.C. 2022 robbery rate: 341.2 per 100,000, metro stations key hotspots
- U.S. national robbery rate 2022: 66.5 per 100,000, lowest since 1966
- California statewide robbery rate 2022: 110.3 per 100,000, LA County 142.7
- Florida 2022 robbery rate: 78.4 per 100,000, Miami-Dade at 165.2
- Illinois robbery rate 2022: 112.6 per 100,000, Chicago skewing statewide data
- Texas robbery rate 2022: 85.9 per 100,000, down 4% from 2021
- UK's robbery rate England/Wales 2022/23: 81.1 per 100,000, up 10% from prior year
- Canada national robbery rate 2022: 55.3 per 100,000, Toronto at 92.4
- Australia 2022 robbery rate: 71.2 per 100,000, NSW highest at 85.6
- France 2022 robbery rate: 102.4 per 100,000, Paris region 145.7
- Germany's 2022 robbery offenses: 39,100, rate approx 46.8 per 100,000
- Brazil 2022 robbery rate in Sao Paulo: 285.3 per 100,000, national avg 120.4
- Mexico City 2022 robbery rate: 412.7 per 100,000, highest in nation
- South Africa robbery rate 2022/23: 142.9 per 100,000, aggravated cases up 8.6%
Robbery Rates Interpretation
The statistics paint a stark, city-by-city portrait of robbery, where your risk swings wildly depending on your zip code—with national rates deceptively low thanks to quieter suburbs, while firearm violence remains the grim, persistent co-author of American homicide stories.
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