While the headlines scream danger in some American cities, a look at the per capita crime rates reveals a complex reality, where your relative safety depends drastically on whether you live in St. Louis or Seattle, Detroit or Tokyo.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the US national homicide rate per 100,000 population was 6.3
- In 2021, California state homicide rate per 100,000 was 6.1
- New York City homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 5.2
- In 2022, the US national robbery rate per 100,000 population was 66.0
- California robbery rate per 100,000 in 2021 was 110.5
- New York City robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 224.2
- In 2022, the US national aggravated assault rate per 100,000 population was 268.0
- California aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2021 was 296.4
- New York City aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 398.5
- In 2022, the US national burglary rate per 100,000 population was 269.8
- California burglary rate per 100,000 in 2021 was 430.2
- New York City burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 152.3
- In 2022, the US national motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 population was 155.8
- California motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2021 was 442.3
- New York City motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 167.4
US homicide and robbery rates are lower than some countries, but violent crime is high in several US cities.
Assault
1In 2022, the US national aggravated assault rate per 100,000 population was 268.0
Verified2California aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2021 was 296.4
Verified3New York City aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 398.5
Verified4Chicago aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 524.7
Directional5Los Angeles aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 312.9
Single source6Detroit aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 1023.4
Verified7Philadelphia aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 456.2
Verified8Houston aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 389.1
Verified9Baltimore aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 812.5
Directional10St. Louis aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 1456.7
Single source11Washington DC aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 312.4
Verified12Oakland aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 987.6
Verified13Memphis aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 765.3
Verified14Cleveland aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 843.2
Directional15Atlanta aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 678.9
Single source16In 2021, Florida aggravated assault rate per 100,000 was 312.5
Verified17New Orleans aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 1234.5
Verified18Milwaukee aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 765.4
Verified19Kansas City aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 945.6
Directional20Indianapolis aggravated assault rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 567.8
Single sourceAssault Interpretation
While the national average suggests a bar brawl in a crowded stadium, the alarming numbers in cities like St. Louis, Detroit, and New Orleans feel more like a scorpion pit at a clown convention.
Burglary
1In 2022, the US national burglary rate per 100,000 population was 269.8
Verified2California burglary rate per 100,000 in 2021 was 430.2
Verified3New York City burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 152.3
Verified4Chicago burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 362.4
Directional5Los Angeles burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 512.7
Single source6Detroit burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 745.6
Verified7Philadelphia burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 298.4
Verified8Houston burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 456.2
Verified9Baltimore burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 623.1
Directional10St. Louis burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 789.4
Single source11Washington DC burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 234.5
Verified12Oakland burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 1234.7
Verified13Memphis burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 856.3
Verified14Cleveland burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 678.9
Directional15Atlanta burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 456.7
Single source16In 2021, Texas burglary rate per 100,000 was 389.2
Verified17Denver burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 512.4
Verified18Portland burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 789.1
Verified19Seattle burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 623.5
Directional20San Francisco burglary rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 945.2
Single sourceBurglary Interpretation
While the national burglary rate sets a grim baseline, it's Oakland's staggering number that truly steals the show, suggesting that in the grand, unfortunate pageant of property crime, some cities aren't just leading the pack—they're lapping it.
Homicide
1In 2022, the US national homicide rate per 100,000 population was 6.3
Verified2In 2021, California state homicide rate per 100,000 was 6.1
Verified3New York City homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 5.2
Verified4Chicago homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 18.3
Directional5Detroit homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 33.4
Single source6In 2020, Louisiana homicide rate per 100,000 was 15.9
Verified7Baltimore homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 58.3
Verified8St. Louis homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 69.4
Verified9In 2019, Mississippi homicide rate per 100,000 was 11.6
Directional10Philadelphia homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 23.7
Single source11In 2022, the homicide rate per 100,000 in Venezuela was 40.4
Verified12El Salvador homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 dropped to 7.8
Verified13Jamaica homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 52.9
Verified14South Africa homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 45.0
Directional15Brazil homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 22.4
Single source16Mexico homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 28.2
Verified17Honduras homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 35.1
Verified18Colombia homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 25.5
Verified19In 2022, Japan homicide rate per 100,000 was 0.23
Directional20UK homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 1.15
Single source21Germany homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 0.82
Verified22France homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 1.35
Verified23Canada homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 2.3
Verified24Australia homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 0.86
Directional25In 2021, New Mexico homicide rate per 100,000 was 13.3
Single source26Memphis homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 37.5
Verified27Cleveland homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 31.8
Verified28Atlanta homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 20.5
Verified29In 2022, Missouri homicide rate per 100,000 was 14.0
Directional30Newark homicide rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 25.6
Single sourceHomicide Interpretation
While America's national murder rate looks almost civilized at 6.3 per 100,000, this tragically masks a domestic landscape where many cities rival the world's most violent nations, and a trip from St. Louis (69.4) to Japan (0.23) feels less like a flight and more like a journey to another, far safer planet.
Motor Vehicle Theft
1In 2022, the US national motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 population was 155.8
Verified2California motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2021 was 442.3
Verified3New York City motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 167.4
Verified4Chicago motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 407.6
Directional5Los Angeles motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 389.2
Single source6Detroit motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 523.1
Verified7Philadelphia motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 234.5
Verified8Houston motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 298.7
Verified9Baltimore motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 567.8
Directional10St. Louis motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 712.3
Single source11Washington DC motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 456.9
Verified12Oakland motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 1678.4
Verified13Memphis motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 623.1
Verified14Cleveland motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 456.2
Directional15Atlanta motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 389.4
Single source16In 2021, Colorado motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 was 523.7
Verified17Denver motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 789.2
Verified18Portland motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 1234.5
Verified19Seattle motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 945.6
Directional20San Francisco motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 1678.9
Single sourceMotor Vehicle Theft Interpretation
If California seems to have a car theft problem, then Oakland and San Francisco appear to be running the national grand theft auto championship, with Portland eagerly drafting their playbook.
Robbery
1In 2022, the US national robbery rate per 100,000 population was 66.0
Verified2California robbery rate per 100,000 in 2021 was 110.5
Verified3New York City robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 224.2
Verified4Chicago robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 280.4
Directional5Los Angeles robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 189.7
Single source6Detroit robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 198.6
Verified7Philadelphia robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 257.3
Verified8Houston robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 167.8
Verified9Baltimore robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 327.1
Directional10In 2021, New York state robbery rate per 100,000 was 95.2
Single source11Washington DC robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 411.2
Verified12Oakland robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 512.3
Verified13St. Louis robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 456.7
Verified14Memphis robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 345.9
Directional15Cleveland robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 298.4
Single source16Atlanta robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 312.6
Verified17In 2022, Venezuela robbery rate per 100,000 was 125.6
Verified18UK robbery rate per 100,000 in 2022 was 83.1
VerifiedRobbery Interpretation
While the national average suggests America's street corners aren't entirely lawless, a tour through cities like Oakland and St. Louis reveals robbery rates so steep they'd make a Caracas pickpocket blush, proving that safety is often a matter of your exact zip code.
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