While violent crime ticked up slightly in 2022, a deeper look at the numbers reveals a complex American safety landscape where alarming spikes in certain offenses coexist with long-term historic declines.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the United States violent crime rate was 380.7 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants, marking a 1.7% increase from 2021.
- Aggravated assaults accounted for 68.3% of all violent crimes reported to law enforcement in 2022, totaling 870,901 incidents.
- The robbery rate in the US decreased to 66.4 per 100,000 in 2022 from 66.8 in 2021.
- The property crime rate in 2022 was 1,954.4 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants, down 6.1% from 2021.
- Burglaries decreased by 7.5% in 2022, totaling 539,332 incidents.
- Larceny-theft rate: 1,365.5 per 100,000 in 2022.
- Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter rate in 2022 was 6.3 per 100,000, up 0.3% from 2021.
- Total murders reported: 21,156 in 2022.
- Firearm-related homicides: 77.6% of all murders in 2022.
- Overall crime rate decreased 3% from 2021 to 2022 per FBI UCR.
- Violent crime peaked in 1991 at 758.2 per 100,000, now 50% lower.
- Property crime down 65% since 1993 peak per BJS.
- Blacks aged 12+ violent victimization: 11.3 per 1,000 in 2022.
- Whites: 12.1 per 1,000 violent victimization in 2022 NCVS.
- Hispanics: 10.6 per 1,000 violent in 2022.
Overall crime decreased last year, but aggravated assaults increased while clearance rates fell.
Demographics
1Blacks aged 12+ violent victimization: 11.3 per 1,000 in 2022.
Verified2Whites: 12.1 per 1,000 violent victimization in 2022 NCVS.
Verified3Hispanics: 10.6 per 1,000 violent in 2022.
Verified4Asians lowest at 5.7 per 1,000 violent victimization 2022.
Directional5Black homicide offending rate: 34.4 per 100,000 in 2022.
Single source6White offending rate: 3.3 per 100,000 for homicide.
Verified7Males 89% of homicide offenders in 2022 FBI.
Verified8Females 11% of homicide offenders.
Verified9Ages 20-24 highest homicide victimization: 21.5 per 100k.
Directional10Ages 65+ lowest: 2.8 per 100k homicide victims.
Single source11Black males homicide rate: 52.1 per 100,000 in 2021 CDC.
Verified12Black females: 11.7 per 100,000.
Verified13Poor households (<$25k) property victimization 2x higher.
Verified14High income (>$75k) violent victimization lowest at 9.2/1k.
Directional15Urban residents violent victimization 20.8/1k vs rural 11.1.
Single source16Northeast violent rate lowest regionally: 10.4/1k.
Verified17South highest property victimization: 52.6/1k households.
Verified18Children 12-17 highest robbery victimization: 2.1/1k.
Verified19Elderly 65+ lowest robbery: 0.3/1k.
Directional20Gay/lesbian violent victimization 2x heterosexuals per NCVS.
Single source21Native Americans highest violent victimization: 23.6/1k.
Verified22Single-person households higher burglary risk.
Verified23Renter-occupied higher property crime than owners.
Verified24Immigrants lower crime offending rates per Cato.
Directional25Foreign-born victimization similar to natives.
Single sourceDemographics Interpretation
The raw numbers soberly insist that crime is less a theater of racial monoliths and more a grim lottery where geography, age, income, and circumstance are the loaded dice, while quietly screaming that the most perilous demographic cocktail in America is being young, male, and living in an underserved urban neighborhood.
Homicide
1Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter rate in 2022 was 6.3 per 100,000, up 0.3% from 2021.
Verified2Total murders reported: 21,156 in 2022.
Verified3Firearm-related homicides: 77.6% of all murders in 2022.
Verified4Handgun homicides: 53.6% of firearm murders in 2022.
Directional5CDC reports 26,031 firearm homicides in 2022.
Single source6Homicide victimization rate for Blacks: 29.0 per 100,000 in 2021 CDC.
Verified7White homicide rate: 3.4 per 100,000 in 2021.
Verified8Male homicide victims: 84% of total in 2022 CDC.
Verified9Female homicide victims: 16% in 2022.
Directional10Youth homicide rate ages 15-24: 18.2 per 100,000 in 2022.
Single source11Murder clearance rate: 52.3% in 2022 FBI.
Verified12Murders in the South: 8,767 in 2022.
Verified13Midwest murders: 3,802 in 2022.
Verified14Gang-related homicides: 13% of murders in 2022 per FBI estimates.
Directional15Domestic violence homicides: 10-15% annually per BJS.
Single source16Homicides by strangulation: 10% of female homicides in 2021.
Verified17Mass shootings resulting in 4+ deaths: 53 in 2022 per Gun Violence Archive.
Verified18Homicide rate in urban counties: 9.2 per 100,000 in 2022.
Verified19Suburban homicide rate: 4.1 per 100,000.
Directional20Rural homicide: 5.5 per 100,000 in 2022.
Single source21Negro homicide offenders: 53.5% of known in 2022 FBI.
Verified22White offenders: 44.3% of murders in 2022.
Verified23Juvenile homicide victims under 18: 1,739 in 2022 CDC.
Verified24Homicides during robberies: 12% of total murders in 2022.
Directional25Argument-related homicides: 58% in 2022 FBI.
Single source26Felony-type murders: 9% in 2022.
Verified27Narcotic-related homicides: 3% in 2022.
Verified28In 2023 preliminary, murders down 11.6% from 2022.
VerifiedHomicide Interpretation
While the overall murder rate nudged up a statistically trivial 0.3% to 6.3 per 100,000 in 2022, the raw toll of 21,156 lives ended—overwhelmingly by gunfire and with stark, tragic disparities across race, gender, and geography—paints a picture of a nation where lethal violence remains a deeply entrenched and unevenly distributed American crisis.
Property Crimes
1The property crime rate in 2022 was 1,954.4 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants, down 6.1% from 2021.
Verified2Burglaries decreased by 7.5% in 2022, totaling 539,332 incidents.
Verified3Larceny-theft rate: 1,365.5 per 100,000 in 2022.
Verified4Motor vehicle thefts surged 16.6% to 872,236 in 2022.
Directional5NCVS property victimization rate: 46.5 per 1,000 households in 2022.
Single source6Burglary victimization: 1.8 per 1,000 households in 2022 NCVS.
Verified7Motor vehicle theft victimization: 3.9 per 1,000 households in 2022.
Verified8Theft victimization rate: 41.1 per 1,000 households in 2022.
Verified9Property crimes in urban areas: 2,239.7 per 100,000 in 2022.
Directional10Suburban property crime rate: 1,892.3 per 100,000 in 2022.
Single source11Rural property crime: 1,332.1 per 100,000 in 2022.
Verified12Residential burglaries: 289,843 in 2022.
Verified13Non-residential burglaries: 249,489 in 2022.
Verified14Larceny-thefts from motor vehicles: 737,556 in 2022.
Directional15Shoplifting incidents: 912,805 in 2022.
Single source16Property crime clearance rate: 12.1% in 2022.
Verified17Burglary clearance: 13.1% in 2022.
Verified18Larceny-theft clearance: 12.4% in 2022.
Verified19Motor vehicle theft clearance: 13.9% in 2022.
Directional20Household property victimization highest in West: 52.3 per 1,000 in 2022.
Single source21Northeast property victimization: 38.7 per 1,000 households.
Verified22Completed burglaries: 58% of burglary victimizations in 2022 NCVS.
Verified23Property crimes reported to police: 34% in 2022 NCVS.
Verified24Average loss from theft: $743 per incident in 2022 NCVS.
Directional25Burglary average loss: $2,351 in 2022.
Single source26Motor vehicle theft average value: $8,282 stolen in 2022.
Verified27Pocket pickpocketing victimizations: 118,000 in 2022.
Verified28Purse-snatching: 54,000 incidents in 2022 NCVS.
Verified29In 2021, property crime rate was 2,081.7 per 100,000 per FBI.
DirectionalProperty Crimes Interpretation
While it's reassuring that property crime broadly dipped last year, the sharp spike in car thefts and persistently low clearance rates reveal a frustrating reality: many criminals are still getting away with it, quite literally.
Trends
1Overall crime rate decreased 3% from 2021 to 2022 per FBI UCR.
Verified2Violent crime peaked in 1991 at 758.2 per 100,000, now 50% lower.
Verified3Property crime down 65% since 1993 peak per BJS.
Verified4Murder rate fell 50% from 1993 to 2018, then rose post-2020.
Directional5NCVS violent victimization halved since 1993: from 79.8 to 16.5 per 1,000.
Single source6Property victimization down 77% since 1993 per NCVS.
Verified72020 saw 30% homicide spike amid COVID.
Verified82022 violent crime up 1.7% but still below 2019 levels.
Verified9Motor vehicle theft up 26% from 2021 to 2023 prelim.
Directional10Rape reported up 67% since 2009 due to definition change.
Single source11Clearance rates declined from 64% violent in 1965 to 45% in 2022.
Verified12Prison population down 25% since 2009 peak.
Verified13Police funding increased 4% annually 2015-2020.
Verified14Urban violent crime down 6% 2019-2022 prelim.
Directional15Homicides down 12% in 2023 across 198 cities.
Single source16Aggravated assaults up 6% post-2020 but stable since.
Verified17Burglaries down 10% from 2019 to 2022.
Verified18Larceny-theft down 8% 2021-2022.
Verified19Overall crime victimization at historic low in 2022 NCVS.
Directional20Serious violent crime victimization down 1% from 2021.
Single source21Reporting to police up to 46% for violent crimes in 2022.
Verified22Cybercrime victimization rose to 13.3% of households in 2022.
Verified23Violent crime rate 1950-2022: lowest in 2022 since 1960s adjusted.
Verified24Homicide rate 1991 peak 9.8 to 5.0 in 2014, up to 6.5 in 2020.
Directional25Black homicide victimization rate down 30% since 1993.
Single source26White property crime victimization down 80% since 1993.
Verified27Hispanic violent victimization declined 64% 1993-2019.
VerifiedTrends Interpretation
Despite some concerning recent upticks, the long arc of American crime statistics bends dramatically toward a safer society, as evidenced by violent crime and property crime rates being cut by roughly half and two-thirds, respectively, since their early '90s peaks, though we now wrestle with a troubling shift toward unsolved cases and a rise in digital offenses.
Violent Crimes
1In 2022, the United States violent crime rate was 380.7 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants, marking a 1.7% increase from 2021.
Verified2Aggravated assaults accounted for 68.3% of all violent crimes reported to law enforcement in 2022, totaling 870,901 incidents.
Verified3The robbery rate in the US decreased to 66.4 per 100,000 in 2022 from 66.8 in 2021.
Verified4Rape offenses rose by 9.4% in 2022 compared to 2021, with a rate of 40.0 per 100,000 population.
Directional5In 2021, violent crime victimization rate from NCVS was 16.5 victimizations per 1,000 persons age 12 or older.
Single source6Simple assaults comprised 57% of violent victimizations in 2022 per NCVS data.
Verified7Robberies involving firearms occurred in 27% of incidents according to 2022 NCVS.
Verified8The violent crime rate in urban areas was 484.4 per 100,000 in 2022.
Verified9Suburban violent crime rate stood at 346.1 per 100,000 population in 2022.
Directional10Rural violent crime rate was 200.3 per 100,000 in 2022.
Single source11Aggravated assault rate with firearms was 84.6 per 100,000 in 2022.
Verified12Non-firearm aggravated assaults totaled 567,234 in 2022.
Verified13Rape by force increased 8.5% from 2021 to 2022.
Verified14Attempted rapes reported: 28,179 in 2022.
Directional15Robbery rate in the South was 80.2 per 100,000 in 2022.
Single source16Midwest robbery rate: 53.1 per 100,000 in 2022.
Verified17Violent crimes cleared by arrest: 45.6% in 2022.
Verified18Aggravated assault clearance rate: 52.1% in 2022.
Verified19Robbery clearance rate dropped to 24.1% in 2022.
Directional20Rape clearance rate: 31.7% in 2022.
Single source21Violent victimization rate for males: 19.8 per 1,000 in 2022 NCVS.
Verified22Female violent victimization: 13.4 per 1,000 in 2022.
Verified23Youth aged 12-17 violent victimization: 22.5 per 1,000 in 2022.
Verified24Elderly 65+ violent victimization: 4.2 per 1,000 in 2022.
Directional25Stranger-perpetrated violent crimes: 38% of incidents in 2022 NCVS.
Single source26Intimate partner violence: 1.2 million incidents in 2022 per NCVS.
Verified27Workplace violent victimizations: 740,000 in 2022.
Verified28Violent crimes reported to police: 42% of incidents in 2022 NCVS.
Verified29Serious violent victimization rate: 7.3 per 1,000 in 2022.
Directional30In 2020, violent crime rate was 398.5 per 100,000 per FBI UCR.
Single sourceViolent Crimes Interpretation
The portrait of American violence in 2022 reveals a landscape where the overall risk remains stubbornly low but painfully real, dominated by a familiar and rising pattern of aggravated assaults, with a deeply troubling surge in sexual violence and a system that clears less than half of these cases.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CDEcde.ucr.cjis.govVisit source
- Reference 2BJSbjs.ojp.govVisit source
- Reference 3UCRucr.fbi.govVisit source
- Reference 4CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 5WONDERwonder.cdc.govVisit source
- Reference 6FBIfbi.govVisit source
- Reference 7VPCvpc.orgVisit source
- Reference 8GUNVIOLENCEARCHIVEgunviolencearchive.orgVisit source
- Reference 9COUNCILONCJcounciloncj.orgVisit source
- Reference 10PUBLICpublic.tableau.comVisit source
- Reference 11PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 12URBANurban.orgVisit source
- Reference 13MACROTRENDSmacrotrends.netVisit source
- Reference 14CATOcato.orgVisit source