A fresh look at crime data shows a steady fall in violent incidents across the country’s biggest urban centers. The new report pulls together information from 67 leading police departments, painting a picture that every major category—homicides, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults—has slipped. Homicides fell by 19%, rapes by 9%, robberies by 20% and assaults by nearly 10%. The most dramatic changes came from the Sun Belt and Southern states. Orlando and Tampa led the way, reporting more than a half‑century drop in killings. Western cities such as Seattle, Denver, Honolulu and Albuquerque also saw significant reductions.

In the Midwest and Northeast, Baltimore and Chicago each logged a roughly 30% decline in homicides last year. Memphis and Portland followed with a 25% cut. Yet not all places benefited: Boston, El Paso, Fort Worth, Milwaukee, Omaha, Wichita and Mesa still see rising homicide rates, as do Suffolk and Nassau counties in New York.

The report’s findings have been used by the Trump administration to highlight policy successes, with officials pointing to a 125‑year low in murder rates. They also claim that federal aid helped curb crime in Washington, D. C. , and other hotspots. However, independent studies suggest that the downward trend began during President Biden’s term, after a pandemic‑related spike in 2020. One analysis links the initial surge to unemployed men and teenage boys who were out of school during lockdowns.

Overall, while the numbers point to a hopeful shift in urban safety, experts caution that the story is still unfolding. Understanding why some cities improve while others lag will be key to sustaining this progress.

Crime Trends Drop Across Major U. S. Cities in 2025

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