Violent crime in the United States fell by 9.3% in 2025, the largest year-to-year decline recorded since the FBI began estimating national crime trends in 1936.
Newly released FBI data showed broad reductions across major categories, including an 18.1% decline in murder and non-negligent manslaughter, an 18.5% fall in robbery, a 7.6% decrease in rape and a 7.2% drop in aggravated assault.
The estimated murder rate also fell to 4.1 per 100,000 inhabitants, matching the rate recorded in 1955 and 1956 and representing the lowest level since the FBI began producing national estimates.
FBI Director Kash Patel attributed the historic decline to cooperation among law enforcement agencies at federal, state, local and tribal levels.
“Collectively, law enforcement across the country-state, local, Tribal, and federal, has delivered for the American people the largest reduction in violent crime in U.S. history,” Patel said in a video message released on August 19, 2026.
He added that rape, robbery and assault had all recorded significant declines across the country.
The latest figures mark a sharp reversal of the rise in violent crime recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic and represent the second consecutive year of substantial reductions.
According to the FBI, an estimated 1,119,768 violent crime offences were recorded nationwide in 2025, translating to a rate of 327.6 offences per 100,000 inhabitants, compared with 362.9 in 2024.
Property crime also recorded a significant decline, falling by an estimated 12.4% during the year. Burglary dropped 15.8%, larceny-theft declined 9.8%, while motor vehicle theft fell 22.7%.
Several long-term crime indicators also improved. The robbery rate of 49.4 per 100,000 people was the lowest in two decades, while the rape rate of 36.1 per 100,000 was the lowest since 2012. The murder rate was also the lowest recorded in 20 years.
Law enforcement agencies made an estimated 413,991 arrests for violent crime offences in 2025.
The FBI said the figures were compiled through its Uniform Crime Reporting Programme from information submitted by more than 17,000 state, county, city, tribal, university and college law enforcement agencies. Collectively, those agencies represented nearly 97% of the US population.
The data are not limited to crime totals. Through the National Incident-Based Reporting System, participating agencies provide detailed information on offences, victims, suspected offenders, relationships between victims and offenders and locations of incidents.
The FBI said the information helps authorities identify crime patterns and understand how criminal activity changes over time.
The Bureau also credited closer cooperation among law enforcement agencies for helping tackle offenders and criminal organisations operating across jurisdictional boundaries.
Under Patel, the FBI has streamlined procedures for bringing officers from partner agencies into task forces and increased cooperation through Homeland Security Task Forces targeting transnational organised crime.
Patel said the agency would maintain its focus on reducing violent crime and protecting communities.
“We’re going to carry forward the mission of crushing violent crime and defending the homeland,” he said.
“We are going to be relentless pursuers of justice. We are going to safeguard our communities. We are going to save our kids.”
