Murder rate falls 6 percent nationally: FBI

The murder rate in the United States fell 6.1 percent in 2022, according to new data from the FBI. 

The FBI’s annual crime report, released Monday, found that violent crime in the U.S. last year decreased while property crime is on the rise. Overall, violent crime dropped 1.7 percent, including a 6.1 percent decrease in murder and non-negligent manslaughter. 

The murder rate in the U.S. continues to fall after it jumped nearly 30 percent during the pandemic in 2020. In 2022, the rate was 6.3 homicide offenses per 100,000 people. This is down from the 2021 rate of 6.8 homicides per 100,000 people.

Incidents of rape and aggravated assault also dipped in 2022. There was a 5.4 percent decrease in the rate of rape offenses and a 1.1 percent decrease in the rate of aggravated assault, the FBI said. However, the robbery rate is up 1.3 percent nationally. 

Overall, the rate of violent crime in 2022 — 380.7 per 100,000 people — is slightly below what was recorded before the pandemic in 2019 when it was 380.8 per 100,000 people. While violent crime is on a downward trend, property crime remains on the rise, with a 7.1 percent increase in 2022. 

Motor vehicle thefts jumped 10.9 percent from the previous year, and carjackings are up 8.1 percent — including the majority being done with a weapon. 

The FBI also noted that it added additional data from law enforcement agencies and said that it now brought the total population coverage for its annual report to 93.5 percent.