By Amofokhai Williams
Approximately 16,903 people were murdered in the United States in 2024, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s crime report.
The Bureau’s 2024 “Reported Crimes in the Nation” statistics, on Tuesday shows that one person was murdered in the U.S. every 31.1 minutes last year, giving a total of 16,903 people murdered in the country in 2024.
However, the statistics reveals a notable decline in violent crime across the U.S, alongside a modest decrease in reported hate crime incidents, despite the screaming murder rate.
The data, compiled through the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, draws from over 14 million criminal offenses reported by more than 16,000 law enforcement agencies, covering 95.6% of the U.S. population.
According to the FBI’s estimates, violent crime decreased by 4.5% in 2024 compared to 2023, marking a continued downward trend following the post-COVID-19 spike.
The report details that a violent crime occurred approximately every 25.9 seconds last year, with specific categories showing significant reductions: murder and non-negligent manslaughter dropped by 14.9%, robbery decreased by 8.9%, rape (using the revised 2013 definition) fell by 5.2%, and aggravated assault saw a 3.0% decline. The murder rate, now at an estimated 5 per 100,000 inhabitants, reflects a nine-year low, a stark contrast to the 2020 peak of 6.7 per 100,000.
The report also highlights a 1.5% decrease in hate crime incidents, from 11,041 in 2023 to 10,873 in 2024, based on data from 16,419 agencies covering 95.1% of the population. These incidents, motivated by biases against race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender, or gender identity, included 11,679 criminal incidents and 13,683 related offenses.
Despite the slight decline, experts note that hate crimes remain at historically high levels, with underreporting a persistent issue.
Notably, 69% of religiously motivated incidents in 2024 targeted Jewish individuals or institutions, while anti-Arab incidents reached the second-highest level since tracking began in 2015.
The 2024 report introduces a significant methodological shift, adopting the 2013 revised rape definition for all violent crime estimates from 2013 onward, streamlining data consistency. This change, approved by the FBI Director in 2016, expands the scope of reported rape offenses beyond the legacy definition used for 2005–2012 data.
The comprehensive dataset, accessible via the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, also notes a record-high 85,730 assaults on law enforcement officers in 2024, with 64 officers killed in the line of duty, underscoring ongoing risks to public safety personnel.
The decline in violent crime aligns with broader trends observed by independent groups like the Major Cities Chiefs Association, which reported similar reductions in early 2025.
However, critics, including former President Donald Trump, have questioned the accuracy of FBI statistics, citing incomplete data and alleging manipulation, though experts like criminologist Jeff Asher affirm the reliability of the estimates despite voluntary reporting challenges.
Asher noted that the 2024 data reflects improved agency participation, with 86% of agencies contributing, enhancing the robustness of the findings.
