Year-over-year ranking

Biggest violent crime rate drops, 2023-2024

Cities with 25,000+ residents ranked by the largest absolute fall in violent crimes per 100,000 between consecutive FBI UCR years. National average: 352/100K.

Data updated 2026-07-13

50
Cities ranked
−1,715.2
Largest drop (/100K pts)
2023→2024
Compared years

Oakland, CA posts the largest violent-rate drop: −1,715.2 points per 100,000 (2023→2024)

According to consecutive FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) years, PlainCrime ranks 50 U.S. cities of 25,000+ residents by the largest absolute fall in violent crimes per 100,000 from 2023 to 2024. Oakland moved 3640.6 → 1925.3 (−47.1%). Treat rows as changes in reported rates; agency transitions can move counts without matching street-level risk.

  • 50 cities ranked
  • −1715.2 largest /100K drop
  • 2023→2024 compared years
  • 24 states represented

The change in one line

Oakland, CA posts the steepest decline on this screen: violent crime fell 1,715.2 points per 100,000 (3640.6 → 1925.3). The 50 cities here span 24 states, and every listed drop clears 166.7 points.

50
cities with a measured drop
−1715.2
largest absolute /100K move
47.1%
matching percent decline at #1
24
states represented

Absolute points rank the list; percent is shown as context. Prior-year rates under 50/100K are excluded so micro bases cannot invent eye-catching percentages.

Read before you rank

This ranking measures change in reported violent crime rates, not a certified verdict that a city became safer. FBI UCR/NIBRS participation is voluntary, reporting systems shifted during the NIBRS transition, and incomplete agency submissions can move a rate without a matching change in street-level risk. Open each city page for counts, population, and coverage notes before repeating a figure.

Top 10 largest rate drops

Absolute fall in violent crime per 100,000, 2023 → 2024

  1. 1
    Oakland, CA 1,715 pts
    3640.6 → 1925.3/100K (-47.1%)
  2. 2
    Wichita, KS 617 pts
    1155.9 → 538.6/100K (-53.4%)
  3. 3
    Chicago Heights, IL 505 pts
    1737.3 → 1232.5/100K (-29.1%)
  4. 4
    Goldsboro, NC 435 pts
    1511.2 → 1076.4/100K (-28.8%)
  5. 5
    Paragould, AR 349 pts
    1264.6 → 915.2/100K (-27.6%)
  6. 6
    Florence, SC 344 pts
    1150.9 → 806.7/100K (-29.9%)
  7. 7
    Chester, PA 338 pts
    1168.3 → 830.8/100K (-28.9%)
  8. 8
    Harrisburg, PA 309 pts
    1071.1 → 762.2/100K (-28.8%)
  9. 9
    Birmingham, AL 307 pts
    1553.1 → 1246.6/100K (-19.7%)
  10. 10
    Detroit, MI 270 pts
    2050.8 → 1781.3/100K (-13.1%)

Source FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program · 2024

How steep are the top drops?

Points per 100,000 residents removed between consecutive FBI years (absolute change).

pts

What this shows Oakland leads at −1715.2 per 100,000. Percent moves on this page are secondary; the sort key is the absolute rate change so a small prior base cannot invent a four-digit percentage.

Source FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program As of 2024
# City State 2023 2024 Δ /100K % change
1 Oakland CA crime overview 3640.6 1925.3 −1715.2 -47.1%
2 Wichita KS crime overview 1155.9 538.6 −617.3 -53.4%
3 Chicago Heights IL crime overview 1737.3 1232.5 −504.8 -29.1%
4 Goldsboro NC crime overview 1511.2 1076.4 −434.7 -28.8%
5 Paragould AR crime overview 1264.6 915.2 −349.4 -27.6%
6 Florence SC crime overview 1150.9 806.7 −344.2 -29.9%
7 Chester PA crime overview 1168.3 830.8 −337.6 -28.9%
8 Harrisburg PA 1071.1 762.2 −308.9 -28.8%
9 Birmingham AL crime overview 1553.1 1246.6 −306.5 -19.7%
10 Detroit MI crime overview 2050.8 1781.3 −269.6 -13.1%
11 Laurel MD crime overview 657.6 393.7 −263.9 -40.1%
12 South Bend IN crime overview 1217.5 965 −252.4 -20.7%
13 New Brunswick NJ crime overview 947.6 698.6 −249.1 -26.3%
14 Beaumont TX crime overview 1378.9 1137.3 −241.6 -17.5%
15 Aberdeen SD crime overview 501.8 267.8 −234 -46.6%
16 Chattanooga TN crime overview 1056.3 823.7 −232.5 -22%
17 Summerville SC 452.9 222.4 −230.5 -50.9%
18 Fayetteville NC 888.4 660.2 −228.2 -25.7%
19 Kingsport TN 658.2 441 −217.1 -33%
20 Monroe LA crime overview 2106.4 1892.4 −214 -10.2%
21 Englewood NJ 444.2 230.2 −214 -48.2%
22 Jamestown NY crime overview 831.2 620.2 −211.1 -25.4%
23 Indianapolis IN 1088.2 877.9 −210.4 -19.3%
24 Auburn NY 454.8 245.1 −209.7 -46.1%
25 Monroe NC 857.8 652.9 −204.9 -23.9%
26 Elkhart IN 1199.5 995.2 −204.3 -17%
27 Lake Worth FL crime overview 933.4 730.8 −202.6 -21.7%
28 Garner NC 553.2 356.8 −196.4 -35.5%
29 Hayward CA 673.1 477.1 −196 -29.1%
30 Madera CA 588.1 393.5 −194.6 -33.1%
31 Russellville AR 544.1 349.5 −194.5 -35.8%
32 Leavenworth KS 689.8 495.4 −194.4 -28.2%
33 Rome GA crime overview 973 781.6 −191.4 -19.7%
34 Battle Creek MI 1308.9 1121.6 −187.3 -14.3%
35 Lemon Grove CA 628.9 442.7 −186.2 -29.6%
36 Niagara Falls NY 687.2 501.1 −186.1 -27.1%
37 Wilmington DE crime overview 1310.9 1127 −183.9 -14%
38 Watsonville CA 581.9 399.3 −182.6 -31.4%
39 Paramount CA 729.5 547.1 −182.4 -25%
40 Fort Smith AR 1023 842.4 −180.6 -17.7%
41 Albany NY 996.8 816.9 −179.9 -18%
42 Suffolk VA crime overview 550.7 371 −179.7 -32.6%
43 Tacoma WA crime overview 1242.7 1063 −179.6 -14.5%
44 Jacksonville AR 1126.2 949.7 −176.6 -15.7%
45 Albany GA 1000.3 823.6 −176.6 -17.7%
46 San Bernardino CA 1071.2 897.1 −174.1 -16.3%
47 San Juan TX 327.7 154.8 −172.9 -52.8%
48 Flint MI 1427.4 1257.8 −169.6 -11.9%
49 Helena MT crime overview 682.1 513.7 −168.5 -24.7%
50 Marshalltown IA crime overview 464.1 297.4 −166.7 -35.9%

Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program Consecutive years 2023-2024; cities under 25,000 residents or with prior rate under 50/100K excluded

See also: biggest violent-rate jumps · safest cities · all rankings.

How we built this ranking

Rates use (violent offenses ÷ reporting-year population) × 100,000 on FBI Table 8 municipal rows. Only consecutive years enter the comparison, both years must clear the same completeness screen used on city profiles, and the prior rate must be at least 50 per 100,000 so a handful of incidents cannot invent a four-digit percent move. The sort key is absolute points per 100,000; percent is shown beside it.

Frequently asked questions

Which U.S. city cut its violent crime rate the most from 2023 to 2024?
Oakland, CA leads this list: violent crime fell 1,715.2 points per 100,000 residents (3640.6 → 1925.3), a 47.1% decline on FBI Uniform Crime Reporting rows that clear PlainCrime's completeness screen.
How is a year-over-year crime-rate drop measured here?
Each city needs consecutive FBI UCR years, at least 25,000 residents in both years, and a prior violent rate of at least 50 per 100,000 so tiny bases cannot dominate. Cities are ranked by the absolute change in violent crimes per 100,000 (current minus prior), not by percent alone.
Why can a large percentage drop still be misleading?
Agency participation and the SRS→NIBRS transition can move reported counts without a matching change in street-level risk. Treat every row as a change in reported rates, and open the city page for the raw counts, population, and coverage notes before citing a figure.

Every figure on PlainCrime is rendered directly from FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every rate and delta on this page is computed from FBI Uniform Crime Reporting rows in the PlainCrime database; no year-over-year figure is typed by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.