America’s murder decline is picking up speed.
Homicides fell 18% across 30 major American cities during the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to a new Council on Criminal Justice report.
That translates to 215 fewer killings in the cities studied. If the decline continues, the country could finish the year with its lowest homicide rate in more than a century.
And murder was not the only crime heading south.
The independent council tracked 13 offenses and found declines in nine, including aggravated assault, carjacking and residential burglary. Reported shoplifting, domestic violence, sexual assault and drug offenses recorded smaller increases.
Researchers also found that serious violent crimes became substantially less deadly. The lethality rate, which measures the share of serious violent offenses resulting in death, fell 23% from the first half of 2025.
The numbers continue a dramatic retreat from the violence that erupted during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. Researchers said crime levels in several categories are now improving beyond their pre-2020 baselines.
“Murder and other crime rates are falling across the map, in cities with different political leadership, housing and economic conditions, policing and prosecution strategies, violence reduction models, and levels of federal enforcement activity,” Council President and CEO Adam Gelb said.
The findings remain preliminary and do not constitute a complete national crime count. The council relies primarily on police department data, and the number of participating cities varies by offense because agencies use different definitions and reporting systems.
Still, the direction is difficult to miss. Homicides are dropping across cities with different mayors, prosecutors, police departments and economic conditions.
US on track to have historically low number of homicides in 2026, report says https://t.co/yr4csgBXiB
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 23, 2026
