The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics released the 2021 violent crime rates for U.S. cities with populations over 100,000 that reported their data to the FBI. Among approximately 150 cities analyzed, Mobile, Alabama, recorded the highest violent crime rate.
The data revealed that Mobile had a violent crime rate of 2,042 incidents per 100,000 residents. Memphis, Tennessee, and Detroit, Michigan, followed with rates slightly exceeding 1,000 crimes per 100,000 residents.
Mobile’s violent crime rate earned it the unfortunate distinction of being the highest among reporting cities. Violent crime statistics are derived from two systems: the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) and the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). The NCVS gathers data through interviews with victims, including crimes not reported to the police, while the NIBRS compiles crime records submitted by law enforcement agencies.
Despite these alarming figures, the overall violent crime rate in the United States remained relatively stable from 2020 to 2021, according to USAFacts.org. Approximately 37% of law enforcement agencies, however, did not submit data to the FBI in 2021. Notably, no jurisdictions in Florida reported their crime statistics. The FBI recorded about 1.3 million violent crimes nationwide in 2021, representing a 1% decrease compared to 2020. Robbery rates also dropped by 9% year over year.
In addition to violent crimes, the FBI reported on property crimes for 2021. Larceny and theft were the most common property crimes, accounting for roughly 60% of all recorded incidents. Nationwide, there were approximately 1,933 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2021, marking a 1% decline from the previous year.
Mobile reported 7,485 property crimes per 100,000 residents, ranking seventh among cities included in the report. In contrast, Carlsbad, California, reported the highest property crime rate, while Lakewood Township, New Jersey, had the lowest.
Violent crimes are categorized into four primary types: homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. According to USAFacts, aggravated assault and robbery together account for nearly 90% of all violent crimes, while homicides are the least common, representing just 1% of total violent crime incidents.