WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Council on Criminal Justice released a data analysis on Thursday examining crime patterns in U.S. cities. The report indicates that the national homicide rate in the U.S. continued its decline in the first half of 2026.

The homicide rate across 30 surveyed American cities decreased in the first half of 2026, marking a significant reversal from the sharp increases seen earlier in the decade. The overall decline contributed to a reduction of approximately 215 homicides nationwide during the period, despite increases in eight cities. The report attributes the broad-based drop to a combination of macro-level social and economic factors, though it does not isolate specific causes.

Carjackings had the largest drop among the crime types tracked in the first half of 2026. Drug offenses saw the largest rise among the crime types tracked in the first half of 2026 compared to the first half of 2025, but remained lower than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Residential burglaries dropped by 13% year-over-year in the first half of 2026. Residential burglaries also dropped by 50% in the first half of 2026 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

San Francisco ended 2025 with its lowest homicide rate in over 70 years. The city had the fewest murders in 2025 since 1941. “We recognize that homicides have increased slightly this year compared to last year,” San Francisco Police spokesperson Evan Sernoffsky said. “San Francisco had the fewest murders since 1941 last year, so this is an increase from a very low level,” Jeff Asher, co-founder of AH Datalytics, said.

Austin's homicide rate in the first half of 2026 was part of a 74% increase since 2019, according to the study. The study reported single-digit increases in homicides in Denver, Chicago, and Charlotte in the first half of 2026. Norfolk, Virginia's homicide rate increased by 64% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, according to the study.

“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,” Adam Gelb, president and CEO of the Council on Criminal Justice, said. “Local policies and programs surely matter, but the striking consistency of the decline suggests that macro-level forces are exerting enormous influence as well.”

The decline in homicide rates across a broad sample of American cities represents a continuation of a downward trend that began with record-low figures in 2025. The consistency of the drop across jurisdictions with varying political and economic conditions suggests factors beyond local policy are driving the change.

While eight cities experienced increases, the overall reduction of approximately 215 homicides indicates a substantial decrease in lethal violence. The data places the current trajectory in historical context, with the 2025 murder rate potentially being the lowest since 1900.

The Council on Criminal Justice’s analysis included data from cities of varying sizes and geographic regions, including New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, and Philadelphia. The report notes that even cities that saw homicide increases in 2026 remained below their peak levels from earlier in the decade. The study also found that non-fatal shootings declined in 18 of the 30 cities analyzed, though data completeness varied by jurisdiction.

Experts cited in the report suggest that improved economic conditions, demographic shifts, and community-based violence intervention programs may be contributing to the national trend. The report does not attribute the decline to any single policy or intervention. Researchers emphasized that while the data is encouraging, long-term trends will require sustained monitoring.

According to the analysis, the national homicide rate in the first half of 2026 was approximately 20% lower than the peak observed in 2020. The Council on Criminal Justice plans to release updated findings later in the year, incorporating data from additional cities and crime categories.