Homicides Fall 17% Across Major U.S. Cities as Post‑Pandemic Crime Decline Persists

Violent crime continues its post‑pandemic slide, with homicides falling ↓ 17.2% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier.

Homicides Fall 17% in Major U.S. Cities

The Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) surveyed 66 large jurisdictions, revealing a ↓ 8.3% dip in the aggregate of homicide, robbery, rape and aggravated assault — roughly 14,200 fewer incidents, according to an Reuters analysis.

City‑by‑city data highlight stark contrasts. Washington, D.C. reported 46 killings, a 43.9% plunge from 82 a year prior; Memphis saw murders drop from 119 to 67 (43.7%); Houston’s count fell from 154 to 95 (38.3%); and Philadelphia trimmed its toll to 83, down 27.2%.

“President Trump promised to make America safe again — and the data proves he is delivering faster and more decisively than any administration in history,” the White House proclaimed.

Even cities Trump once vilified, such as Aurora, Colo., recorded a 58.8% homicide reduction. Conversely, locales with modest baselines saw volatile swings: Honolulu’s killings rose from seven to 13 (85.7%) and San Diego’s climbed from 16 to 29 (81.3%).

A parallel study by the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) tracked an 18% homicide decline across 30 cities, tracing the trend back to late‑2022, independent of partisan control or policing reforms.

The broader narrative ties back to the pandemic shock, which spiked crime in 2020 before the steady descent began under President Biden and persisted under President Trump.