New York State Crime Rate by City 2024 – Latest Statistics

Overall, the crime rate in major cities in New York has been dropping steadily since the pandemic. 2024 is projected to see the crime rate drop even further thanks to an increased police presence in areas of high crime, particularly in New York City, during the years since 2020. Analyzing the New York state crime rate by city can help one see how the climates of different areas in the state are changing post-pandemic.

New York City Crime Rate

New York City is the state’s largest and most metropolitan city, with an extensive police force in the NYPD and a significant tourist presence comprised of visitors from all over the world. Since the pandemic began in 2020, the crime rate in New York City has fallen substantially, including violent crimes.

Between 2020 and 2022, the violent crime rate shrunk by nearly 6%, with 2023 seeing an additional 4% decrease. This includes murder, rape, robbery, shootings, and grand larceny. For example, reported incidents of rape have dropped by 10.5%, and incidents of robbery decreased by 3.1% in 2023.

There has been a bit of an increase in hate crimes as of January 2024. There were an additional 12 incidents that were investigated by the Hate Crime Task Force, which increased the hate crime total from 33 to 45. Targeted groups include Black, Muslim, Jewish, and LGBTIQA+ residents, for whom the number of reported hate crimes has increased by 33%.

Syracuse Crime Rate

Syracuse has had a crime rate significantly lower than the national average for quite some time. As of 2020, the violent crime incident rate is 225 for every 100,000 people. There was a minor 3% increase in the murder rate as of 2020, and as of February 2024, the city is home to 635 registered sex offenders.

Buffalo Crime Rate

The city of Buffalo has seen a 33% reduction in violent crime between 2006 and 2024. Every violent crime, including murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, decreased in frequency over this time period. There appears to be an uptick in the crime rate during the summer months, while the winter months see less crime overall. The United States saw an uptick in the murder rate during the first year of the pandemic, and Buffalo was no different.

Albany Crime Rate

Albany, New York’s capital city, has a substantially low crime rate of 201 per 100,000 people, well below the national average of 380. The number of shooting victims decreased by 26% in 2023. Some officials blame the number of guns on the street and their accessibility for the number of shootings that occurred in Albany over the last few years.

Rochester Crime Rate

Rochester remains one of the safest cities in New York state, with an average of 1,550 violent crimes per year and an overall crime rate of 43 per 1,000 people.

FAQs

Q: Where Does New York State Rank in Crime?

A: New York ranks 41st out of all 50 states in America when it comes to crime. This means New York is one of the safer states in the country. Even though New York City has a global reputation for criminal activity, it has evolved into a far safer city than it was in the mid-20th century. The impactful actions of the NYPD in cleaning up the city speak for itself, with the crime rate steadily shrinking.

Q: How Many Murders Happen in New York State Per Year?

A: As of 2023, the murder rate in New York state was 4.8 homicides per 100,000 people, according to data collected by World Population Review. That number reflects a drop of 0.4% from 2021. New York has one of the lowest murder rates in the country, with New York City largely responsible for the bulk of the numbers. For example, in 2023, there were 386 reported homicides in New York City alone.

Q: What City in New York Has the Lowest Crime Rate?

A: The city with the lowest crime rate in New York is a town called Bedford. In 2023, there were 0 violent crimes and 0 robberies reported in Bedford and only 16 property crimes, according to information gathered by the FBI. Statistically speaking, you cannot find a safer town in New York than Bedford. Though the crime rate is exceptionally low in Bedford, it is far from the only exceptionally safe town in New York.

Q: What is the Safest Place to Live in Upstate New York?

A: Statistically speaking, the safest place to live in upstate New York would be Bedford. Bedford has the lowest crime rate in the entire state and has a population of around 16,880 as of the 2020 census. It has reported virtually no violent crime for quite some time, with some minor property crime being its only real downside. Bedford is gorgeous, quiet, and safer than nearly every other city in the state.

The Crime Rates Are Dropping

New York, particularly New York City, used to be synonymous with crime. It was once thought to be the home of gang violence, serial killers, random shootings, and all sorts of unthinkable violence. However, cities evolve just like people, and the recent numbers all show that New York has strongly changed for the better.

People should always be cautious in a big city, especially one that they have never been to before or are relatively unfamiliar with, but at least they can start to alleviate their fears about traveling to or living in New York. Outside of New York City, it is also home to so many gorgeous small towns with barely noticeable crime rates.

While the crime rates in New York state appear to be dropping for the most part, that does not mean that crime is going away. If you get accused of or charged with a crime, reach out to the legal team at Greco Neyland, PC. We can help you figure out your situation, weigh your options, and effectively challenge the claim against you. Contact us to schedule a consultation as soon as you can to learn how we can help you.