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1996 CRIME STATISTICS MAIN PAGE 
THUNDER & LIGHTNING NEWS SERVICE HOME PAGE 
FBI HOME PAGE 
 
1996 PRELIMINARY FBI CRIME STATISTICS
BIG CITY MURDER RATES
from lowest to highest
 
Rank
City & State
1996 Population
(est.)
Number of Murders
Murder Rate
(per 100,000 residents)
1
AMHERST TOWN, NY
107,331
0
0.0
1
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA
191,911
0
0.0
1
PLANO, TX
163,817
0
0.0
1
SUNNYVALE, CA
121,284
0
0.0
5
MADISON, WI
197,572
1
0.5
6
BOISE, ID
153,258
1
0.7
7
IRVINE, CA
127,410
1
0.8
8
STERLING HEIGHTS, MI
120,737
1
0.8
9
INDEPENDENCE, MO
113,382
1
0.9
10
SIOUX FALLS, SD
110,891
1
0.9
11
ANN ARBOR, MI
109,939
1
0.9
12
SIMI VALLEY, CA
108,469
1
0.9
13
GREEN BAY, WI
104,283
1
1.0
14
CAMBRIDGE, MA
100,725
1
1.0
15
LINCOLN, NB
206,704
3
1.5
16
CHANDLER, AZ
129,554
2
1.5
17
SANTA CLARITA, CA
125,435
2
1.6
18
FREMONT, CA
186,186
3
1.6
19
EUGENE, OR
122,637
2
1.6
20
SANTA ROSA, CA
118,625
2
1.7
21
ORANGE, CA
118,445
2
1.7
22
TEMPE, AZ
156,788
3
1.9
23
CLEARWATER, FL
103,036
2
1.9
24
NAPERVILLE, IL
101,980
2
2.0
25
LIVONIA, MI
101,450
2
2.0
26
TORRANCE, CA
140,185
3
2.1
27
MESQUITE, TX
117,795
3
2.5
28
SPRINGFIELD, MO
152,024
4
2.6
29
GRAND PRAIRIE, TX
112,930
3
2.7
30
THOUSAND OAKS, CA
112,559
3
2.7
31
GARDEN GROVE, CA
150,062
4
2.7
32
FORT COLLINS, CO
103,472
3
2.9
33
HONOLULU, HI
878,044
27
3.1
34
CHULA VISTA, CA
151,377
5
3.3
35
CONCORD, CA
113,479
4
3.5
36
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
331,020
12
3.6
37
BURBANK, CA
101,082
4
4.0
38
MIDLAND, TX
100,087
4
4.0
39
ANAHEIM, CA
286,146
12
4.2
40
AURORA, CO
262,188
11
4.2
41
WORCESTER, MA
166,782
7
4.2
42
FULLERTON, CA
118,524
5
4.2
43
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA
439,851
20
4.5
44
IRVING, TX
170,960
8
4.7
45
SAN JOSE, CA
830,374
40
4.8
46
SCOTTSDALE, AZ
165,644
8
4.8
47
EL PASO, TX
602,951
30
5.0
48
PATERSON, NJ
139,759
7
5.0
49
MESA, AZ
340,818
18
5.3
50
LAKEWOOD, CO
131,786
7
5.3
51
EVANSVILLE, IN
131,455
7
5.3
52
ERIE, PA
108,432
6
5.5
53
STAMFORD, CT
107,165
6
5.6
54
ARLINGTON, TX
298,632
17
5.7
55
PALMDALE, CA
104,894
6
5.7
56
WEST COVINA, CA
104,766
6
5.7
57
LEXINGTON, KY
241,150
14
5.8
58
SALEM, OR
119,822
7
5.8
59
ESCONDIDO, CA
118,003
7
5.9
60
HIALEAH, FL
200,339
12
6.0
61
GLENDALE, AZ
183,029
11
6.0
62
ALEXANDRIA, VA
114,996
7
6.1
63
ABILENE, TX
114,523
7
6.1
64
AKRON, OH
223,303
14
6.3
65
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX
286,660
18
6.3
66
AMARILLO, TX
171,779
11
6.4
67
YONKERS, NY
183,650
12
6.5
68
SPRINGFIELD, IL
106,794
7
6.6
69
ALLENTOWN, PA
105,372
7
6.6
70
PASADENA, TX
134,568
9
6.7
71
MODESTO, CA
178,865
12
6.7
72
OCEANSIDE, CA
148,308
10
6.7
73
SAN DIEGO, CA
1,168,364
79
6.8
74
HUNTSVILLE, AL
162,376
11
6.8
75
LAFAYETTE, LA
103,134
7
6.8
76
SEATTLE, WA
539,591
37
6.9
77
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA
116,431
8
6.9
78
DOWNEY, CA
101,309
7
6.9
79
BERKELEY, CA
101,250
7
6.9
80
GARLAND, TX
201,336
14
7.0
81
FORT WAYNE, IN
186,196
13
7.0
82
HAMPTON, VA
142,248
10
7.0
83
LAREDO, TX
156,032
11
7.0
84
CHESAPEAKE, VA
183,965
13
7.1
85
ORLANDO, FL
182,616
13
7.1
86
HENDERSON, NV
112,217
8
7.1
87
TALLAHASSEE, FL
138,001
10
7.2
88
RIVERSIDE, CA
245,081
18
7.3
89
SALINAS, CA
121,517
9
7.4
90
LUBBOCK, TX
202,403
15
7.4
91
SPOKANE, WA
199,636
15
7.5
92
RENO, NV
159,559
12
7.5
93
AUSTIN, TX
537,484
41
7.6
94
WICHITA, KS
312,706
24
7.7
95
OMAHA, NB
350,607
27
7.7
96
COLUMBUS, GA
194,345
15
7.7
97
GLENDALE, CA
181,019
14
7.7
98
HOLLYWOOD, FL
128,996
10
7.8
99
TULSA, OK
379,798
31
8.2
100
DES MOINES, IA
195,455
16
8.2
101
LANSING, MI
120,821
10
8.3
102
EL MONTE, CA
106,149
9
8.5
103
WICHITA FALLS, TX
101,755
9
8.8
104
CINCINNATI, OH
360,457
32
8.9
105
MORENO VALLEY, CA
141,292
13
9.2
106
TOLEDO, OH
324,610
30
9.2
107
BROWNSVILLE, TX
117,511
11
9.4
108
SYRACUSE, NY
160,033
15
9.4
109
HAYWARD, CA
117,233
11
9.4
110
PEORIA, IL
113,790
11
9.7
111
ST. PAUL, MN
267,292
26
9.7
112
TUCSON, AZ
472,385
46
9.7
113
ANCHORAGE, AK
254,774
25
9.8
114
LANCASTER, CA
120,881
12
9.9
115
RALEIGH, NC
245,176
25
10.2
116
PASADENA, CA
136,077
14
10.3
117
GRAND RAPIDS, MI
192,358
20
10.4
118
ALBANY, NY
104,919
11
10.5
119
TACOMA, WA
189,568
20
10.6
120
ST. PETERSBURG, FL
246,229
26
10.6
121
SPRINGFIELD, MA
150,421
16
10.6
122
BOSTON, MA
552,519
59
10.7
123
PROVIDENCE, RI
149,805
16
10.7
124
OXNARD, CA
147,937
16
10.8
125
PORTLAND, OR
467,906
51
10.9
126
SALT LAKE CITY, UT
180,180
20
11.1
127
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
745,127
83
11.1
128
GREENSBORO, NC
203,186
23
11.3
129
SACRAMENTO, CA
379,283
43
11.3
130
JERSEY CITY, NJ
228,424
26
11.4
131
SAN ANTONIO, TX
1,021,477
117
11.5
132
ELIZABETH, NJ
107,427
13
12.1
133
JACKSONVILLE, FL
690,367
85
12.3
134
PUEBLO, CO
105,059
13
12.4
135
BAKERSFIELD, CA
193,777
24
12.4
136
DENVER, CO
516,224
64
12.4
137
ONTARIO, CA
136,742
17
12.4
138
BEAUMONT, TX
119,715
15
12.5
139
WATERBURY, CT
103,490
13
12.6
140
KNOXVILLE, TN
174,054
22
12.6
141
WACO, TX
110,213
14
12.7
142
PITTSBURGH, PA
354,308
46
13.0
143
POMONA, CA
145,916
19
13.0
144
CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG, NC
554,070
74
13.4
145
CHATTANOOGA, TN
156,524
21
13.4
146
NEW YORK, NY
7,339,594
986
13.4
147
NORWALK, CA
102,176
14
13.7
148
COLUMBUS, OH
640,297
89
13.9
149
TOPEKA, KS
121,495
17
14.0
150
VALLEJO, CA
113,069
16
14.2
151
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
469,632
67
14.3
152
SAVANNAH, GA
146,534
21
14.3
153
FORT WORTH, TX
470,254
68
14.5
154
TAMPA, FL
294,670
43
14.6
155
HOUSTON, TX
1,772,143
261
14.7
156
NEWPORT NEWS, VA
182,487
27
14.8
157
FONTANA, CA
105,211
16
15.2
158
SANTA ANA, CA
294,963
46
15.6
159
MONTGOMERY, AL
197,972
31
15.7
160
MACON, GA
113,802
18
15.8
161
LITTLE ROCK, AR
182,799
29
15.9
162
HARTFORD, CT
124,223
20
16.1
163
ALBUQUERQUE, NM
426,736
69
16.2
164
PHOENIX, AZ
1,139,793
186
16.3
165
NASHVILLE, TN
530,059
89
16.8
166
WINSTON-SALEM, NC
160,678
27
16.8
167
FRESNO, CA
392,049
70
17.9
168
COLUMBIA, SC
105,316
19
18.0
169
NEW HAVEN, CT
119,566
22
18.4
170
BUFFALO, NY
313,238
60
19.2
171
LAS VEGAS, NV
831,303
161
19.4
172
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL
168,059
34
20.2
173
LOS ANGELES, CA
3,498,139
709
20.3
174
STOCKTON, CA
225,799
46
20.4
175
DALLAS, TX
1,060,585
217
20.5
176
SOUTH BEND, IN
106,718
22
20.6
177
CLEVELAND, OH
496,049
103
20.8
178
MILWAUKEE, WI
627,139
131
20.9
179
DAYTON, OH
179,680
38
21.1
180
ROCKFORD, IL
144,421
31
21.5
181
LONG BEACH, CA
440,023
95
21.6
182
PORTSMOUTH, VA
105,404
23
21.8
183
ROCHESTER, NY
231,373
53
22.9
184
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
361,595
83
23.0
185
AURORA, IL
113,220
26
23.0
186
KANSAS CITY, MO
448,474
104
23.2
187
SAN BERNARDINO, CA
184,303
43
23.3
188
INGLEWOOD, CA
111,650
27
24.2
189
LOUISVILLE, KY
274,506
67
24.4
190
MOBILE, AL
207,106
51
24.6
191
NORFOLK, VA
245,956
61
24.8
192
OAKLAND, CA
372,145
93
25.0
193
SHREVEPORT, LA
199,418
50
25.1
194
MEMPHIS, TN
631,626
163
25.8
195
DURHAM, NC
148,571
40
26.9
196
PHILADELPHIA, PA
1,528,403
414
27.1
197
CHICAGO, IL
2,754,118
789
28.6
198
FLINT, MI
139,588
40
28.7
199
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
376,531
114
30.3
200
BATON ROUGE, LA
229,501
71
30.9
201
MIAMI, FL
384,976
124
32.2
202
BRIDGEPORT, CT
133,015
44
33.1
203
JACKSON, MS
196,619
67
34.1
204
NEWARK, NJ
261,909
92
35.1
205
BIRMINGHAM, AL
272,169
113
41.5
206
DETROIT, MI
1,002,299
428
42.7
207
ST. LOUIS, MO
374,041
166
44.4
208
BALTIMORE, MD
716,446
328
45.8
209
ATLANTA, GA
413,123
196
47.4
210
RICHMOND, VA
204,881
112
54.7
211
NEW ORLEANS, LA
488,300
351
71.9
212
WASHINGTON, DC
543,000
397
73.1
213
GARY, IN
116,024
104
89.6
 
NOTES

A number of cities with populations greater than 100,000 are not included on this list..  These cities either do not participate in the FBI's voluntary Uniform Crime Reporting problem, or have not reported crimes completely for the years in question.

Cities not included in this report:

City & State
BABYLON TOWN, NY
BROOKHAVEN, NY
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA
HUNTINGTON, NY
ISLIP, NY
KANSAS CITY, KS
OVERLAND PARK, KS
WARREN, MI
METHODOLOGY

Statistics were drawn from the 1996 Uniform Crime Reports Preliminary Annual Report (June 1, 1997), and in additions made to the Preliminary Annual Report through June 5, 1997.

Populations are 1996 estimates provided to the FBI by the U. S. Census Bureau.

Calculations and rankings were prepared by Number Crunchers Precision Journalism®.
 

THE INDEX

There are seven crimes included in the FBI's Crime Index.  Four are crimes against persons, also known as violent crimes.  Three are crimes against property.  A fourth category of property crime – arson – was added to the FBI Crime Index in the late 1970s.  However, not all agencies report the category.  Thus, seven crimes are included in these statistics.  They are:
 
 

VIOLENT CRIME
PROPERTY CRIME
Murder and non-negligent manslaughter Burglary
Forcible Rape Larceny-Theft
Robbery Motor Vehicle Theft
Aggravated Assault  
 
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

The FBI Crime Index has several substantial strengths and weaknesses as a measure of crime.  Primary among its strengths is how widespread it is.  The overwhelming majority of law-enforcement agencies across the country voluntarily contribute data to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program each year.

Among the weaknesses is that the FBI Crime Index counts only those incidents in selected categories known to police.  Crimes – such as rape, for instance – in categories where reporting is known to be less than complete may not be accurately represented.  Also, crimes within certain communities which may not cooperate fully with and trust their law-enforcement agencies may be skewed.