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Table 2

Crime in the United States

by Community Type, 2015

Area Population1 Violent
crime
2
Murder and
nonnegligent
manslaughter
Rape
(revised
definition)3
Rape
(legacy
definition)4
Robbery Aggravated
assault
Property
crime
Burglary Larceny-
theft
Motor
vehicle
theft
United States Total 321,418,820 1,231,566 15,696 124,047 90,185 327,374 764,449 7,993,631 1,579,527 5,706,346 707,758
Rate per 100,000 inhabitants 383.2 4.9 38.6 28.1 101.9 237.8 2487.0 491.4 1775.4 220.2
Metropolitan Statistical Area 274,716,919
Area actually reporting5 98.6 1,095,242 13,830 103,341 75,565 312,946 665,125 6,966,601 1,334,212 4,980,777 651,612
Estimated total 100.0% 1,103,959 13,910 104,470 76,421 314,790 670,789 7,048,081 1,349,496 5,042,063 656,522
Rate per 100,000 inhabitants 401.9 5.1 38.0 27.8 114.6 244.2 2565.6 491.2 1835.4 239.0
Cities outside metropolitan areas 19,048,921
Area actually reporting5 91.6 68,617 734 9,272 6,837 8,428 50,183 543,624 107,475 412,226 23,923
Estimated total 100.0% 73,978 826 10,005 7,427 9,353 53,794 591,882 118,144 448,026 25,712
Rate per 100,000 inhabitants 388.4 4.3 52.5 39.0 49.1 282.4 3107.2 620.2 2352.0 135.0
Nonmetropolitan Counties 27,652,980
Area actually reporting5 92.6 50,430 894 8,982 5,962 2,988 37,566 332,558 104,116 204,089 24,353
Estimated total 100.0% 53,629 960 9,572 6,337 3,231 39,866 353,668 111,887 216,257 25,524
Rate per 100,000 inhabitants 193.9 3.5 34.6 22.9 11.7 144.2 1279.0 404.6 782.0 92.3
  • 1 Population figures are U.S. Census Bureau provisional estimates as of July 1, 2015.
  • 2 The violent crime figures include the offenses of murder, rape (revised definition), robbery, and aggravated assault.
  • 3 The figures shown in this column for the offense of rape were estimated using the revised Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) definition of rape. See data declaration for further explanation.
  • 4 The figures shown in this column for the offense of rape were estimated using the legacy UCR definition of rape. See data declaration for further explanation.
  • 5 The percentage reported under "Area actually reporting" is based upon the population covered by agencies providing 3 months or more of crime reports to the FBI.
  • NOTE: Although arson data are included in the trend and clearance tables, sufficient data are not available to estimate totals for this offense. Therefore, no arson data are published in this table.

Data Declaration

Provides the methodology used in constructing this table and other pertinent information about this table.

Overview

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Crime in the United States, by Community Type, 2015

  • In 2015, the violent crime rate in the United States was 383.2 per 100,000 inhabitants.
  • In Metropolitan Statistical Areas, the violent crime rate was 401.9 per 100,000 inhabitants.
  • The violent crime rate was 388.4 per 100,000 inhabitants in cities outside metropolitan areas; the violent crime rate was 193.9 per 100,000 inhabitants in nonmetropolitan counties.
  • The murder rate in the United States was 4.9 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants in 2015.
  • The murder rate in Metropolitan Statistical Areas was 5.1 per 100,000 inhabitants.
  • The murder rates in cities outside metropolitan areas and in nonmetropolitan counties were 4.3 per 100,000 inhabitants and 3.5 per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively.
  • The property crime rate in the United States was 2,487.0 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2015.
  • In Metropolitan Statistical Areas, the property crime rate was 2,565.6 per 100,000 inhabitants.
  • The property crime rate was 3,107.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in cities outside metropolitan areas; the property crime rate was 1,279.0 per 100,000 inhabitants in nonmetropolitan counties.