Crime across New Jersey fell in 2024, mirroring a nationwide drop — and in some cases, exceeding it — according to new statistics released by the FBI. The data marks a welcome reversal following two years of post-pandemic upticks and reinforces New Jersey’s reputation as one of the safer states in the nation.
The FBI’s annual Uniform Crime Report found that violent crime in New Jersey declined to 217.7 incidents per 100,000 people — down from 225.3 the year before and well below the national average of 359.1 per 100,000. Property crime also saw a sharp decline, dropping from 1,527 to 1,427 per 100,000 residents, again undercutting the national rate of 1,760.
In total, New Jersey saw 20,684 violent crimes and 135,610 property crimes last year.
“These numbers reflect the progress we’ve made, thanks to smart policing, technology-driven investigations, and robust partnerships between law enforcement and communities,” said Acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin in a statement. “But our work is far from over.”
Shootings in New Jersey hit a historic low in 2024, with just 778 victims statewide — a 16% drop from the year before, which itself had set a record low. State officials credit this trend to targeted policing strategies and community-based interventions.
The latest FBI figures also reinforce a long-term trend: New Jersey crime rates have dropped steadily over the past decade. For comparison: In 2014, violent crime stood at 260.9 per 100,000 residents and property crime at 1,733. By 2020, those numbers dropped to 195.3 and 1,158, respectively.
In 2024, the violent crime rate of 217.7 remained near historic lows, and property crime is trending downward after a pandemic-era spike.
Nationwide, the FBI reported a 4.5% drop in violent crime and an 8.1% drop in property crime — including double-digit decreases in murder (14.9%), robbery (8.9%), and vehicle theft (18.6%).
Still, the FBI noted that a violent crime occurred somewhere in the U.S. every 26 seconds in 2024.
But while data suggests crime is falling, public perception tells a different story. According to a Rutgers-Eagleton poll, 30% of New Jerseyans believe crime in their neighborhood has worsened over the past five years — even though FBI data shows it has decreased.
Skeptics have also raised questions about whether the data fully captures the scope of crime in America. Some critics have alleged the statistics may be incomplete or misleading.