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An in-depth analysis of New York City crime data by borough, neighborhood, and crime type — with a focus on property crime, violent crime trends, and what the numbers mean for building security in 2025 and beyond.
New York City's crime landscape is complex, constantly shifting, and deeply relevant to anyone responsible for the safety of a building, business, or community. Whether you manage a commercial property in Midtown, a residential complex in the Bronx, or a retail location in Brooklyn, understanding crime trends at the neighborhood level helps you make informed security decisions.
This guide compiles the latest crime data from the NYPD, Brennan Center for Justice, Vital City, and other authoritative sources to give property managers, business owners, and security professionals the clearest possible picture of NYC crime in 2025.
New York City saw a mixed picture in 2024 — headline numbers improved, but several categories of violent crime remained stubbornly above pre-pandemic levels.
| Crime Category | 2024 Total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Total felonies | 188,418 | — |
| Total misdemeanors | 299,929 | — |
| Total violations | 88,761 | — |
| Murders | 377 | ↓ 4% from 2023; still 18.3% above 2019 |
| Felony assaults | — | ↑ 5% from 2023; 40.4% above 2019 |
| Shootings | — | ↓ 8% from 2023; 16.3% above 2019 |
| Overall major crime | — | ↓ 2.9% from 2023 |
Source: Vital City — State of the City on Crime 2024; Vital City — Midyear 2025
The city averaged approximately 1 murder and 80 felony assaults per day in 2024 (Vital City). While headline crime numbers trended downward, the persistence of felony assault — up 40.4% compared to 2019 — is a key concern for property managers and building security teams.
The first half of 2025 brought some of the most encouraging crime numbers in modern NYC history:
Looking at the broader trajectory, murders have fallen 34%+ since the 2021 peak, and shootings are down 54% since 2021 (Brennan Center for Justice).
While 2025's numbers are historic, it's important to note that several crime categories remain above 2019 (pre-pandemic) levels. Felony assault in 2024 was still 40.4% above 2019, and shootings were 16.3% above 2019. The trend is strongly positive, but the city hasn't fully returned to its pre-pandemic safety baseline — which means the need for professional building security in NYC remains real.
NYC crime is not evenly distributed. Understanding where crime concentrates is essential for property managers and business owners making security decisions.
"When we do security assessments for buildings in Midtown or the Financial District, property crime is the number one concern — package theft, unauthorized building access, and grand larceny. In neighborhoods like East Harlem or parts of the Bronx, the conversation shifts to violent crime deterrence and access control. That's why a one-size-fits-all security approach doesn't work in New York City."
— Amanda DeAlmeida, Executive Vice President, Building Security Services
| Crime Type | May 2025 | May 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglary | 989 | 1,130 | ↓ 12.5% |
| Grand larceny | 4,007 | 4,175 | ↓ 4.0% |
| Grand larceny auto | 1,222 | 1,221 | +0.1% |
| Robbery | 1,383 | 1,462 | ↓ 5.4% |
| Total property crime | 7,601 | 7,988 | ↓ 4.8% |
Source: NYPD CompStat via The Global Statistics
Burglary showed the most improvement with a 12.5% decline, while auto theft remained essentially flat. For commercial property managers, the burglary decline is particularly encouraging — but with nearly 1,000 burglaries in a single month, the absolute numbers remain significant. Properties without professional night watch security or access control remain vulnerable.
Despite its reputation, NYC performs well relative to other major cities:
Subway safety is a perennial concern for commuters, building tenants, and businesses located near transit hubs. Here's what the data shows:
The concentration of transit crime at just 30 stations mirrors a broader pattern: crime in NYC is highly localized. Buildings near high-crime transit nodes face different security challenges than those in quieter areas — a factor that should inform security risk assessments and staffing decisions.
The NYPD's targeted deployment strategy has shown results: 28% crime reduction across 70 Summer Violence Reduction Plan zones spanning 57 precincts (NYPD). This data-driven policing approach concentrates resources where they're needed most — a strategy that parallels how professional security companies allocate personnel and patrols.
Many BSS clients operate in both New York City and New Jersey. Here's how the Garden State's crime picture compares:
| New Jersey 2024 | Rate/Value | vs. U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Violent crime rate | 218 per 100K | 39.4% below U.S. average |
| Property crime rate | 1,427 per 100K | 18.9% below U.S. average |
| Murder rate | 2 per 100K | Well below national average |
| Burglary rate | 145 per 100K | — |
| Larceny-theft rate | 1,119 per 100K | — |
| State crime rank (violent) | 42nd (low) | — |
| Overall crime change (2023→2024) | ↓ 6.2% | All 7 categories declined |
Source: FBI/USAFacts
New Jersey's property crime breakdown: 78.4% larceny-theft, 11.4% motor vehicle theft, 10.2% burglary (FBI/USAFacts). In 2024, all seven major crime categories declined across the state, with murder down 20.7%, burglary down 7.7%, and motor vehicle theft down 14.8% (USAFacts).
Despite NJ's below-average crime rates, larceny-theft — the category most relevant to commercial properties — accounts for the vast majority of property crime. Buildings, warehouses, and industrial facilities across NJ still benefit from professional security presence.
The crime data tells a nuanced story. Here's what property managers should take away:
Even with historic lows in murders and shootings, the absolute numbers remain significant. Nearly 1,000 burglaries per month and 4,000+ grand larcenies mean that property crime is an everyday reality — especially in high-traffic areas like Midtown Manhattan.
Crime is concentrated in specific neighborhoods and precincts. A building in Midtown faces different threats (property crime, package theft) than one in East Harlem (violent crime) or the Financial District (white-collar crime, protests). Security risk assessments should be tailored to your specific location.
Buildings near the 30 highest-crime subway stations face elevated security risks. If your property is near a transit hub, lobby security and access control are especially important.
The NYPD's Summer Violence Reduction Plan achieved a 28% crime reduction through visible, targeted deployment. The same principle applies to building security: a professional, uniformed security officer at your entrance deters crime before it happens.
"The data confirms what we see every day on the ground — crime in New York is hyperlocal. We adjust our staffing and patrol patterns based on NYPD CompStat data and our own incident reports. A building two blocks away can have a completely different risk profile. That's why we customize every security plan to the specific property and its surrounding environment."
— Amanda DeAlmeida, Executive Vice President, Building Security Services
With property crime totaling 7,601 incidents in a single month (May 2025) and commercial areas like Midtown leading in property crime rates, the cost of not having security often exceeds the cost of having it. A single burglary, theft, or violent incident can cost more — in property damage, liability, tenant turnover, and reputation — than a year of professional security coverage.
Building Security Services provides comprehensive security services across NYC and New Jersey, including unarmed security officers, mobile patrol, concierge security, and remote video monitoring.
Building Security Services provides free security assessments for commercial buildings, residential properties, and retail locations throughout NYC and New Jersey. Let us analyze the crime data for your specific location.
Get a Free Security Assessment →All crime statistics in this article are sourced from official NYPD CompStat data, the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, and analyses by reputable research organizations. We prioritize primary law enforcement data and supplement with analyses from the Brennan Center for Justice, Vital City, and USAFacts. All figures are the most recent available as of February 2026.
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