With crime rates dropping on average nationwide, residents in some of the country's most violent cities didn't have much to celebrate.
Violent crime dropped in only half of the cities ranked by Law Street as the nation's top ten most violent.
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The site looked at murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault numbers in the first six months of 2013 and compared them to those same numbers in 2012. The data was based on the FBI's Uniform Crime Report. Law Street only considered cities with at least 200,000 residents, which means towns like Flint, Mich., were spared a spot on the list. Take a look at the results in the slideshow below.
10. Milwaukee
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Like half the cities on the list, Milwaukee experienced an increase in violent crime during the first six months of 2013, compared to the same time period in 2012. Rape was up by more than 100 percent, though that stat is tough to compare to 2012's numbers because of the FBI's broader definition of the crime implemented last year. Robbery was also up by 16 percent. Overall, violent crime jumped by 5 percent.
9. Atlanta
Hotlanta was a hotbed for violent crime in the first six months of 2013. But violent crime decreased significantly year over year, according to Law Street. There was a 10 percent drop overall, driven by declines in murder, rape and aggravated assault.
8. Cleveland
Crime was up by more than 7 percent in Cleveland year over year during the first six months of 2013. Murder and aggravated assault were both down, but rape, under the FBI's broader definition, and robbery were both up.
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5. Stockton, California
Violent crime was down across the board in Stockton, Law Street reports. Murder was down a whopping 64 percent. Rape dropped 13 percent and robbery and aggravated assault dipped 28 and 17 percent respectively.
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4. Memphis
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Violent crime in Memphis declined modestly in the first six months of 2013 by 4 percent, according to Law Street. But the murder rate ticked upward by 7 percent. Rape, robbery and aggravated assault all dropped from 2012.
3. St. Louis
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Fueled by a drop in murder, robbery and aggravated assault, violent crime in St. Louis dipped by 20 percent, Law Street reports. The decrease comes even as rape shot up by 60 percent, due to the FBI's new expanded definition of the crime.
2. Oakland
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Oakland is one of the cities on Law Street's list that saw its violent crime increase compared to the first six months of 2012. This was largely due to a 30 percent increase in robbery. The news wasn't all bad for the municipality, which saw rape, murder and aggravated assault decline year over year.
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1. Detroit
Wikimedia
Though it takes home the ignominious distinction of America's most violent city, according to Law Street, Detroit residents can perhaps take some small comfort in knowing that violent crime declined during the first six months of 2013. Murder and aggravated assault were both down and violent crime declined by about 5 percent overall. Rape, under the FBI's broader definition, increased by 46 percent and robbery went up by 8 percent.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story included an image that misidentified Stockton, Calif.
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Before You Go
10. Milwaukee
WikiMedia:
Like half the cities on the list, Milwaukee experienced an increase in violent crime during the first six months of 2013, compared to the same time period in 2012. Rape was up by more than 100 percent, though that stat is tough to compare to 2012's numbers because of the FBI's broader definition of the crime implemented last year. Robbery was also up by 16 percent. Overall, violent crime jumped by 5 percent.
9. Atlanta
Hotlanta was a hotbed for violent crime in the first six months of 2013. But violent crime decreased significantly year over year, according to Law Street. There was a 10 percent drop overall, driven by declines in murder, rape and aggravated assault.
8. Cleveland
Crime was up by more than 7 percent in Cleveland year over year during the first six months of 2013. Murder and aggravated assault were both down, but rape, under the FBI's broader definition, and robbery were both up.
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5. Stockton, California
Violent crime was down across the board in Stockton, Law Street reports. Murder was down a whopping 64 percent. Rape dropped 13 percent and robbery and aggravated assault dipped 28 and 17 percent respectively.
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4. Memphis
Wikimedia
Violent crime in Memphis declined modestly in the first six months of 2013 by 4 percent, according to Law Street. But the murder rate ticked upward by 7 percent. Rape, robbery and aggravated assault all dropped from 2012.
3. St. Louis
Flickr:@IOTAGLOBAL
Fueled by a drop in murder, robbery and aggravated assault, violent crime in St. Louis dipped by 20 percent, Law Street reports. The decrease comes even as rape shot up by 60 percent, due to the FBI's new expanded definition of the crime.
2. Oakland
Wikimedia
Oakland is one of the cities on Law Street's list that saw its violent crime increase compared to the first six months of 2012. This was largely due to a 30 percent increase in robbery. The news wasn't all bad for the municipality, which saw rape, murder and aggravated assault decline year over year.
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1. Detroit
Wikimedia
Though it takes home the ignominious distinction of America's most violent city, according to Law Street, Detroit residents can perhaps take some small comfort in knowing that violent crime declined during the first six months of 2013. Murder and aggravated assault were both down and violent crime declined by about 5 percent overall. Rape, under the FBI's broader definition, increased by 46 percent and robbery went up by 8 percent.