So far, Columbus' violent crime is declining in 2024

Columbus saw the sharpest drop in violent crime of any major U.S. city during the first half of this year, new preliminary data shows .

Why it matters: The 41% decrease is further evidence that our city's pandemic-era crime wave is behind us.

The big picture: Violent crime — defined as homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault — dropped in 54 of 69 major cities during the first half of 2024 compared to the same period last year, per an Axios analysis of Major Cities Chiefs Association data.

• Overall, the average drop among all cities was 6%.
• Omaha, Nebraska, was second after Columbus, with a 30% decrease. Miami and Washington, D.C., weren't far behind at 29%.

Zoom in: In Columbus, a ll four violent crime categories experienced double-digit percentage declines, when compared to last year.

Yes, but: Looking back further, the city's 55 homicides reported in the first half of 2024 is the same number reported in 2019.

• Rape (380 cases) actually increased by about 2% between 2019 and 2024.
• Meanwhile, robbery (261) and aggravated assault (511) are at their lowest figures in the six years of data.

Context : Columbus' overall violent crime peaked in 2021, with over 200 homicides recorded that year for the first and only time in local history.

• The city's population has grown by about 1% from 2019-2024, per census data.

What they're saying: Columbus Division of Police spokesperson Jennifer Watson tells Axios that improved community relations and more proactive patrols, such as an initiative called Operation Unity , are among the efforts helping to make the city safer.

• "We look forward to continuing our work to build on this progress," she said in an email.