New Orleans among the worst cities in the country for increased homicide rate

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New Orleans has one of the highest homicide rate increases of any major city in the country since the COVID-19 pandemic began, according to a recent crime analysis.

Researchers for the personal finance website WalletHub compared homicide rates of the 50 most-populous urban areas over the past two years and ranked New Orleans fourth-highest overall, behind Atlanta, Memphis and Chicago.

Using U.S. Census Bureau data and local crime statistics, researchers also determined New Orleans’ homicide rate had spiked to 12 homicides per 100,000 residents by the end of September, indicating the problem is getting worse.

The upward trend is not unique to New Orleans, however.

“Homicide rates have increased 34% in the 50 most populated cities in the United States since fall 2019, and they are still rising,” analysts said.

The reasons offered for the nationwide surge varied from COVID-19-related social instabilities to policing strategies to financial stress.

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The WalletHub analysis is consistent with recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, which showed a 30% homicide rate increase nationwide between 2019 and 2020 – the most in modern history.

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