New York, New Jersey, California and Maryland are reporting measurable progress in reducing gun violence, adding a new dimension to the safety environment surrounding major US tourism destinations. New York City recorded its fewest shooting incidents, shooting victims and murders for the first half of 2026, while California’s latest state reports document reductions in firearm violence in recent years. For travelers, the figures form part of a broader public-safety picture across destinations that attract millions of domestic and international visitors.
Key Tourism and Safety Statistics
• New York City recorded 322 shooting incidents and 381 shooting victims during the first half of 2026, both the lowest totals recorded for that period.
• New York City recorded 688 shooting incidents and 856 shooting victims during 2025, both record lows.
• California’s 2026 Office of Gun Violence Prevention report documents substantial reductions in firearm violence in recent years.
• New Jersey maintains a statewide NJGUNStat system providing monthly and quarterly gun-crime statistics.
• Maryland publishes statewide crime data through its NIBRS reporting system and annual Crime in Maryland reports.
New York City Records a Historic Safety Improvement
New York City is at the centre of the latest data because the city recorded historically low levels of shootings during the first half of 2026. NYPD figures show 322 shooting incidents and 381 shooting victims between January and June, below previous records for the same period. Murders also fell to 122, another record low for the first six months of a year.
The reduction follows an equally significant 2025. New York City recorded 688 shooting incidents during the year, 24% fewer than in 2024, while shooting victims declined to 856, a 22% year-on-year reduction.
For tourism, New York’s safety data matters because the city operates one of the world’s largest urban visitor economies. Attractions including Times Square, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, Broadway, museums and neighbourhood districts draw visitors throughout the year.
Manhattan and the Five Boroughs Show Progress
The improvement has been recorded across New York City’s five boroughs. During 2025, shooting incidents declined by 38% in Manhattan, 26.7% in Staten Island, 25.4% in the Bronx, 24.4% in Queens and 15% in Brooklyn.
The figures cover the city as a whole and do not mean that every neighbourhood experiences identical conditions. Travelers continue to need ordinary urban safety awareness, particularly in crowded areas, transport hubs and nightlife districts.
The subway system also recorded its safest year since 2009 outside the pandemic period in 2025, according to NYPD data, adding another relevant factor for visitors who rely heavily on public transportation.
New York’s Tourism Network Benefits From Safer Transport
New York City’s extensive subway network connects airports, hotels, attractions, restaurants, shopping districts and entertainment venues. For international visitors, the ability to move between major tourism zones efficiently is central to the destination experience.
The NYPD reported continued reductions in transit crime alongside the decline in shootings. This creates an important public-safety component for travelers using the subway to reach Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and other parts of the city.
Visitors should still follow standard precautions, particularly when travelling late at night or carrying valuable belongings.
California Tracks Long-Term Gun Violence Reductions
California has also expanded its data-based approach to measuring firearm violence. The California Department of Justice published its 2025 Criminal Justice Statistical Reports in July 2026, covering homicide, crime, use-of-force incidents, juvenile justice and crime guns.
The state’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention has also published a strategic plan documenting reductions in firearm violence. Its 2026 report identifies particularly large reductions in firearm homicide in cities implementing community violence intervention initiatives.
For tourism, the development covers a state with multiple major visitor markets, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Anaheim, Napa Valley and the California coast.
California Offers a Vast Tourism Landscape
California’s tourism geography stretches from major metropolitan areas to beaches, national parks, wine regions and mountain destinations. Los Angeles attracts visitors for entertainment and cultural attractions, while San Francisco is known for its waterfront, museums and historic neighbourhoods.
San Diego combines beaches, museums and family attractions, while Anaheim is a major theme-park destination.
The state’s public-safety data therefore applies across a highly diverse tourism market rather than a single destination.
New Jersey Maintains Dedicated Gun Crime Tracking
New Jersey’s public authorities maintain NJGUNStat, a dedicated system providing monthly and quarterly gun-crime statistics. The dataset is supplied by the New Jersey State Police and covers gun-related crime information across the state.
New Jersey’s tourism economy includes Jersey Shore destinations, Atlantic City, Princeton, Newark and the state’s proximity to New York City and Philadelphia.
For visitors, this means safety information can be considered alongside the individual destination and neighbourhood being visited rather than treating the entire state as one tourism environment.
Maryland Continues Statewide Crime Reporting
Maryland provides crime information through its NIBRS reporting system, which allows the public to examine crime data submitted by law-enforcement agencies. The Maryland State Police notes that changes in reporting systems mean data from different reporting methods should not automatically be compared.
The state’s annual Crime in Maryland reports provide additional information about offences and weapons involved in reported incidents. The 2024 report, for example, records firearms as the weapon involved in hundreds of homicides.
Maryland’s tourism destinations include Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, Annapolis, the Chesapeake Bay and historic communities across the state.
Safety Remains Destination Specific
A statewide or citywide decline in gun violence does not mean that every location has the same risk level. Tourism safety remains dependent on the neighbourhood, time of day, transport method and type of activity.
Travelers visiting New York, California, New Jersey or Maryland should continue using established precautions, including securing valuables, staying aware of surroundings and checking local guidance when visiting unfamiliar areas.
The latest statistics provide a broad measure of changing public safety rather than a guarantee of individual travel conditions.
Tourism and Public Safety Move Together
Safety is an important component of destination competitiveness because visitors make decisions based on accessibility, attractions, accommodation, transport and their perception of the environment.
The recent data from New York City provides the clearest example of measurable progress. The city recorded historic lows in shootings and shooting victims during both 2025 and the first half of 2026.
California is also documenting reductions in firearm violence through its statewide reporting and prevention strategy, while New Jersey and Maryland continue to maintain systems for monitoring gun-related and broader crime data.
US Tourism Enters a More Data-Driven Safety Era
New York, New Jersey, California and Maryland remain major tourism markets with attractions ranging from iconic cities and beaches to cultural institutions and national parks. Their evolving public-safety data adds another measurable factor to the travel landscape.
For visitors, the message is not that safety concerns have disappeared, but that several major destinations are reporting important improvements in specific categories of violent crime. As cities and states continue publishing detailed crime statistics, travelers and tourism businesses have more information available when assessing destinations and planning journeys.
New York City’s record reductions provide the strongest current example of this trend, while California’s long-term data and the reporting systems maintained by New Jersey and Maryland show how public safety is increasingly being measured through detailed, destination-level information.
