California and Texas Governors Engage in Rivalry Over Murder Rates
California Gov. Gavin Newsom sharpened his rivalry with Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas over the weekend. In his second term, the Democratic governor — whose name has been floated as a potential 2028 presidential candidate — used his press office’s X account to note that Los Angeles recorded a lower murder rate than Dallas in 2024.
The post, titled “Facts you won’t see on Fox News,” states Dallas has a murder rate per 100,000 residents that is nearly two times higher than Los Angeles, according to crime data reported to the FBI. In 2024, Los Angeles recorded 264 murders, a total that includes nonnegligent manslaughter and excludes any homicides determined to be “justified,” according to the data. Dallas recorded 180 murders in the same period.
Murder Rates in Los Angeles and Dallas
That means Los Angeles saw 6.95 murders per 100,000 residents that year, while Dallas saw 13.62 murders, according to an analysis by The Dallas Morning News. Since 2000, Dallas police reports of murder had trended down, reaching their lowest in 2014 at 116 cases, before peaking in 2020 at 249 during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to crime data reported to the FBI.
Since 2020, the numbers have trended downward, with Dallas police reporting 180 murders last year, the data shows. The post marked the latest spat between Newsom and Abbott, a Republican. The two have increasingly targeted each other as Texas lawmakers move to redraw as many as five Democratic-held districts to bolster the Republican hold on Congress ahead of next year’s midterms — a maneuver that has drawn pushback from California lawmakers who are moving to redraw as many as five of their state’s Republican-held seats in response.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott spoke during a roundtable discussion with President Donald Trump, first responders and local officials at a Hill Country Youth Event Center in Kerrville during a tour to observe flood damage, Friday, July 11, 2025. (Jacquelyn Martin/The Associated Press)
Jacquelyn Martin / AP
Comparison of Murder Rates in Major Cities
Los Angeles and Dallas ranked among the 10 most populous cities in the U.S. as of July 2024. Los Angeles came in second, with nearly 3.8 million residents, and Dallas ranks eighth, with more than 1.3 million, according to U.S. Census data released this year.
Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city with more than 2.7 million residents, recorded the highest murder rate among the 10 most populous cities: 17.4 killings per 100,000 people, according to the data reviewed by The News. Chicago counted 461 murders and cases of nonnegligent manslaughter in 2024.
Houston, the nation’s fourth-largest city with more than 2.7 million residents, counted 320 murders and cases of nonnegligent manslaughter in that time, which comes out to a rate of 13.79 per 100,000 residents, the data shows. Houston is the largest city in Texas.
The lowest rate among the top 10 largest U.S cities is San Diego, which counted 35 murders and cases of nonnegligent manslaughter in 2024. That comes to a rate of 2.51 per 100,000 residents, according to the data.
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Conclusion
The rivalry between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has been escalating, with the two governors engaging in a war of words over various issues, including murder rates in their respective states. The data shows that Los Angeles has a lower murder rate than Dallas, with 6.95 murders per 100,000 residents compared to Dallas’ 13.62 murders per 100,000 residents. This information has been used by Newsom to criticize Abbott and the state of Texas, highlighting the differences in crime rates between the two states.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the murder rate in Los Angeles compared to Dallas?
A: According to the data, Los Angeles has a murder rate of 6.95 per 100,000 residents, while Dallas has a murder rate of 13.62 per 100,000 residents.
Q: Which city has the highest murder rate among the 10 most populous cities in the US?
A: Chicago has the highest murder rate among the 10 most populous cities, with 17.4 killings per 100,000 people.
Q: What is the lowest murder rate among the top 10 largest US cities?
A: San Diego has the lowest murder rate, with 2.51 per 100,000 residents.
Q: Why are Newsom and Abbott engaging in a rivalry over murder rates?
A: The rivalry between Newsom and Abbott is part of a larger political struggle between the two states, with each governor trying to promote their state’s policies and criticize the other’s. The murder rate comparison is just one aspect of this rivalry.
