Crime fell across NC, but these mountain counties went the other way

McDowell’s violent crime rate rose nearly 26%, Polk saw a property crime surge, and Madison’s overall reported crime rate more than doubled in 2025.

North Carolina’s reported crime rate dropped by 10% statewide in 2025, but several Western North Carolina counties moved in the opposite direction — including two bordering Rutherford County.

The latest available report analyzed by WCAB News shows McDowell County’s violent crime rate climbed nearly 26%. Polk County’s property crime rate rose nearly 25%.

Madison County’s overall crime rate jumped 166%, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s annual summary.

The increases show why a statewide decline does not describe every community. Across North Carolina, the overall reported crime rate fell 10.7%, while violent crime declined 13.2%.

Rutherford County followed that downward trend. Several mountain counties did not.

Where reported crime rates increased

The SBI’s county tables show increases in the combined Crime Index rate across these Western North Carolina counties:

County	2024 rate	2025 rate	Change
Madison	951.2	2,533.5	+166.3%
Jackson	1,604.6	2,117.9	+32.0%
Swain	1,739.9	2,262.9	+30.1%
Yancey	394.1	492.4	+24.9%
Ashe	824.2	979.9	+18.9%
Watauga	834.2	990.1	+18.7%
Avery	1,186.3	1,404.6	+18.4%
Cherokee	1,599.6	1,821.7	+13.9%
Polk	1,093.4	1,223.8	+11.9%
Henderson	1,097.2	1,168.1	+6.5%
Haywood	1,573.2	1,667.6	+6.0%
Buncombe	2,291.3	2,364.6	+3.2%
McDowell	2,858.9	2,908.6	+1.7%

Rates are reported offenses per 100,000 people. Percentage changes are calculated from the SBI’s published rates. This is a regional selection, not a statewide ranking.

The Crime Index combines murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. An increase in the combined rate does not necessarily mean violent crime increased.

Polk County illustrates that distinction. Its violent crime rate fell nearly 40%, from 217.7 to 130.9 offenses per 100,000 people. But its property crime rate climbed from 875.8 to 1,092.9, pushing the overall rate higher. Even after that increase, Polk’s violent and property crime rates remained below the statewide figures.

McDowell’s violent crime increase stands out

McDowell County recorded a different pattern: property crime declined, while violent crime rose.

Its violent crime rate increased from 445.6 to 560.9 offenses per 100,000 people — a 25.9% jump. That exceeded the statewide violent crime rate of 338.8.

McDowell’s property crime rate fell from 2,413.3 to 2,347.7. The opposing trends left its combined rate up 1.7%.

Madison County recorded the largest percentage increase among the counties listed above. Its property crime rate rose from 883.1 to 2,349.9, while its violent crime rate increased from 68.1 to 183.6.

The summary does not explain what drove those changes. Large percentage increases can also reflect relatively low starting figures. Yancey, for example, recorded a nearly 25% increase but still had a combined rate far below the statewide rate of 2,172.9.

Buncombe’s overall increase came as its property crime rate rose and its violent crime rate edged down. Separately, Asheville police reported 4,875 Crime Index offenses, up from 4,509 — an 8% increase in the number of offenses. Those city figures are counts, not population-adjusted county rates.

Rutherford’s rate declined

Rutherford County’s overall Crime Index rate fell 3.4%, from 1,792.5 to 1,731.3.

Its violent crime rate dropped 11.6%, from 216.8 to 191.6, while its property crime rate declined 2.3%, from 1,575.7 to 1,539.6. Both remained below the statewide rates.

Statewide, agencies reported 714 murders in 2025, compared with 816 in 2024. Every offense category included in the Crime Index recorded a lower statewide rate.

Manslaughter increased nearly 40% statewide in adults and 100% in juveniles, while overall murder rates decreased by 15% in adults and 8% in juveniles. In other words, district attorneys are not charging people with murder as often as they are manslaughter, public data shows.

The report covers 2025 offenses using data submitted through Oct. 22, 2026.

The statewide figures represented an estimated 97% of North Carolina’s population.

The figures describe crimes reported to law enforcement. They do not capture offenses that were never reported.

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