Hate crimes in New York City rose nearly 16 percent through the first eight months of 2026, but Queens saw an even sharper spike, with confirmed incidents up more than 28 percent over the same period, according to the latest NYPD data.
The department recorded 425 confirmed hate crimes citywide from January through August, up from 367 during the same stretch in 2025 — an increase of 58 incidents, or 15.8 percent.
Queens accounted for a disproportionate share of that growth. Patrol Borough Queens South, consisting of the 100th, 101st, 102nd, 103rd, 105th, 106th, 107th, 113th and 116th precincts, saw hate crimes jump 54.5 percent this year to date, from 22 to 34.
Meanwhile, hate crimes in Patrol Borough Queens North — the 104th, 108th, 109th, 110th, 111th, 112th, 114th and 115th precincts — rose 16.3 percent this year to date, from 49 to 57, according to CompStat data for the week ending Aug. 30.
Combining the two patrol regions, Queens logged 91 confirmed hate crimes so far this year, up from 71 at this time in 2025, an increase of about 28 percent.
Jewish New Yorkers continue to bear the brunt of hate-motivated attacks across the five boroughs, NYPD data shows.
Anti-Jewish incidents rose 8 percent this year to date, from 212 to 229, and made up nearly 54 percent of all confirmed hate crimes recorded citywide through August — despite Jewish residents composing roughly 10 percent of the city’s population, according to the NYPD.
The trend showed some easing last month, however: Confirmed anti-Jewish hate crimes fell 13.6 percent in August alone, from 22 to 19, compared with the same month a year earlier.
Other categories saw steeper percentage increases, though from smaller bases.
Hate crimes motivated by gender bias and those against Hispanic New Yorkers each doubled this year to date, from 9 to 18 and 5 to 10, respectively.
Anti-Muslim incidents climbed 50 percent, from 18 to 27, and hate crimes tied to sexual orientation rose 48.4 percent, from 31 to 46.
Bias crimes against Black New Yorkers dipped slightly, down 3.3 percent, while those targeting white victims fell nearly 43 percent.
Citywide, August alone brought 45 confirmed hate crimes and 62 reported incidents, which remain under review by the NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force.
The unit investigates flagged incidents and determines, in consultation with the department’s Legal Bureau, whether they meet the legal threshold for a hate crime under state law.
The rise in bias crimes comes even as overall crime in the city continues to fall.
Major crime dropped 6.6 percent in August and 6.2 percent year to date citywide, and the NYPD reported its safest summer for shootings and murders in recorded history. The department said there was no violent crime in the subway system this August, with no reported shootings, murders or rapes.
In Queens, the picture is more mixed: Overall crime in Queens South ticked up 2.2 percent year to date, while Queens North saw a 1.1 percent decline, according to CompStat figures.