Washington (CNN) -- Violent crime dropped nationwide last year, continuing a downward trend of more than a decade, new FBI statistics show. But in towns with populations under 10,000, murders saw a big jump. Overall, violent crime was down 4%, according to the Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report for 2011. Numbers dropped in all categories nationwide. Murders fell by 1.9%, while rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults declined 4%. But the figures, provided by police agencies, show that murders jumped 18.3% in small towns of under 10,000. Property crime decreased slightly in 2011 -- down 0.8% overall. Burglaries stayed almost even across the country, rising just .03% from the previous year. But they were up 3.2% in the Northeast and 1.3% in the Midwest. The FBI report does not give reasons for the continuing decline. CNN's Terry Frieden, Melissa Abbey and Josh Levs contributed to this report.
2011 Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report uses figures provided by police agencies . Violent crime dropped 4% last year, according to the FBI . Decrease is part of decade-long decline . Murders jumped more than 18% in towns with populations under 10,000 .