After years of Jacksonville having the highest homicide rate in the state, most residents believe the city is as dangerous as it's ever been.

"It seems like every time you look up there's killing here, killing there, you know?" Jesus Gomez said.

In reality, the number of killings in Jacksonville has dropped every year since 2007 -- a trend that is also true nationally.

For the first time in nearly half a century, homicide has fallen off the list of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's top 15 causes of death. The statistic surprises people, like Gomez, who live in an area of town where homicides happen almost weekly.

That surprises San Marco resident Susie Scott.

"I don't feel safer at all," Scott said.

Channel 4 crime analyst Ken Jefferson and others attribute the change to good police work. National criminologists say it also has to do with a better response to domestic violence.

"It's making people more aware," Jefferson said. "And the people guarding those streets working hard, too."

Experts say demographics play a role, too. The largest segment of the population is now 50 and older, an age group sociologists say is less likely to commit the crime.

Another factor in the CDC change is that while the number of homicides is declining, deaths from certain diseases are on the rise.

But most people asked by Channel 4 still don't feel safe. Terry McNabb said perception is reality.

"It has a lot to do with entertainment and that stuff," McNabb said. "It ain't just what really happens."