Crime Rates by State 2026: All 50 States Ranked
How does your state compare? We ranked every US state (plus DC) by violent crime rate using the latest FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data. The difference between the safest and most dangerous states is staggering — a 10.0x gap.
Key Insights
- →National violent crime rate: 359.1 per 100,000 residents
- →Most dangerous state: District of Columbia at 1005.5 per 100K
- →Safest state: Maine at 100.1 per 100K
- →46 states saw violent crime decrease, 5 saw increases
- →Highest murder rate: District of Columbia at 25.5 per 100K
- →The South has the highest regional violent crime rate among the four Census regions
All States Ranked by Violent Crime Rate
Complete rankings of all 50 states and Washington DC by violent crime rate per 100,000 residents. Violent crime includes murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.
| # | State | Violent Rate | Murder Rate | Property Rate | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 1005.5 | 25.5 | 3693.4 | -11.9% |
| 2 | Alaska | 724.1 | 6.9 | 1711.2 | -1.3% |
| 3 | New Mexico | 717.1 | 10.5 | 2751.1 | -4.0% |
| 4 | Tennessee | 592.3 | 7.9 | 2032.1 | -6.9% |
| 5 | Arkansas | 579.4 | 7.3 | 1929.5 | -7.0% |
| 6 | Louisiana | 519.8 | 10.8 | 2296.4 | -7.5% |
| 7 | California | 486.0 | 4.5 | 2078.4 | -4.1% |
| 8 | Colorado | 476.3 | 4.5 | 2592.8 | -1.8% |
| 9 | Missouri | 462.0 | 7.8 | 1941.2 | -1.9% |
| 10 | Kansas | 438.7 | 3.8 | 1956.4 | -6.4% |
| 11 | South Carolina | 436.7 | 7.5 | 1965.8 | -8.5% |
| 12 | Michigan | 434.3 | 5.2 | 1378.9 | -5.8% |
| 13 | Montana | 423.5 | 2.7 | 1617.3 | -5.6% |
| 14 | Oklahoma | 422.8 | 6.3 | 1977.7 | +1.1% |
| 15 | Arizona | 421.9 | 4.9 | 1792.1 | -2.7% |
| 16 | Maryland | 420.4 | 7.2 | 2049.6 | -4.5% |
| 17 | Nevada | 402.0 | 6.1 | 2197.0 | -7.3% |
| 18 | Texas | 389.4 | 5.2 | 2040.5 | -4.4% |
| 19 | New York | 380.2 | 2.7 | 1719.5 | -2.8% |
| 20 | North Carolina | 375.8 | 7.5 | 1968.1 | -4.5% |
| 21 | South Dakota | 362.3 | 4.7 | 1586.0 | +2.9% |
| 22 | Delaware | 360.8 | 5.7 | 1745.8 | -8.4% |
| 23 | Alabama | 359.9 | 8.7 | 1565.1 | -13.7% |
| 24 | Oregon | 331.0 | 3.7 | 2388.0 | -0.3% |
| 25 | Washington | 326.1 | 3.8 | 2466.5 | -9.2% |
| 26 | Georgia | 325.7 | 6.9 | 1674.9 | -11.3% |
| 27 | Massachusetts | 314.7 | 1.8 | 1112.1 | -1.9% |
| 28 | Indiana | 312.9 | 5.5 | 1378.6 | -8.5% |
| 29 | Ohio | 293.7 | 5.0 | 1551.2 | -2.5% |
| 30 | Illinois | 289.2 | 5.8 | 1715.2 | -6.3% |
| 31 | Wisconsin | 278.5 | 4.2 | 1154.1 | -6.5% |
| 32 | Florida | 267.1 | 3.9 | 1420.4 | -8.7% |
| 33 | Minnesota | 256.6 | 2.9 | 1606.3 | -2.4% |
| 34 | North Dakota | 254.3 | 2.6 | 1682.1 | -9.1% |
| 35 | West Virginia | 248.8 | 5.3 | 1161.9 | -7.5% |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | 245.6 | 5.0 | 1435.0 | -8.3% |
| 37 | Iowa | 243.3 | 2.1 | 1296.8 | -11.1% |
| 38 | Idaho | 230.6 | 1.6 | 736.3 | -4.1% |
| 39 | Utah | 229.6 | 2.6 | 1408.9 | -0.8% |
| 40 | Nebraska | 220.5 | 2.1 | 1626.7 | -5.2% |
| 41 | Vermont | 219.1 | 3.4 | 1627.5 | +1.4% |
| 42 | Virginia | 217.9 | 4.8 | 1569.7 | -9.8% |
| 43 | Hawaii | 217.7 | 1.6 | 1946.8 | -6.2% |
| 44 | New Jersey | 217.7 | 2.4 | 1427.3 | -3.4% |
| 45 | Kentucky | 213.1 | 6.1 | 1349.9 | -7.0% |
| 46 | Mississippi | 210.5 | 7.4 | 1363.0 | +4.3% |
| 47 | Wyoming | 203.4 | 2.4 | 1231.9 | +5.0% |
| 48 | Rhode Island | 153.6 | 2.1 | 1032.4 | -8.3% |
| 49 | Connecticut | 136.0 | 2.5 | 1366.1 | -10.8% |
| 50 | New Hampshire | 110.1 | 1.0 | 918.0 | -4.3% |
| 51 | Maine | 100.1 | 2.4 | 1142.1 | -3.6% |
Crime Rates by Region
The US Census Bureau divides states into four regions. Crime rates vary significantly by geography, with the South consistently recording higher violent crime rates than other regions.
10 Most Dangerous States
These states have the highest rates of violent crime per 100,000 residents:
| # | State | Violent Rate | Violent Crimes | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 1005.5 | 7,061 | 702,250 |
| 2 | Alaska | 724.1 | 5,359 | 740,133 |
| 3 | New Mexico | 717.1 | 15,276 | 2,130,256 |
| 4 | Tennessee | 592.3 | 42,807 | 7,227,750 |
| 5 | Arkansas | 579.4 | 17,893 | 3,088,354 |
| 6 | Louisiana | 519.8 | 23,900 | 4,597,740 |
| 7 | California | 486.0 | 191,641 | 39,431,263 |
| 8 | Colorado | 476.3 | 28,378 | 5,957,493 |
| 9 | Missouri | 462.0 | 28,857 | 6,245,466 |
| 10 | Kansas | 438.7 | 13,033 | 2,970,606 |
10 Safest States
These states have the lowest violent crime rates. Many are in the Northeast and Midwest:
| # | State | Violent Rate | Violent Crimes | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | 100.1 | 1,406 | 1,405,012 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 110.1 | 1,551 | 1,409,032 |
| 3 | Connecticut | 136.0 | 4,998 | 3,675,069 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 153.6 | 1,708 | 1,112,308 |
| 5 | Wyoming | 203.4 | 1,195 | 587,618 |
| 6 | Mississippi | 210.5 | 6,194 | 2,943,045 |
| 7 | Kentucky | 213.1 | 9,779 | 4,588,372 |
| 8 | Hawaii | 217.7 | 3,148 | 1,446,146 |
| 9 | New Jersey | 217.7 | 20,684 | 9,500,851 |
| 10 | Virginia | 217.9 | 19,200 | 8,811,195 |
States with Highest Murder Rates
Murder is the most reliably reported crime — nearly every homicide is recorded. These 10 states have the highest murder rates per 100,000 residents:
| # | State | Murder Rate | Total Murders |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 25.5 | 179 |
| 2 | Louisiana | 10.8 | 495 |
| 3 | New Mexico | 10.5 | 224 |
| 4 | Alabama | 8.7 | 450 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 7.9 | 571 |
| 6 | Missouri | 7.8 | 486 |
| 7 | North Carolina | 7.5 | 832 |
| 8 | South Carolina | 7.5 | 409 |
| 9 | Mississippi | 7.4 | 217 |
| 10 | Arkansas | 7.3 | 226 |
Property Crime Rates by State
Property crime — burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft — affects far more people than violent crime. Here are the 10 states with the highest property crime rates:
| # | State | Property Rate | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 3693.4 | -13.3% |
| 2 | New Mexico | 2751.1 | -4.3% |
| 3 | Colorado | 2592.8 | -11.3% |
| 4 | Washington | 2466.5 | -14.7% |
| 5 | Oregon | 2388.0 | -8.2% |
| 6 | Louisiana | 2296.4 | -11.8% |
| 7 | Nevada | 2197.0 | -13.5% |
| 8 | California | 2078.4 | -10.6% |
| 9 | Maryland | 2049.6 | -4.5% |
| 10 | Texas | 2040.5 | -8.5% |
Which States Are Improving?
46 states saw their violent crime rates decrease year-over-year, while 5 saw increases.
📉 Biggest Drops
- Alabama: -13.7%
- District of Columbia: -11.9%
- Georgia: -11.3%
- Iowa: -11.1%
- Connecticut: -10.8%
- Virginia: -9.8%
- Washington: -9.2%
📈 Biggest Increases
- Wyoming: +5.0%
- Mississippi: +4.3%
- South Dakota: +2.9%
- Vermont: +1.4%
- Oklahoma: +1.1%
Key Takeaways
- State-level crime data is useful for broad comparisons but masks city-level variation. A "safe state" can have very dangerous cities.
- The South consistently has the highest regional crime rates, driven by a combination of urbanization patterns, poverty concentration, and demographics.
- Small, rural states in New England tend to have the lowest crime rates, though they also have small populations that can cause rate volatility.
- Year-over-year changes can be misleading for small states where a handful of incidents can swing the rate significantly.
- For city-level data, see our city crime database or most dangerous cities ranking.
Methodology
Crime rates are calculated per 100,000 residents using population estimates from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. All data comes from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Year-over-year changes compare the most recent full reporting year to the previous year. Washington DC is included as a state-equivalent for ranking purposes.