Crime Statistics by State 2025: Complete Rankings & Analysis
How does your state compare? We ranked all 50 states (plus DC) using the latest FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data — covering violent crime, murder, and property crime rates per 100,000 residents.
Key Insights
- →National violent crime rate: 359.1 per 100,000 residents
- →National murder rate: 5.0 per 100,000 residents
- →Most dangerous state: District of Columbia at 1005.5 violent crimes per 100K
- →Safest state: Maine at 100.1 violent crimes per 100K
- →46 states saw violent crime decrease year-over-year
- →The gap between the most and least dangerous state is 905.4 per 100K — a 10.0x difference
National Overview
The United States recorded approximately 1,221,345 violent crimes and 16,935 murders across a population of 340,110,988. But these national numbers mask enormous variation from state to state. The most dangerous state has a violent crime rate 10.0x higher than the safest — meaning where you live matters far more than national averages suggest.
The median state violent crime rate is 325.7 per 100,000 — meaning half of all states fall above this line and half below. If your state is significantly above the median, it's worth understanding why.
Top 10 Most Violent States
These states have the highest rates of violent crime (murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault combined) per 100,000 residents:
| # | State | Violent Rate | Murder Rate | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 1005.5 | 25.5 | -11.9% |
| 2 | Alaska | 724.1 | 6.9 | -1.3% |
| 3 | New Mexico | 717.1 | 10.5 | -4.0% |
| 4 | Tennessee | 592.3 | 7.9 | -6.9% |
| 5 | Arkansas | 579.4 | 7.3 | -7.0% |
| 6 | Louisiana | 519.8 | 10.8 | -7.5% |
| 7 | California | 486.0 | 4.5 | -4.1% |
| 8 | Colorado | 476.3 | 4.5 | -1.8% |
| 9 | Missouri | 462.0 | 7.8 | -1.9% |
| 10 | Kansas | 438.7 | 3.8 | -6.4% |
Top 10 Safest States
On the other end of the spectrum, these states have the lowest violent crime rates in the country:
| # | State | Violent Rate | Murder Rate | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | 100.1 | 2.4 | -3.6% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 110.1 | 1.0 | -4.3% |
| 3 | Connecticut | 136.0 | 2.5 | -10.8% |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 153.6 | 2.1 | -8.3% |
| 5 | Wyoming | 203.4 | 2.4 | +5.0% |
| 6 | Mississippi | 210.5 | 7.4 | +4.3% |
| 7 | Kentucky | 213.1 | 6.1 | -7.0% |
| 8 | Hawaii | 217.7 | 1.6 | -6.2% |
| 9 | New Jersey | 217.7 | 2.4 | -3.4% |
| 10 | Virginia | 217.9 | 4.8 | -9.8% |
States with the Highest Murder Rates
Murder is the most reliably reported crime statistic — nearly every homicide gets recorded, unlike property crimes or assaults where underreporting is common. These are the 10 states with the highest murder rates:
| # | 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 by State
Property crime — burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft — affects far more people than violent crime. These states have 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 Getting Safer — and Which Aren't?
Year-over-year changes reveal which states are making progress and which are moving in the wrong direction. Good news: 46 states saw violent crime decrease, compared to 5 that saw increases.
📉 Most Improved
- Alabama: -13.7%
- District of Columbia: -11.9%
- Georgia: -11.3%
- Iowa: -11.1%
- Connecticut: -10.8%
📈 Biggest Increases
- Wyoming: +5.0%
- Mississippi: +4.3%
- South Dakota: +2.9%
- Vermont: +1.4%
- Oklahoma: +1.1%
Why Do Crime Rates Vary So Much Between States?
The 10.0x gap between the most and least dangerous states isn't random. Research consistently points to several key factors:
- Urbanization: States with large, dense metro areas tend to have higher crime rates. Our rural vs. urban analysis explores this in depth.
- Poverty and inequality: The poverty-crime connection is one of the strongest predictors of violent crime rates.
- Policing levels: States with higher police staffing levels per capita tend to have different crime dynamics.
- Drug markets: The fentanyl crisis and other drug trafficking routes heavily influence violent crime geography.
- Demographics and age: States with younger populations tend to have higher crime rates, since crime peaks between ages 18-24.
How to Use This Data
State-level statistics are useful for broad comparisons, but they can be misleading. A "safe state" can have very dangerous cities, and a "dangerous state" can have towns where people never lock their doors. For more granular data, explore our city-level crime data or check specific cities with our "Is It Safe?" tool.
If you're comparing states for relocation, remember that property crime rates matter too — they affect your daily life more than violent crime statistics suggest. And don't forget to check our most dangerous cities list to see which specific cities drive each state's numbers.
All States Ranked by Violent Crime Rate
| # | State | Violent | Murder | Property | 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% |