Most Dangerous States in America

Between 2017 and 2018, the number of violent crimes — a designation comprised of aggravated assault, robbery, rape, and murder — in Maine fell by 6.8%. There were 112 reported violent crimes in the state in 2018 for every 100,000 people, the least of any state in the country.

Maine’s capital, Augusta, had the highest violent crime rate of any city in the state at 323.9 incidents per 100,000 people. But even Maine’s most dangerous city had less violence than the U.S. as a whole. There were 380.6 violent crimes for every 100,000 people nationwide in 2018.

Vermont is one of only three states — all of which are in the New England region — to report fewer than 200 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in 2018. Vermont had the lowest robbery rate in the country in 2018 with 11.2 reported incidents per 100,000 people and the fourth lowest aggravated assault rate of 113.4 incidents per 100,000 — less than half the comparable national rate of 246.8 per 100,000.

Like most states with lower violent crime rates, Vermont has a relatively small population living below the poverty line. Just 11.0% of state residents live on poverty level income compared to 13.1% nationwide.

Along with Maine and Vermont, New Hampshire is one of only three states to report fewer than 200 violent crimes in 2018. There were 173.2 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in the state, an 11.1% decline from the previous year, which was nearly the largest improvement of any state.

While violent crime is relatively uncommon across New Hampshire as a whole, not all parts of the state are especially safe. For example, in Manchester there were 593.2 violent crimes for every 100,000 people and in Claremont there were 448.6 per 100,00 — each far higher than the 380.6 per 100,000 national average.

Virginia is the only state outside of the New England to rank among the five safest in the country. There were 200 violent crimes in Virginia for every 100,000 people in 2018 compared to 380.6 per 100,000 nationwide. As is typically the case, aggravated assault was the most common type of violent crime reported in Virginia in 2018, followed by robbery.

Unlike most other states with relatively low rates of violent crime, Virginia has a relatively large prison population. There are 560 adults for every 100,000 incarcerated in Virginia state and federal prisons, a larger share than in most other states.

Like several other nearby states in the New England region, Connecticut ranks among the safest places in the country. There were 207.4 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 state residents in 2018, the fifth least among states. As is often the case in areas with low violent crime, other types of crime are also relatively uncommon in Connecticut. There were 1,68.0 property crimes, such as motor vehicle theft and burglary, in the state for every 100,000 people in 2018 — well below the national rate of 2,199.5 per 100,000.

At 209 per 100,000, the violent crime rate in New Jersey is among the lowest of any state in the country. The state also has the lowest rate of rape in the country, with 16.0 reported incidents per 100,000 people, a fraction of the national rate of 42.6 per 100,000.

While the state as a whole is relatively safe, there are still parts of New Jersey that rank among the most dangerous places in the country. In Camden, for example, there were 1,638 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 people in 2018, more than four times the national violent crime rate of 380.6 per 100,000. Additionally, Trenton has a violent crime rate of 1,161.7 per 100,000 and Asbury Park has a violent crime rate of 1,107.1 per 100,000.

Kentucky has the second lowest violent crime rate in the South after Virginia and the seventh lowest violent crime rate among all states. There were 211.9 reported incidents of violent crime in the state for every 100,000 people in 2018 compared to 380.6 per 100,000 nationwide.

Crime is generally higher in poorer areas — but Kentucky is something of an exception. The state’s 16.9% poverty rate is sixth highest in the country and well above the 13.1% national rate. Additionally, the state’s 4.1% annual unemployment rate is slightly higher than the comparable 3.9% national rate.

Wyoming has a violent crime rate of 212.2 incidents per 100,000 people, the lowest of any state west of the Mississippi and eighth lowest nationwide. Even in some of the safest states in the country, there can be cities with crime rates many times higher than the U.S. as a whole. But in Wyoming, even the cities are relatively safe.

Cheyenne ranks as the most dangerous city in the state but still has a lower concentration of violent crime than the U.S. as a whole, with a violent crime rate of 322.5 incidents per 100,000 compared to 380.6 per 100,000 nationwide.

There were 2,317 violent crimes reported in Rhode Island in 2018, or 219.1 for every 100,000 people. Aggravated assault was the most commonly reported violent crime in the state, accounting for over half of all reported incidents.

Crime in Rhode Island tends to be concentrated in the cities. In Woonsocket, for example, there were 589.8 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in 2018, well above the 380.6 per 100,000 national rate. In Providence, the capital and the state’s largest city, there were 454.6 violent crimes for every 100,000 people.

Minnesota has the lowest violent crime rate of any state in the Midwest and the 10th lowest violent crime rate among states. There were 12,369 violent crimes reported in the state in 2018, or 220.4 per 100,000 people — well below the national violent crime rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

As is the case in most states, Minnesota reported a dip in violent crime in the last year. Between 2017 and 2018, the number of violent crimes in the state fell by 7.3%, more than most states and a stronger improvement than the 3.0% national decline.

There were 227.1 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 people in Idaho, well below the national violent crime rate of 380.6 per 100,000. Idaho’s robbery rate of 11.4 incidents per 100,000 people is the second lowest of any state, trailing only Vermont. Idaho’s property crime rate of 1,461.4 per 100,000 is also well below the national rate of 2,199.5 per 100,000.

States with lower rates of crime tend to have smaller prison populations, but Idaho is an exception. There are 601 people age 18 and older incarcerated in Idaho state and federal prisons for every 100,000 adults statewide, the 11th highest imprisonment rate among states.

There were 7,368 violent crimes reported in Utah in 2018, or 233.1 for every 100,000 people — well below the national average of 380.6 per 100,000 people. The number of murders, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults committed in the state declined by 2.0% between 2017 and 2018, even as the total population climbed by 1.9%.

Wealthier areas with strong economic conditions tend to have lower crime rates than average — and Utah is no exception. The typical household in the state earns $71,414 a year, nearly $10,000 more than the typical American household. Additionally, the state’s 3.1% annual unemployment rate is well below the 3.9% national rate.

Mississippi’s violent crime rate of 234.4 incidents per 100,000 is lower than most other southern states. Crime tends to be more concentrated in areas that are struggling financially, but Mississippi is an exception. Despite a 19.7% poverty rate, the highest among states, violent crime is less common in Mississippi than in most of the country.

There are parts of the state, however, that are struggling with high crime rates. In Brookhaven for example, there were 767.0 violent crimes for every 100,000 people, well above the 380.6 per 100,000 national rate.

There were 3,532 total reported murders, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults in Hawaii in 2018 — or about 248.6 per 100,000. For context, there were 380.6 violent crimes for every 100,000 people nationwide the same year.

Crime tends to be lower in areas with economic opportunity where people are more likely to be financially secure. In Hawaii, just 2.4% of the labor force was unemployed in 2018, the lowest jobless rate of any state. Additionally, Hawaii’s 8.8% poverty rate is the second lowest of any state.

Iowa ranks among the safest states in the Midwest and as the 15th safest state nationwide. Iowa’s 2018 violent crime rate of 250.1 per 100,000 people is well below the 380.6 per 100,000 national rate. Areas with low rates of violence also tend to have low property crime rates, and Iowa is no exception. There were 1,691.5 property crimes in Iowa for every 100,000 people in 2018, far less than the national rate of 2,199.5 per 100,000.

With lower crime rates, Iowa also has a smaller prison population. There are just 372 adults incarcerated in Iowa state and federal prisons for every 100,000 state residents 18 and over, a smaller share than in most states.

There were 32,723 violent crimes reported in Ohio in 2018, a 5.5% decline from the previous year. The state’s violent crime rate of 279.9 per 100,000 people is considerably lower than the 380.6 per 100,000 national violent crime rate.

While Ohio as a whole is a relatively safe state, a couple of Ohio cities rank among the most dangerous places in the country. In Cleveland, for example, there were 1,449.6 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in 2018, nearly four times higher than the national violent crime rate. In Canton, there were 1,196.8 violent crimes for every 100,000 people, more than triple the national rate.

While most states reported a decline in violent crimes from 2017 to 2018, the number of murders, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults committed in North Dakota remained unchanged from the previous year. Still, North Dakota’s violent crime rate of 280.6 incidents per 100,000 people is lower than the comparable rate in most states.

Crime rates tend to be higher in urban areas, and in North Dakota there are a handful of cities with crime rates well above the national rate. In Williston, for example, there were 518.4 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 people in 2018, well above the national average of 380.6 per 100,000.

Overall, violent crime is less common in Nebraska than it is nationwide. There were 284.8 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in the state in 2018, below the 380.6 per 100,000 national violent crime rate. However, rape, one of the four components of the violent crime rate, is more common in Nebraska than it is in much of the rest of the country. There were 63.9 reported incidents of rape for every 100,000 Nebraskans in 2018, the eighth highest rate among states and well aboe the national rate of 42.6 incidents per 100,000 people.

Unlike most states, Oregon reported an uptick in violent crime over the last year. There were 11,966 incidents of robery, rape, murder, and aggravated assault in the state in 2018, a 2.9% increase from the previous year. Still, Oregon’s violent crime rate of 285.5 incidents per 100,000 is below that of most states and well below the national rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

Most states with lower than average violent crime rates also have low property crime rates, but Oregon is a notable exception. There were 2,894.0 property crimes for every 100,000 people in the state in 2018 compared to 2,199.5 per 100,000 nationwide.

West Virginia reported the largest decrease in violent crime of any state between 2017 and 2018. There were 5,236 violent crimes in the state in 2018, a 20.2% decrease from the previous year. Nationwide, the number of reported violent crimes fell by 3.0% over the same period. In 2017, there were 361.2 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in West Virginia. In 2018, there were 289.9.

Still, parts of West Virginia are far more dangerous. In Beckley, the most dangerous city in the state, there were 905.5 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in 2018, more than double the national rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

Wisconsin has a violent crime rate of 295.4 incidents for every 100,000 people, lower than in most states and well below the 380.6 per 100,000 national rate. Many of the violent crimes committed in Wisconsin in 2018 were concentrated in Milwaukee, the largest city in the state. Of the 17,176 reported robberies, rapes, murders, and aggravated assaults in Wisconsin in 2018, nearly half were committed in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee ranks among the most dangerous cities in the country. Its violent crime rate of 1,413.0 incidents per 100,000 people is more than triple the national rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

There were 39,192 violent crimes committed in Pennsylvania in 2018, or 306.0 for every 100,000 people. Despite having a lower violent crime rate than most states, Pennsylvania has a relatively high incarceration rate. There are 784 adults in Pennsylvania state and federal prisons for every 100,000 state residents 18 and older, the fifth highest imprisonment rate of any state.

Crime in Pennsylvania is often heavily concentrated in cities. In McKeesport, for example, there were 1,530.0 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in 2018, four times the national rate.

There were 23,472 reported cases of rape, robbery, aggravated assault, and murder in Washington state in 2018 — or 311.5 violent crimes for every 100,000 people. As is typically the case, aggravated assault was the most commonly reported form of violence, accounting for over half of all violent crimes in the state.

While the U.S. as a whole reported a 3.0% decline in violent crime between 2017 and 2018, Washington reported a 4.4% increase. Still, the state’s violent crime rate remains well below the national rate of 380.6 per 100,000 people.

Despite a 1.0% population increase between 2017 and 2018, the number of violent crimes committed in Georgia fell by 7.4% over the same period, more than double the 3.0% national decline. As it stands, Georgia’s violent crime rate of 326.6 incidents per 100,000 people is well below the 380.6 per 100,000 national rate. The rate of rape in Georgia, at 25.2 reported incidents per 100,000 people is the fourth lowest of any state.

As is often the case, crime in Georgia tends to be concentrated in some major cities. In East Point, there were 441 violent crimes in 2018, or 1,242.7 for every 100,000 people.

Massachusetts’ violent crime rate of 338.1 incidents per 100,000 people is by far the highest of any state in New England. Still, the state is safer than the U.S. as a whole, as there were 380.6 violent crimes per 100,000 people nationwide in 2018.

Crime rates tend to be lower in areas with greater financial security and economic opportunity. In Massachusetts, 10% of the population lives below the poverty line compared to 13.1% of Americans nationwide. Additionally, just 3.3% of the state’s labor force was out of work in 2018, well below the 3.9% national unemployment rate.

There were 350.5 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 people in New York state in 2018, less than the 380.6 per 100,000 national rate, but higher than nearly every other state in the Northeast.

The majority of the 68,495 violent crimes committed in the state were reported in New York City — which is home to about half the state’s total population. New York City’s violent crime rate of 541.0 per 100,000 is well above the overall statewide rate, but far from the highest in the state. In Newburgh, a small city north of New York City, there were 1,163.3 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in 2018.

Montana’s violent crime rate of 374.1 incidents per 100,000 people is closely in line with the nationwide rate of 380.6 per 100,000. As is the case nationwide, aggravated assault is by far the most commonly reported violent crime in the state. Robbery, however, is far less common in Montana than it is in most other parts of the country. There were 25.3 reported robberies for every 100,000 people in Montana in 2018, less than one third the national rate of 86.2 per 100,000.

North Carolina is one of a minority of states to report an increase in violent crime between 2017 and 2018. There were 39,210 reported incidents of rape, robbery, homicide, and aggravated assault in the state in 2018, a 3.1% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, the number of violent crimes reported nationwide fell by 3.0% over the same period. Still, North Carolina’s violent crime rate of 377.6 incidents per 100,000 people is closely in line with the comparable national rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

There were 382.3 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in Indiana in 2018, closely in line with the comparable national rate of 380.6 per 100,000. As is often the case, crime in the state tends to be concentrated in cities. Of the 25,581 violent crimes reported across Indiana in 2018, about 44% were committed in Indianapolis, the largest and most dangerous city in the state. Indianapolis’s violent crime rate of 1,272.8 incidents per 100,000 people is more than triple the comparable national rate.

Florida’s violent crime rate of 384.9 incidents per 100,000 is almost exactly in line with the corresponding national rate. While the state as a whole is not especially dangerous, parts of it are. In Florida City, for example, the violent crime rate is a staggering 3,052.8 incidents per 100,000 people, eight times the national violent crime rate. Other cities in Florida, like Opa Locka and Lake City, also rank among the most dangerous in the country, with violent crime rates of 2,346.5 and 1,214.9 per 100,000, respectively.

There were 22,624 violent crimes reported in Colorado in 2018, a near nation-leading 8.2% increase from the previous year. Though the number of murders and robberies in the state fell between 2017 and 2018, cases of aggravated assault, the most common type of violent crime, increased by 13.7%, driving the overall uptick. Meanwhile, the number of violent crimes committed nationwide fell by 3.0% over that period. Still, Colorado’s violent crime rate of 397.2 incidents per 100,000 people is only slightly higher than the comparable national rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

Illinois is one of the 19 states where the violent crime rate exceeds 400 incidents per 100,000 people. As is typically the case, crime in the state is concentrated in urban areas. In Chicago, the most populous city in Illinois, 27,357 violent crimes were committed in 2018, more than half the total number of crimes reported in the state that year.

Still, after adjusting for population Chicago does not rank as the most dangerous city in the state — that distinction goes to Danville. There were 1,791.5 reported incidents of rape, robbery, homicide, and aggravated assault for every 100,000 people in Danville in 2018, well above Chicago’s violent crime rate of 1,006.1 per 100,000.

South Dakota’s violent crime rate of 404.7 incidents per 100,000 people is slightly higher than the national rate of 380.6 per 100,000. While the state has higher than average rates of rape and aggravated assault, it also has the lowest murder rate in the United States. There were just 1.4 homicides committed in South Dakota for every 100,000 people in 2018, a fraction of the national rate of 5.0 per 100,000 people.

The state’s low murder rate was the product of an unmatched year-over-year decline in reported homicides. There were only 12 murders reported in the entire state in 2018, a 55.6% improvement from the previous year, the largest decline of any state.

Along with California, Texas is one of only two states in which there were more than 100,000 violent crimes committed in 2018. Adjusted for population, Texas’s violent crime rate stands at 410.9 per 100,000 people, slightly higher than the national rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

Texas has one of the highest imprisonment rates in the country. There are 746 adults incarcerated in state and federal prisons in Texas for every 100,000 people, more than in all but four other states.

There were 4,097 violent crimes in Delaware in 2018, or 423.6 for every 100,000 people, a higher violent crime rate than in most states. Places with high violent crime also often have higher rates of other crimes like burglary or motor vehicle theft. In Delaware, there were 2,324.4 property crimes for every 100,000 people compared to 2,199.5 per 100,000 nationwide.

Wilmington is by far the most dangerous city in Delaware, with a violent crime rate of 1,544.5 incidents per 100,000 people, nearly double the rate in Dover, the second most dangerous city in the state.

There were 439 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in Kansas in 2018, higher than the 380.6 per 100,000 national violent crime rate. The crime rate in Kansas was driven up largely by a concentration of crimes committed in urban areas. In Wichita, for example, there were 1,179.9 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in 2018.

Most states reported a year-over-year decline in violent crime in 2018. Kansas was an exception. The number of violent offenses committed in the state increased by 9.7% from 2017 to 2018, the second largest increase of any state after only New Mexico. The number of violent crimes committed nationwide fell by 3.0% over the same period.

There were 176,982 cases of rape, robbery, murder, and aggrevated assault committed in California in 2018, more violent crimes than in any other state. Of course, California is also the most populous state, but violent crime is still disproportionately high. The state is home to about 12% of the U.S. population but is also the site of about 14% of all violent crimes.

Despite a greater concentration of serious crimes, the state has a lower incarceration rate than most states. There are just 424 adults in California state and federal prisons for every 100,000 state residents 18 and over, below the 568 per 100,000 average across all states.

Michigan has a 2018 violent crime rate of 449.4 incidents for every 100,000 people, effectively unchanged from the previous year. About 30% of the 44,918 violent crimes committed in Michigan in 2018 were in Detroit. With a violent crime rate of 2,007.8 incidents per 100,000 people, Detroit is one of the most dangerous cities in the country. However, it falls short of ranking as the most dangerous city in the state.

In Muskegon Heights, a small city in western Michigan, there were 2,238.8 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in 2018, nearly six times the national violent crime rate of 380.6 per 100,000 people.

There were 18,380 violent crimes committed in Oklahoma in 2018, a 2.2% increase from the previous year. The state’s violent crime rate of 466.1 incidents per 100,000 people make it one of the most dangerous states in the Midwest and the twelfth most dangerous nationwide. Property crimes — a category that includes offenses like motor vehicle theft and burglary — are also relatively common in Oklahoma. There were 2,875 property crimes for every 100,000 people in the state, eighth most among states.

States with high crime also often have large prison populations. In Oklahoma, there are 931 adults incarcerated for every 100,000 state residents 18 and over, the second highest imprisonment rate among states.

There were 28,320 violent crimes reported in Maryland in 2018, a 6.6% decline from the previous year — more than double the 3.0% national decline in violence over the same period. Despite the improvement, Maryland’s violent crime rate of 468.7 incidents per 100,000 people is considerably higher than the 380.6 per 100,000 national rate.

In Maryland, violence tends to be concentrated in urban areas. For example, 39% of all reported violent crimes in the state were committed in Baltimore in 2018. With a violent crime rate of 1,833.4 incidents per 100,000 people, Baltimore is the most dangerous city in the state and one of the most dangerous in the country.

There were 474.9 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in Arizona in 2018 — more than the 380.6 per 100,000 national rate. The state’s higher-than-average violent crime rate still represents a marked improvement from 2017, when there were 505.7 incidents per 100,000 people. The state reported a 4.5% reduction in the number of violent crimes committed between 2017 and 2018 — greater than the 3.0% national improvement.

As is often the case in states with high crime, Arizona has a relatively large prison population. There are 740 adults incarcerated in state and federal prisons for every 100,000 state residents 18 and over, the sixth highest imprisonment rate among states.

South Carolina is one of five southern states to rank among the 10 most dangerous states in the country. There were 24,825 violent crimes in the state in 2018, or 488.3 for every 100,000 people. Aggravated assualt and murder are especially concentrated in the state. There were 7.7 homicides and 362.8 aggravated assaults for every 100,000 people in South Carolina in 2018, the sixth and seventh highest rates among states, respectively.

Missouri is one of only eight states nationwide with a violent crime rate of more than 500 incidents per 100,000. Crime in Missouri is generally concentrated in major cities. In St. Louis, for example, there were 1,800.4 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in 2018, nearly five times the national violent crime rate of 380.6 per 100,000.

The murder rate in Missouri is particularly high. There were 607 homicides in the state in 2018, equal to 9.9 for every 100,000 people, the second highest murder rate of any state, after only Lousiana.

Alabama’s violent crime rate of 519.6 incidents per 100,000 is the seventh highest among states. In the United States, poorer areas tend to have higher crime rates, and Alabama is no exception. The state’s poverty rate of 16.8% is also the seventh highest in the country and well above the 13.1% national poverty rate.

Aggravated assualt and murder are especially concentrated in the state. There were 7.8 homicides and 387.6 aggravated assaults for every 100,000 people in Alabama in 2018, each the fifth highest rate among states.

There were 25,049 violent crimes committed in Louisiana in 2018, or 537.5 for every 100,000 people — the sixth highest among states. Louisiana also locks up a larger share of its population than any other state. There are 942 adults incarcerated in Louisiana state and federal prisons for every 100,000 residents 18 and older, the highest imprisonment rate of any state.

Crime rates tend to be higher in lower income areas with limited economic opportunity. In Louisiana, 18.6% of the population lives below the poverty line compared to 13.1% of Americans. Additionally, 4.9% of the state’s labor force was out of work in 2018, well above the 3.9% national unemployment rate.

The number of violent crimes committed in Nevada in 2018 fell by 1.5% from 2017 to 2018. The state also reported near nation-leading declines in murder and robbery, 24.1% and 20.2%, respectively. Still, the state also reported a 22.8% increase in rape over the same period, the second largest increase among states, and its overall violent crime rate of 541.1 per 100,000 people is the fifth highest in the country.

North Las Vegas ranks as the most dangerous city in Nevada, with a violent crime rate of 966.1 per 100,000.

Despite a slightly larger than average 3.6% reduction in violent crime from 2017 to 2018, Arkansas ranks among the five most dangerous states in the country. There were 543.6 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in the state in 2018, far higher than the 380.6 per 100,000 national rate.

Arkansas’s violent crime rate is due in no small part to the concentration of violence in a handful of cities. For example, in Pine Bluff there were 1,609.2 violent crimes for every 100,000 people in 2018. In West Memphis, the most dangerous city in the state, there were 1,970.2 per 100,000.

Tennessee has the highest violent crime rate of any state in the South and the third highest of any state nationwide. There were 42,226, violent crimes in Tennessee in 2018, more than double the number reported in Virginia, a state home to over 1.5 million more people than Tennessee.

Much of the violence reported in Tennessee in 2018 was committed in Memphis. The city accounted for roughly 30% of all violent crime in Tennessee and ranks as the most dangerous city in the state with a violent crime rate of 1,943.2 per 100,000.

New Mexico’s violent crime rate of 856.6 incidents per 100,000 people is the highest in the contiguous 48 states and second highest nationwide. There were 17,949 violent crimes reported in New Mexico in 2018, a 10.1% increase from the previous year and the largest increase of any state.

Crime tends to be higher in areas where large shares of the population are struggling. In New Mexico, which is one of only two states with a violent crime rate more than double the national average, 19.5% of the population lives below the poverty line

There were 885.0 violent crimes in Alaska for every 100,000 people in 2018, the most of any state and well above the national rate of 380.6 per 100,000. As is typically the case, aggravated assault accounts for the vast majority of violence in the state.

Rape, too, is especially common in Alaska. There were 161.6 rapes reported for every 100,000 people in Alaska in 2018, by far the highest rape rate of any state. Crime can tend to concentrate in areas that lack economic opportunity. In Alaska, 6.6% of the population was out of a job in 2018, the highest annual unemployment rate among states.