The City Where Your Car Is Least Likely to Be Stolen in Every State

By Sam Stebbins Published Jan 6, 11:00AM EST

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The City Where Your Car Is Least Likely to Be Stolen in Every State — © SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images

Motor vehicle theft, one of the most serious offenses tracked by the FBI, is on the rise in the United States. There were a total of 810,400 motor vehicle thefts nationwide in 2020, the most in over a decade.

Motor vehicle theft can be either the theft or attempted theft of a vehicle, such as a car, truck, ATV, or motorcycle. Some experts attribute the rising rates of vehicle theft to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to vehicles sitting unattended and unused for longer than usual. Additionally, vehicle theft is often committed for monetary gain, and the pandemic sent unemployment soaring and left many Americans struggling financially.

While motorists nationwide now face a greater risk of vehicle theft than they have in many years, in some parts of the country, car owners are far less likely to be victims of car theft than in others. Here is a look at the 10 most stolen cars in America.

Using data from the FBI’s 2020 Uniform Crime Report, 24/7 Wall St. identified the city where your car is least likely to be stolen in every state. Cities — defined as places with populations greater than 25,000 — are ranked by the number of motor vehicle thefts reported for every 100,000 people.

It is important to note that in four states, there is only one eligible city with available data. In each of these cases, which are noted, the city listed ranks as having the lowest motor vehicle theft rate by default only. In Hawaii, there are no qualifying cities with available crime data.

Though each of the cities on this list ranks as having the lowest motor vehicle theft rate in its respective state, vehicle theft rates in these places vary considerably, from 3 incidents per 100,000 people to 321 per 100,000. Still, in the vast majority of the cities on this list, motor vehicle theft rates are lower than the statewide rate as well as the national rate of 246 per 100,000.

Motor vehicle theft, along with larceny and burglary, is one of three criminal offenses that make up the property crime category. Due in large part to lower than average vehicle theft rates, in most cities on this list, the overall property crime rate is lower than the comparable statewide rate. Here is a look at the city with the fewest property crimes in every state.

Click here to see the city where your car is least likely to be stolen in every state
Click here to see our detailed methodology

EnterpriseDepot (CC BY 3.0) by TampAGS

Alabama: Enterprise
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 168.0 (Alabama: 222.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 48 (Alabama: 10,926)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,502.7 (Alabama: 2,136.8)
> Total property crimes: 715 (Alabama: 105,161)
> Population: 27,947

*Because Enterprise is the only eligible city in Alabama, it is the city where your car is least likely to be stolen by default.

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Alaska: Juneau
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 144.1 (Alaska: 269.3)
> Total vehicle thefts: 46 (Alaska: 1,969)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,963.2 (Alaska: 2,260.5)
> Total property crimes: 946 (Alaska: 16,528)
> Population: 32,227

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Arizona: Florence
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 21.8 (Arizona: 241.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 6 (Arizona: 17,937)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 264.8 (Arizona: 2,227.7)
> Total property crimes: 73 (Arizona: 165,323)
> Population: 26,420

BVISTA 19-06-2010 06-57-03 p.m... by Alfredo Carrillo

BVISTA 19-06-2010 06-57-03 p.m... (CC BY 2.0) by Alfredo Carrillo

Arkansas: Bella Vista
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 13.7 (Arkansas: 261.8)
> Total vehicle thefts: 4 (Arkansas: 7,933)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 583.4 (Arkansas: 2,613.4)
> Total property crimes: 170 (Arkansas: 79,200)
> Population: 28,539

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Danville (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Joe Lewis

California: Danville
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 20.1 (California: 427.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 9 (California: 168,323)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 533.5 (California: 2,138.9)
> Total property crimes: 239 (California: 842,054)
> Population: 44,605

Colorado: Castle Rock
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 142.0 (Colorado: 524.3)
> Total vehicle thefts: 101 (Colorado: 30,452)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,662.7 (Colorado: 2,833.8)
> Total property crimes: 1,183 (Colorado: 164,582)
> Population: 62,417

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Wallingford, Connecticut (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Doug Kerr

Connecticut: Wallingford
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 56.5 (Connecticut: 236.8)
> Total vehicle thefts: 25 (Connecticut: 8,422)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 705.3 (Connecticut: 1,565.1)
> Total property crimes: 312 (Connecticut: 55,670)
> Population: 44,596

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Delaware: Newark
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 133.3 (Delaware: 168.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 45 (Delaware: 1,665)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,884.3 (Delaware: 1,961.4)
> Total property crimes: 636 (Delaware: 19,355)
> Population: 33,448

Florida: North Port
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 29.0 (Florida: 176.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 21 (Florida: 38,271)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,026.4 (Florida: 1,769.4)
> Total property crimes: 743 (Florida: 384,556)
> Population: 66,410

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Milton, Georgia City Hall, March 2017 by Thomson200

Milton, Georgia City Hall, March 2017 (CC0 1.0) by Thomson200

Georgia: Milton
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 12.4 (Georgia: 238.2)
> Total vehicle thefts: 5 (Georgia: 25,506)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 512.8 (Georgia: 2,007.4)
> Total property crimes: 207 (Georgia: 214,988)
> Population: 38,759

Hawaii: No eligible cities
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: N/A (Hawaii: 379.8)
> Total vehicle thefts: N/A (Hawaii: 5,344)
> Property crimes per 100K people: N/A (Hawaii: 2,411.4)
> Total property crimes: N/A (Hawaii: 33,928)
> Population: N/A

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Idaho: Rexburg
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 16.7 (Idaho: 96.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 5 (Idaho: 1,767)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 338.2 (Idaho: 1,111.9)
> Total property crimes: 101 (Idaho: 20,313)
> Population: 28,414

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Illinois: Vernon Hills
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 18.7 (Illinois: 169.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 5 (Illinois: 21,332)
> Property crimes per 100K people: N/A (Illinois: 1,559.4)
> Total property crimes: N/A (Illinois: 196,287)
> Population: 26,343

Cool Creek Park, Westfield, In... by Kurt Beard

Cool Creek Park, Westfield, In... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Kurt Beard

Indiana: Westfield
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 30.8 (Indiana: 228.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 14 (Indiana: 15,435)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 747.8 (Indiana: 1,783.2)
> Total property crimes: 340 (Indiana: 120,453)
> Population: 39,610

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Iowa: Ankeny
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 81.1 (Iowa: 197.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 57 (Iowa: 6,235)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,146.5 (Iowa: 1,698.2)
> Total property crimes: 806 (Iowa: 53,725)
> Population: 61,938

Kansas: Leawood
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 134.1 (Kansas: 248.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 47 (Kansas: 7,229)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,628.9 (Kansas: 2,199.1)
> Total property crimes: 571 (Kansas: 64,077)
> Population: 34,670

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Kentucky: Independence
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 58.7 (Kentucky: 256.8)
> Total vehicle thefts: 17 (Kentucky: 11,497)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 448.9 (Kentucky: 1,779.5)
> Total property crimes: 130 (Kentucky: 79,673)
> Population: 27,683

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Louisiana: Slidell
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 115.7 (Louisiana: 266.9)
> Total vehicle thefts: 32 (Louisiana: 12,400)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,173.2 (Louisiana: 2,884.4)
> Total property crimes: 878 (Louisiana: 133,989)
> Population: 27,822

Maine: Portland
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 87.6 (Maine: 63.8)
> Total vehicle thefts: 58 (Maine: 862)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,725.8 (Maine: 1,156.2)
> Total property crimes: 1,143 (Maine: 15,610)
> Population: 66,595

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Maryland: Bowie
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 67.8 (Maryland: 172.9)
> Total vehicle thefts: 40 (Maryland: 10,469)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 928.7 (Maryland: 1,609.8)
> Total property crimes: 548 (Maryland: 97,487)
> Population: 58,481

*Because Bowie is the only eligible city in Maryland, it is the city where your car is least likely to be stolen by default.

Main Street in 2010 (CC BY 3.0) by John Phelan

Massachusetts: Franklin Town
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 2.9 (Massachusetts: 99.2)
> Total vehicle thefts: 1 (Massachusetts: 6,835)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 93.3 (Massachusetts: 1,053.2)
> Total property crimes: 32 (Massachusetts: 72,602)
> Population: 33,256

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IndependenceMISign (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Jordano53

Michigan: Independence charter
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 13.4 (Michigan: 184.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 5 (Michigan: 18,385)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 340.5 (Michigan: 1,360.9)
> Total property crimes: 127 (Michigan: 135,633)
> Population: 36,745

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Chaska, Minnesota (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Doug Kerr

Minnesota: Chaska
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 58.5 (Minnesota: 250.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 16 (Minnesota: 14,146)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 943.2 (Minnesota: 2,124.9)
> Total property crimes: 258 (Minnesota: 120,212)
> Population: 26,371

Mississippi: Oxford
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 45.0 (Mississippi: 205.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 13 (Mississippi: 6,083)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,109.7 (Mississippi: 2,101.6)
> Total property crimes: 609 (Mississippi: 62,351)
> Population: 26,962

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Wentzville Parkway - Wentzvill... by Doug Kerr

Wentzville Parkway - Wentzvill... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Doug Kerr

Missouri: Wentzville
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 108.2 (Missouri: 393.2)
> Total vehicle thefts: 47 (Missouri: 24,189)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,298.1 (Missouri: 2,531.0)
> Total property crimes: 564 (Missouri: 155,698)
> Population: 38,841

Montana: Bozeman
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 95.2 (Montana: 247.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 49 (Montana: 2,676)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,354.5 (Montana: 2,120.8)
> Total property crimes: 697 (Montana: 22,917)
> Population: 46,746

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Nebraska: Kearney
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 137.4 (Nebraska: 260.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 47 (Nebraska: 5,048)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,982.4 (Nebraska: 1,909.2)
> Total property crimes: 678 (Nebraska: 36,991)
> Population: 33,464

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Nevada: Henderson
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 165.8 (Nevada: 336.4)
> Total vehicle thefts: 544 (Nevada: 10,556)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,426.3 (Nevada: 1,926.6)
> Total property crimes: 4,679 (Nevada: 60,462)
> Population: 300,116

New Hampshire: Dover
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 43.1 (New Hampshire: 76.4)
> Total vehicle thefts: 14 (New Hampshire: 1,044)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 969.8 (New Hampshire: 1,098.9)
> Total property crimes: 315 (New Hampshire: 15,014)
> Population: 31,577

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New Jersey: Cliffside Park
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 3.8 (New Jersey: 115.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 1 (New Jersey: 10,278)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 329.5 (New Jersey: 1,158.2)
> Total property crimes: 87 (New Jersey: 102,875)
> Population: 25,126

New Mexico: Farmington
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 321.3 (New Mexico: 427.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 142 (New Mexico: 9,006)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,274.4 (New Mexico: 2,841.9)
> Total property crimes: 1,447 (New Mexico: 59,859)
> Population: 45,258

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New York: Haverstraw
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 8.1 (New York: 101.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 3 (New York: 19,656)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 607.5 (New York: 1,410.7)
> Total property crimes: 225 (New York: 272,788)
> Population: 37,114

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Holly Springs Water Tower by Donald Lee Pardue

Holly Springs Water Tower (CC BY 2.0) by Donald Lee Pardue

North Carolina: Holly Springs
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 15.2 (North Carolina: 193.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 6 (North Carolina: 20,520)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 934.3 (North Carolina: 2,226.5)
> Total property crimes: 370 (North Carolina: 236,026)
> Population: 34,874

Fargo, North Dakota (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Ken Luпd

North Dakota: West Fargo
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 163.4 (North Dakota: 271.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 63 (North Dakota: 2,074)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,893.1 (North Dakota: 2,124.1)
> Total property crimes: 730 (North Dakota: 16,256)
> Population: 35,397

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Upper Arlington Municipal Center by Postdlf

Upper Arlington Municipal Center (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Postdlf

Ohio: Upper Arlington
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 19.7 (Ohio: 171.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 7 (Ohio: 20,077)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 945.0 (Ohio: 1,850.3)
> Total property crimes: 336 (Ohio: 216,363)
> Population: 35,299

Yukons Best Flour Mill, Yukon, OK by Kristi Ellis

Yukons Best Flour Mill, Yukon, OK (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Kristi Ellis

Oklahoma: Yukon
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 87.0 (Oklahoma: 378.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 25 (Oklahoma: 15,047)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,028.9 (Oklahoma: 2,705.6)
> Total property crimes: 583 (Oklahoma: 107,705)
> Population: 26,943

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Oregon: West Linn
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 78.0 (Oregon: 391.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 21 (Oregon: 16,585)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,166.6 (Oregon: 2,659.0)
> Total property crimes: 314 (Oregon: 112,782)
> Population: 26,656

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Pennsylvania: Harrisburg*
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 251.8 (Pennsylvania: 121.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 124 (Pennsylvania: 15,474)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,778.9 (Pennsylvania: 1,644.1)
> Total property crimes: 876 (Pennsylvania: 210,167)
> Population: 49,209

*Because Harrisburg is the only eligible city in Pennsylvania, it is the city where your car is least likely to be stolen by default.

Rhode Island: Cumberland
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 31.1 (Rhode Island: 142.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 11 (Rhode Island: 1,509)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 613.7 (Rhode Island: 1,245.5)
> Total property crimes: 217 (Rhode Island: 13,166)
> Population: 34,846

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South Carolina: Mount Pleasant
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 146.8 (South Carolina: 282.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 139 (South Carolina: 14,718)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,327.3 (South Carolina: 2,721.1)
> Total property crimes: 1,257 (South Carolina: 141,987)
> Population: 86,982

Aberdeen, South Dakota by H2O2 at English Wikipedia

Aberdeen, South Dakota (Public Domain) by H2O2 at English Wikipedia

South Dakota: Aberdeen
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 164.9 (South Dakota: 259.3)
> Total vehicle thefts: 47 (South Dakota: 2,315)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,337.3 (South Dakota: 1,956.7)
> Total property crimes: 666 (South Dakota: 17,468)
> Population: 28,225

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Spring Hill City Hall (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Skye Marthaler

Tennessee: Spring Hill
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 30.6 (Tennessee: 306.4)
> Total vehicle thefts: 14 (Tennessee: 21,098)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 850.0 (Tennessee: 2,492.8)
> Total property crimes: 389 (Tennessee: 171,675)
> Population: 39,711

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Texas: Colleyville
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 14.5 (Texas: 287.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 4 (Texas: 84,276)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 557.9 (Texas: 2,245.0)
> Total property crimes: 154 (Texas: 659,160)
> Population: 26,462

Utah: Saratoga Springs
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 33.7 (Utah: 316.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 12 (Utah: 10,288)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 763.6 (Utah: 2,464.4)
> Total property crimes: 272 (Utah: 80,091)
> Population: 29,161

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Vermont: Burlington
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 39.7 (Vermont: 42.4)
> Total vehicle thefts: 17 (Vermont: 264)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,407.7 (Vermont: 1,217.0)
> Total property crimes: 1,032 (Vermont: 7,586)
> Population: 42,545

*Because Burlington is the only eligible city in Vermont, it is the city where your car is least likely to be stolen by default.

Virginia: Blacksburg
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 33.8 (Virginia: 126.3)
> Total vehicle thefts: 15 (Virginia: 10,853)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 697.9 (Virginia: 1,456.4)
> Total property crimes: 310 (Virginia: 125,114)
> Population: 44,303

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Washington: Mercer Island
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 45.7 (Washington: 356.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 12 (Washington: 27,399)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,522.8 (Washington: 2,732.4)
> Total property crimes: 400 (Washington: 210,223)
> Population: 25,675

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West Virginia: Morgantown
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 104.0 (West Virginia: 127.2)
> Total vehicle thefts: 32 (West Virginia: 2,271)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,066.6 (West Virginia: 1,399.4)
> Total property crimes: 636 (West Virginia: 24,976)
> Population: 30,712

NewBerlinWestHS FromNW (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Merenta

Wisconsin: New Berlin
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 22.7 (Wisconsin: 161.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 9 (Wisconsin: 9,393)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,151.0 (Wisconsin: 1,485.7)
> Total property crimes: 457 (Wisconsin: 86,654)
> Population: 39,718

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2016-04-14_19-13-34 (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Joanna Poe

Wyoming: Gillette
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 105.9 (Wyoming: 165.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 34 (Wyoming: 964)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,922.5 (Wyoming: 1,610.6)
> Total property crimes: 617 (Wyoming: 9,379)
> Population: 32,857

Methodology

To determine the city where your car is least likely to be stolen in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed motor vehicle theft figures from the FBI’s 2020 Uniform Crime Report.

We included cities that have more than 25,000 people based on five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey. Limited data was available in the 2020 UCR for areas in Alabama, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, though cities in these states were not excluded from analysis.

Data for property crime — a category that includes larceny-theft, burglary, and motor vehicle theft — also came from the 2020 FBI UCR. Population figures are five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey. However, these estimates were not used to calculate crime rates. Crime rates per 100,000 people were calculated using population figures provided by the FBI in the 2020 UCR.

About the Author Sam Stebbins →

Sam Stebbins is a writer at a673b.bigscoots-temp.com where his primary focus is on government policy, politics, companies, and broad social and economic trends. Sam has been writing in the money and news verticals for over 8 years and holds a bachelor's degree from Hobart College, which he earned in 2010. Sam resides in upstate New York and enjoys hiking, biking, canoeing, and skiing in the Adirondack Mountains and across the Northeast.