Special Report
The City Where Your Car Is Most Likely to Be Stolen in Every State
Published:
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 more likely to be victims of car theft than in others.
Using data from the FBI’s 2020 Uniform Crime Report, 24/7 Wall St. identified the city where your car is most 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 highest 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 highest motor vehicle theft rate in its respective state, vehicle theft rates in these places vary considerably, from 40 incidents per 100,000 people to 1,790 per 100,000. Still, in the vast majority of the cities on this list, motor vehicle theft rates exceed 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 higher than average vehicle theft rates, in nearly every city on this list, the overall property crime rate exceeds the comparable statewide rate. Here is a look at the 10 most stolen cars in America.
Click here to see the city where your car is most likely to be stolen in every state
Click here to read our detailed methodology
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 most likely to be stolen by default.
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Alaska: Fairbanks
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 638.9 (Alaska: 269.3)
> Total vehicle thefts: 197 (Alaska: 1,969)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,138.6 (Alaska: 2,260.5)
> Total property crimes: 1,276 (Alaska: 16,528)
> Population: 31,551
Arizona: Phoenix
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 434.7 (Arizona: 241.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 7,429 (Arizona: 17,937)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,989.5 (Arizona: 2,227.7)
> Total property crimes: 51,089 (Arizona: 165,323)
> Population: 1,633,017
Arkansas: Pine Bluff
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 621.3 (Arkansas: 261.8)
> Total vehicle thefts: 253 (Arkansas: 7,933)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,887.3 (Arkansas: 2,613.4)
> Total property crimes: 1,990 (Arkansas: 79,200)
> Population: 43,091
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California: Oakland
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 1,532.7 (California: 427.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 6,712 (California: 168,323)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 5,165.7 (California: 2,138.9)
> Total property crimes: 22,622 (California: 842,054)
> Population: 425,097
Colorado: Wheat Ridge
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 1,173.3 (Colorado: 524.3)
> Total vehicle thefts: 369 (Colorado: 30,452)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 5,322.6 (Colorado: 2,833.8)
> Total property crimes: 1,674 (Colorado: 164,582)
> Population: 31,331
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Connecticut: New Haven
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 584.0 (Connecticut: 236.8)
> Total vehicle thefts: 761 (Connecticut: 8,422)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,511.2 (Connecticut: 1,565.1)
> Total property crimes: 4,575 (Connecticut: 55,670)
> Population: 130,331
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Delaware: Wilmington
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 613.4 (Delaware: 168.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 430 (Delaware: 1,665)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,706.1 (Delaware: 1,961.4)
> Total property crimes: 2,598 (Delaware: 19,355)
> Population: 70,644
Florida: Fort Lauderdale
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 492.0 (Florida: 176.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 907 (Florida: 38,271)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,156.3 (Florida: 1,769.4)
> Total property crimes: 7,662 (Florida: 384,556)
> Population: 180,124
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Georgia: South Fulton
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 566.3 (Georgia: 238.2)
> Total vehicle thefts: 570 (Georgia: 25,506)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,676.4 (Georgia: 2,007.4)
> Total property crimes: 2,694 (Georgia: 214,988)
> Population: 96,283
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: Idaho Falls
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 193.8 (Idaho: 96.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 123 (Idaho: 1,767)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,815.4 (Idaho: 1,111.9)
> Total property crimes: 1,152 (Idaho: 20,313)
> Population: 61,459
Illinois: Calumet City
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 880.4 (Illinois: 169.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 315 (Illinois: 21,332)
> Property crimes per 100K people: N/A (Illinois: 1,559.4)
> Total property crimes: N/A (Illinois: 196,287)
> Population: 36,551
Indiana: Terre Haute
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 650.1 (Indiana: 228.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 394 (Indiana: 15,435)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,762.1 (Indiana: 1,783.2)
> Total property crimes: 2,886 (Indiana: 120,453)
> Population: 60,673
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Iowa: Council Bluffs
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 709.6 (Iowa: 197.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 441 (Iowa: 6,235)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,788.9 (Iowa: 1,698.2)
> Total property crimes: 2,976 (Iowa: 53,725)
> Population: 62,355
Kansas: Leavenworth
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 405.3 (Kansas: 248.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 146 (Kansas: 7,229)
> Property crimes per 100K people: N/A (Kansas: 2,199.1)
> Total property crimes: N/A (Kansas: 64,077)
> Population: 36,064
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Kentucky: Owensboro
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 470.0 (Kentucky: 256.8)
> Total vehicle thefts: 284 (Kentucky: 11,497)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,849.1 (Kentucky: 1,779.5)
> Total property crimes: 2,326 (Kentucky: 79,673)
> Population: 59,536
Louisiana: New Orleans
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 894.9 (Louisiana: 266.9)
> Total vehicle thefts: 3,524 (Louisiana: 12,400)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,539.6 (Louisiana: 2,884.4)
> Total property crimes: 17,876 (Louisiana: 133,989)
> Population: 390,845
Maine: Bangor
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 195.8 (Maine: 63.8)
> Total vehicle thefts: 63 (Maine: 862)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,750.9 (Maine: 1,156.2)
> Total property crimes: 1,207 (Maine: 15,610)
> Population: 32,095
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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 most likely to be stolen by default.
Massachusetts: Brockton
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 387.2 (Massachusetts: 99.2)
> Total vehicle thefts: 384 (Massachusetts: 6,835)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,672.9 (Massachusetts: 1,053.2)
> Total property crimes: 1,659 (Massachusetts: 72,602)
> Population: 95,594
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Michigan: Detroit
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 845.6 (Michigan: 184.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 5,578 (Michigan: 18,385)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,210.7 (Michigan: 1,360.9)
> Total property crimes: 21,178 (Michigan: 135,633)
> Population: 674,841
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Minnesota: St. Paul
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 913.0 (Minnesota: 250.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 2,829 (Minnesota: 14,146)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,802.7 (Minnesota: 2,124.9)
> Total property crimes: 11,783 (Minnesota: 120,212)
> Population: 304,547
Mississippi: Hattiesburg
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 375.0 (Mississippi: 205.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 172 (Mississippi: 6,083)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 5,271.4 (Mississippi: 2,101.6)
> Total property crimes: 2,418 (Mississippi: 62,351)
> Population: 46,098
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Missouri: Hazelwood
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 1,097.8 (Missouri: 393.2)
> Total vehicle thefts: 275 (Missouri: 24,189)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,149.6 (Missouri: 2,531.0)
> Total property crimes: 789 (Missouri: 155,698)
> Population: 25,319
Montana: Billings
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 741.7 (Montana: 247.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 817 (Montana: 2,676)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,765.0 (Montana: 2,120.8)
> Total property crimes: 5,249 (Montana: 22,917)
> Population: 109,595
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Nebraska: Omaha
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 630.7 (Nebraska: 260.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 3,029 (Nebraska: 5,048)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,174.5 (Nebraska: 1,909.2)
> Total property crimes: 15,247 (Nebraska: 36,991)
> Population: 475,862
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Nevada: North Las Vegas
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 438.3 (Nevada: 336.4)
> Total vehicle thefts: 1,123 (Nevada: 10,556)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,623.6 (Nevada: 1,926.6)
> Total property crimes: 4,160 (Nevada: 60,462)
> Population: 241,369
New Hampshire: Rochester
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 185.8 (New Hampshire: 76.4)
> Total vehicle thefts: 59 (New Hampshire: 1,044)
> Property crimes per 100K people: N/A (New Hampshire: 1,098.9)
> Total property crimes: N/A (New Hampshire: 15,014)
> Population: 30,955
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New Jersey: Irvington
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 655.5 (New Jersey: 115.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 356 (New Jersey: 10,278)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,856.1 (New Jersey: 1,158.2)
> Total property crimes: 1,008 (New Jersey: 102,875)
> Population: 54,079
New Mexico: Albuquerque
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 883.3 (New Mexico: 427.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 4,965 (New Mexico: 9,006)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 5,012.1 (New Mexico: 2,841.9)
> Total property crimes: 28,171 (New Mexico: 59,859)
> Population: 559,374
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New York: Buffalo
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 467.4 (New York: 101.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 1,190 (New York: 19,656)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,080.6 (New York: 1,410.7)
> Total property crimes: 7,844 (New York: 272,788)
> Population: 256,480
North Carolina: Asheville
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 556.5 (North Carolina: 193.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 523 (North Carolina: 20,520)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 5,740.6 (North Carolina: 2,226.5)
> Total property crimes: 5,395 (North Carolina: 236,026)
> Population: 91,560
North Dakota: Fargo
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 366.4 (North Dakota: 271.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 465 (North Dakota: 2,074)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,468.9 (North Dakota: 2,124.1)
> Total property crimes: 4,403 (North Dakota: 16,256)
> Population: 121,889
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Ohio: Cleveland
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 775.7 (Ohio: 171.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 2,941 (Ohio: 20,077)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,070.7 (Ohio: 1,850.3)
> Total property crimes: 15,433 (Ohio: 216,363)
> Population: 385,282
Oklahoma: Tulsa
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 970.7 (Oklahoma: 378.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 3,904 (Oklahoma: 15,047)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 5,111.6 (Oklahoma: 2,705.6)
> Total property crimes: 20,557 (Oklahoma: 107,705)
> Population: 402,324
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Oregon: Woodburn
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 980.4 (Oregon: 391.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 260 (Oregon: 16,585)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,288.0 (Oregon: 2,659.0)
> Total property crimes: 872 (Oregon: 112,782)
> Population: 25,738
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 most likely to be stolen by default.
Rhode Island: Providence
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 302.9 (Rhode Island: 142.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 544 (Rhode Island: 1,509)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,414.8 (Rhode Island: 1,245.5)
> Total property crimes: 4,337 (Rhode Island: 13,166)
> Population: 179,494
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South Carolina: Spartanburg
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 685.9 (South Carolina: 282.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 257 (South Carolina: 14,718)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 6,101.0 (South Carolina: 2,721.1)
> Total property crimes: 2,286 (South Carolina: 141,987)
> Population: 37,424
South Dakota: Rapid City
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 593.7 (South Dakota: 259.3)
> Total vehicle thefts: 466 (South Dakota: 2,315)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,996.6 (South Dakota: 1,956.7)
> Total property crimes: 3,137 (South Dakota: 17,468)
> Population: 75,258
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Tennessee: Chattanooga
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 1,140.5 (Tennessee: 306.4)
> Total vehicle thefts: 2,101 (Tennessee: 21,098)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 6,356.3 (Tennessee: 2,492.8)
> Total property crimes: 11,709 (Tennessee: 171,675)
> Population: 179,690
Texas: Balch Springs
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 829.7 (Texas: 287.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 209 (Texas: 84,276)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,263.3 (Texas: 2,245.0)
> Total property crimes: 822 (Texas: 659,160)
> Population: 25,190
Utah: South Salt Lake
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 1,789.6 (Utah: 316.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 462 (Utah: 10,288)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 9,203.6 (Utah: 2,464.4)
> Total property crimes: 2,376 (Utah: 80,091)
> Population: 25,017
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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 most likely to be stolen by default.
Virginia: Portsmouth
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 528.6 (Virginia: 126.3)
> Total vehicle thefts: 498 (Virginia: 10,853)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,540.1 (Virginia: 1,456.4)
> Total property crimes: 4,277 (Virginia: 125,114)
> Population: 95,097
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Washington: SeaTac
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 1,236.3 (Washington: 356.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 362 (Washington: 27,399)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,760.6 (Washington: 2,732.4)
> Total property crimes: 1,394 (Washington: 210,223)
> Population: 29,019
West Virginia: Charleston
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 419.2 (West Virginia: 127.2)
> Total vehicle thefts: 193 (West Virginia: 2,271)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,609.2 (West Virginia: 1,399.4)
> Total property crimes: 2,122 (West Virginia: 24,976)
> Population: 48,006
Wisconsin: Milwaukee
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 761.8 (Wisconsin: 161.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 4,488 (Wisconsin: 9,393)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,728.5 (Wisconsin: 1,485.7)
> Total property crimes: 16,074 (Wisconsin: 86,654)
> Population: 594,548
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Wyoming: Cheyenne
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 379.9 (Wyoming: 165.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 246 (Wyoming: 964)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,376.0 (Wyoming: 1,610.6)
> Total property crimes: 2,186 (Wyoming: 9,379)
> Population: 63,607
Methodology
To determine the city where your car is most 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.
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