Over the last decade, the risk to public safety posed by fires has grown in the United States. The change has been driven in part by the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires, which typically start either naturally or through human carelessness. Each year, however, there are also thousands of cases of arson reported in the U.S. – in which private homes or other structures, vehicles, and even grasslands and forests are set on fire deliberately. (So far, these have been the 30 most destructive wildfires in the U.S. this century.)
According to data compiled by the United States Bomb Data Center, a division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a total of 33,628 cases of arson were reported nationwide between 2017 and 2021. Over that five-year period, arson cases resulted in 447 deaths and nearly 900 injuries. The vast majority of these reported arson cases were concentrated in just a handful of states.
Reviewing data from the USBDC’s five most recent annual Arson Incident Reports, collected as part of the Bomb Arson Tracking System, 24/7 Wall St. has identified the number of arson cases in each state between 2017 and 2021 and ranked them from fewest to most. It is important to note that arson data compiled by the ATF is dependent on real-time reported incidents and likely undercounts the actual number of arson cases.
Click here to see states most plagued by arson.
In most cases, the motive for arson is unknown or unreported. In cases where motive was identified, however, revenge, vandalism, and concealment of another crime and the most common reasons.
While many of the states with the most reported arson cases are also some of the largest by population, there are several notable exceptions. For example, Kansas, a state home to fewer than three million people, had over 1,800 cases of arson in the last five years. Meanwhile, in New York, a state with a population of over 20 million, had fewer than 700 over the same period. (Here is a look at America’s most dangerous states.)
50. Alaska
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 1
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 0.1 — the fewest
> Population (2020): 733,391 — 3rd smallest
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49. Hawaii
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 3
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 0.2 — 2nd fewest
> Population (2020): 1,455,271 — 11th smallest
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47. Vermont
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 4
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 0.6 — 4th fewest
> Population (2020): 643,077 — 2nd smallest
47. Wyoming
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 4
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 0.7 — 5th fewest
> Population (2020): 576,851 — the smallest
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46. Nebraska
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 24
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 1.2 — 8th fewest
> Population (2020): 1,961,504 — 14th smallest
45. Montana
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 26
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 2.4 — 14th fewest
> Population (2020): 1,084,225 — 7th smallest
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44. Massachusetts
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 31
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 0.4 — 3rd fewest
> Population (2020): 7,029,917 — 15th largest
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43. Idaho
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 32
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 1.7 — 11th fewest
> Population (2020): 1,839,106 — 13th smallest
42. North Dakota
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 34
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 4.4 — 25th fewest
> Population (2020): 779,094 — 4th smallest
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41. Connecticut
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 37
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 1.0 — 7th fewest
> Population (2020): 3,605,944 — 22nd smallest
40. Delaware
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 38
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 3.8 — 22nd fewest
> Population (2020): 989,948 — 6th smallest
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39. Mississippi
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 44
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 1.5 — 9th fewest
> Population (2020): 2,961,279 — 17th smallest
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38. South Dakota
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 45
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 5.1 — 25th most
> Population (2020): 886,667 — 5th smallest
37. Arkansas
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 48
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 1.6 — 10th fewest
> Population (2020): 3,011,524 — 18th smallest
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36. Maine
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 58
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 4.3 — 23rd fewest
> Population (2020): 1,362,359 — 9th smallest
35. Arizona
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 63
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 0.9 — 6th fewest
> Population (2020): 7,151,502 — 14th largest
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34. Rhode Island
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 75
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 6.8 — 19th most
> Population (2020): 1,097,379 — 8th smallest
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33. Oklahoma
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 99
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 2.5 — 15th fewest
> Population (2020): 3,959,353 — 23rd smallest
32. New Mexico
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 120
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 5.7 — 22nd most
> Population (2020): 2,117,522 — 15th smallest
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31. Oregon
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 128
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 3.0 — 17th fewest
> Population (2020): 4,237,256 — 24th smallest
30. Iowa
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 136
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 4.3 — 24th fewest
> Population (2020): 3,190,369 — 20th smallest
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29. New Hampshire
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 159
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 11.5 — 14th most
> Population (2020): 1,377,529 — 10th smallest
28. Wisconsin
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 176
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 3.0 — 16th fewest
> Population (2020): 5,893,718 — 20th largest
27. Minnesota
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 179
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 3.1 — 18th fewest
> Population (2020): 5,706,494 — 22nd largest
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26. Utah
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 182
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 5.6 — 23rd most
> Population (2020): 3,271,616 — 21st smallest
25. Michigan
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 211
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 2.1 — 12th fewest
> Population (2020): 10,077,331 — 10th largest
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24. Alabama
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 260
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 5.2 — 24th most
> Population (2020): 5,024,279 — 24th largest
23. Pennsylvania
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 288
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 2.2 — 13th fewest
> Population (2020): 13,002,700 — 5th largest
22. Colorado
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 334
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 5.8 — 21st most
> Population (2020): 5,773,714 — 21st largest
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21. New Jersey
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 342
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 3.7 — 21st fewest
> Population (2020): 9,288,994 — 11th largest
20. Louisiana
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 363
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 7.8 — 17th most
> Population (2020): 4,657,757 — 25th largest
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19. North Carolina
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 384
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 3.7 — 20th fewest
> Population (2020): 10,439,388 — 9th largest
18. South Carolina
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 447
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 8.7 — 15th most
> Population (2020): 5,118,425 — 23rd largest
17. Nevada
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 504
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 16.2 — 10th most
> Population (2020): 3,104,614 — 19th smallest
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16. Tennessee
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 532
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 7.7 — 18th most
> Population (2020): 6,910,840 — 16th largest
15. New York
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 672
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 3.3 — 19th fewest
> Population (2020): 20,201,249 — 4th largest
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14. Virginia
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 750
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 8.7 — 16th most
> Population (2020): 8,631,393 — 12th largest
13. West Virginia
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 796
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 44.4 — 2nd most
> Population (2020): 1,793,716 — 12th smallest
12. Washington
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 955
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 12.4 — 13th most
> Population (2020): 7,705,281 — 13th largest
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11. Kentucky
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 981
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 21.8 — 6th most
> Population (2020): 4,505,836 — 25th smallest
10. Indiana
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 1,063
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 15.7 — 11th most
> Population (2020): 6,785,528 — 17th largest
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9. Maryland
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 1,475
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 23.9 — 5th most
> Population (2020): 6,177,224 — 18th largest
8. Georgia
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 1,813
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 16.9 — 9th most
> Population (2020): 10,711,908 — 8th largest
7. Kansas
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 1,840
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 62.6 — the most
> Population (2020): 2,937,880 — 16th smallest
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6. Missouri
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 1,948
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 31.6 — 3rd most
> Population (2020): 6,154,913 — 19th largest
5. Ohio
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 2,316
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 19.6 — 7th most
> Population (2020): 11,799,448 — 7th largest
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4. California
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 2,391
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 6.0 — 20th most
> Population (2020): 39,538,223 — the largest
3. Illinois
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 3,556
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 27.8 — 4th most
> Population (2020): 12,812,508 — 6th largest
2. Florida
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 3,688
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 17.1 — 8th most
> Population (2020): 21,538,187 — 3rd largest
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1. Texas
> Cases of reported arson (2017-2021): 3,835
> Arson cases per 100,000 residents (2017-2021): 13.2 — 12th most
> Population (2020): 29,145,505 — 2nd largest
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