Crime in the United States is highly geographic. The same FBI data that puts Maine at about one violent crime per 1,000 residents puts Alaska at about one per 140. This guide compares the 50 states on the two standard FBI Uniform Crime Reporting measures, violent crime rate and property crime rate, both per 100,000 residents, for 2024.
Top 10 safest states
Ranked by violent crime rate, the usual measure of personal safety. Four of the top five are in New England. A low violent crime rate does not always mean low property crime: Hawaii's property crime rate is above the national average of 1,760.1.
| Rank | State | Violent crime (per 100k) | Property crime (per 100k) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | 100.1 | 1,142.1 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 110.1 | 918.0 |
| 3 | Connecticut | 136.0 | 1,366.1 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 153.6 | 1,032.4 |
| 5 | Wyoming | 203.4 | 1,231.9 |
| 6 | Mississippi | 210.5 | 1,363.0 |
| 7 | Kentucky | 213.1 | 1,349.9 |
| 8 | Hawaii | 217.7 | 1,946.8 |
| 8 | New Jersey | 217.7 | 1,427.3 |
| 10 | Virginia | 217.9 | 1,569.7 |
Source: FBI, Crime in the United States 2024, Table 4 (released 2025, Crime Data Explorer). Rates per 100,000 residents, ranked over the 50 states, excluding DC and Puerto Rico. State totals include FBI estimates for agencies that did not report. Hawaii and New Jersey tie at 217.7.
Why Maine ranks #1
Maine recorded 100.1 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2024, under a third of the national rate of 359.1. Its aggravated assault rate, 55.0, was the lowest of the 50 states and its robbery rate, 11.0, the fourth lowest. The FBI figures do not say why, but Maine has two traits that go with lower violent crime:
- No large city. About 1.4 million people live in the state, and Portland, the largest city, had about 68,000 residents at the 2020 census.
- An older population. Maine has the highest median age of the 50 states, and violent crime is concentrated among young adults.
New Hampshire, second, had the lowest homicide rate (1.0 per 100,000) and the lowest burglary rate (48.1) of the 50 states in 2024. Its homicide rate is about a tenth of Louisiana's (10.8) or New Mexico's (10.5).
The 10 states with the highest violent crime rates
At the other end of the table, by violent crime rate in 2024, Alaska and New Mexico are far ahead of every other state. Alaska has the highest rape rate of the 50 states; New Mexico has the highest rates of aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft and property crime overall.
| Rank (worst) | State | Violent crime (per 100k) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 724.1 | Highest violent crime rate and highest rape rate (122.1) of the 50 states. |
| 2 | New Mexico | 717.1 | Highest property crime rate (2,751.1) and aggravated assault rate (587.5). |
| 3 | Tennessee | 592.3 | Third-highest aggravated assault rate (488.6). |
| 4 | Arkansas | 579.4 | Second-highest rape rate (69.9). |
| 5 | Louisiana | 519.8 | Highest homicide rate of the 50 states (10.8). |
| 6 | California | 486.0 | Second-highest robbery rate (119.1). |
| 7 | Colorado | 476.3 | Second-highest property crime (2,592.8) and motor vehicle theft (490.6) rates. |
| 8 | Missouri | 462.0 | Fifth-highest homicide rate (7.8). |
| 9 | Kansas | 438.7 | Property crime also above the national average, at 1,956.4. |
| 10 | South Carolina | 436.7 | Homicide rate of 7.5, half again the national 5.0. |
Violent crime vs property crime: a different ranking
These two categories often correlate but not always.
Lowest violent crime per capita
- Maine, 100.1
- New Hampshire, 110.1
- Connecticut, 136.0
- Rhode Island, 153.6
- Wyoming, 203.4
Lowest property crime per capita
- Idaho, 736.3
- New Hampshire, 918.0
- Rhode Island, 1,032.4
- Massachusetts, 1,112.1
- Maine, 1,142.1
Highest violent crime per capita
- Alaska, 724.1
- New Mexico, 717.1
- Tennessee, 592.3
- Arkansas, 579.4
- Louisiana, 519.8
All figures per 100,000 residents, FBI 2024. Idaho shows how far the two measures can part: the lowest property crime rate in the country, but only the 14th lowest violent crime rate.
What the rankings hide
State averages can be misleading. A few important caveats:
- One city can move a state. Memphis distorts Tennessee, New Orleans distorts Louisiana, Albuquerque distorts New Mexico.
- Urban vs rural. Rural counties tend to have lower violent crime than big cities, even inside "dangerous" states.
- Reporting differences. Some agencies stopped reporting under the FBI's new NIBRS system, leaving gaps in coverage.
- Property crime patterns shift. Auto theft has spiked in cities like Denver, Memphis and St. Louis in recent years.
- Property > violent. In raw numbers, property crime dwarfs violent crime everywhere, but it weighs less heavily on quality of life.
Safest regions of the US
Grouped by our 4 census regions:
- Northeast, the safest region on both measures in 2024 (violent 279.9, property 1,462.0), led by New England (ME, NH, CT, RI).
- Midwest, mixed: Nebraska and Iowa are in the lowest third for violent crime; Missouri and Kansas are among the ten highest.
- West, the highest-crime region on both measures in 2024 (violent 434.5, property 2,086.0), though Wyoming ranks fifth and Utah and Idaho sit in the lowest third for violent crime; Alaska, New Mexico, California and Colorado are among the most dangerous.
- South, second for violent crime (364.3) and the highest homicide rate of the four regions (6.2 per 100,000).
Learn the 50 states the fun way
Statedoku is a daily US-states puzzle. Quick, clever, and you absorb geography without trying.
Play today's puzzleBeyond crime: other safety factors
If you're using "safest" in a broader sense, weigh these too:
- Natural disasters. Hurricanes (FL, LA, TX coast), tornadoes (OK, KS, MO, AL), earthquakes (CA, AK), wildfires (CA, OR, WA), floods (LA, MS), see our guide to states with the most natural disasters.
- Road safety. Mississippi, South Carolina and Wyoming have the highest road fatality rates per capita; Massachusetts and New York the lowest.
- Healthcare access. Massachusetts and Hawaii consistently rank highest; Mississippi and Texas lowest.
Frequently asked questions
What is the safest state?
Maine has had the lowest violent crime rate in recent FBI data, with New Hampshire close behind, followed by Connecticut and Rhode Island.
What is the most dangerous state?
Alaska by violent crime rate per capita. New Mexico is often #2.
Why is the South higher in crime?
By homicide, yes: in 2024 the South had 6.2 per 100,000, the highest of the four census regions, against 5.0 nationally. By overall violent and property crime, the West was higher. Higher poverty rates are the factor most often cited for the South's homicide rate.
Where can I check official numbers?
The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) and the newer National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) publish state-level data annually.
Is New York City really safer than the US average?
By homicide rate, yes: NYC has been below the US average for years and is one of the safest large US cities, though its overall violent crime rate is above the national average.