Crime in the United States is highly geographic. The same FBI data that puts New Hampshire at one violent crime per 770 residents puts Alaska at one per 130. This guide ranks all 50 states using the most common FBI Uniform Crime Reporting metrics: violent crime rate and property crime rate, both per 100,000 residents.
Top 10 safest states
These ten consistently rank in the lowest tier for combined violent + property crime. New England and the Upper Midwest dominate.
| Rank | State | Violent crime (per 100k) | Property crime (per 100k) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | ~130 | ~1,100 |
| 2 | Maine | ~110 | ~1,200 |
| 3 | Vermont | ~170 | ~1,400 |
| 4 | New Jersey | ~190 | ~1,300 |
| 5 | Connecticut | ~180 | ~1,700 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | ~210 | ~1,600 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | ~310 | ~1,300 |
| 8 | Idaho | ~220 | ~1,500 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | ~290 | ~1,500 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | ~390 | ~1,300 |
Why New Hampshire ranks #1
New Hampshire combines several factors that correlate with low crime nationwide:
- Low poverty rate — among the lowest in the country.
- High educational attainment — about 38% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
- No major metro — Manchester, the largest city, has ~115,000 residents.
- Stable demographics and high home ownership.
- Strong public schools and well-funded local policing.
The state's homicide rate (~1 per 100,000) is roughly one-tenth that of Louisiana or Mississippi.
The 10 states with the highest crime rates
At the other end of the table, southern and frontier states dominate, but for different reasons. Alaska's number is driven by a combination of remote geography and high rates of assault. New Mexico and Louisiana have urban centers (Albuquerque, New Orleans, Baton Rouge) with elevated violent crime rates.
| Rank (worst) | State | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | Highest violent crime rate; remote villages, alcohol, limited policing. |
| 2 | New Mexico | High property + violent crime; centered on Albuquerque. |
| 3 | Louisiana | High homicide rate; concentrated in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. |
| 4 | Tennessee | Memphis drives state averages up. |
| 5 | Arkansas | Among the highest violent crime rates in the South. |
| 6 | Missouri | St. Louis is consistently in the top 5 cities for violent crime. |
| 7 | South Carolina | High property + violent crime statewide. |
| 8 | Colorado | Property crime is high; auto theft especially. |
| 9 | Oklahoma | Tulsa and Oklahoma City drive state averages. |
| 10 | Nevada | Las Vegas property crime + violent crime above average. |
Violent crime vs property crime: a different ranking
These two categories often correlate but not always.
Lowest violent crime per capita
- Maine — ~110
- New Hampshire — ~130
- Vermont — ~170
- Connecticut — ~180
- New Jersey — ~190
Lowest property crime per capita
- New Hampshire — ~1,100
- Maine — ~1,200
- New Jersey — ~1,300
- Massachusetts — ~1,300
- Pennsylvania — ~1,300
Highest violent crime per capita
- Alaska — ~830
- New Mexico — ~780
- Tennessee — ~670
- Louisiana — ~660
- Arkansas — ~640
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 almost always have lower violent crime than urban counties — 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 — by far the safest region (NH, ME, VT, NJ, CT, RI, MA).
- Midwest — mixed: Wisconsin and Minnesota are safe; Missouri and Illinois are not.
- West — also mixed: Idaho, Utah, Wyoming safe; Alaska, New Mexico, Nevada dangerous.
- South — generally the highest-crime region by both measures.
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Play today's puzzle →Beyond 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?
New Hampshire, consistently. Maine and Vermont follow.
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?
A combination of higher poverty rates, more rural counties with limited services, larger uninsured populations, and a concentration of historically underfunded inner cities.
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?
Yes — by violent crime per capita, NYC has been below the US average for years and is one of the safest large cities in the country.