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Safety rankings · 50 states · violent and property crime per 100,000 residents · FBI

Safest States in America: All 50 Ranked by Crime Rate

Maine is the safest state in America in 2026, with 93.2 violent crimes per 100,000 residents against 328 nationally. New Hampshire and Rhode Island follow. Alaska ranks last, with 729.3 violent crimes per 100,000.

Every state ranked from safest to most dangerous on FBI crime rates, with the numbers behind each rank: violent and property crime, murder and car theft rates, whether crime rose or fell last year, and the safest and most dangerous big cities. Use it to check your state, weigh a move, or compare two states. How the score works →

#1 for safety · Grade A+
Maine94.5
Safety score out of 100
Violent crime per 100K
93.2 (#1)
Property crime per 100K
939.1 (#4)
Overall rank
#9
Full Maine profile →

Pick your state to see where it ranks for safety, the numbers behind its rank, and how it compares with the #1 state. We'll remember it on the other ranking pages.

Crime in America by the Numbers

The national lines every state is measured against, and how the latest FBI reports compare with the year before.

Average safety score
68.9
Median state: 71.5
US violent crime rate
328
Per 100K · lowest Maine 93.2
US property crime rate
1,548
Per 100K · lowest Idaho 605
Reported violent crime, latest year
−9.4%
Reported to the FBI · down in 44 of 48 states
US murder rate
4.3
Per 100K · reported by agencies, latest year
Big cities with FBI data
321
100,000+ residents · 1,085 cities in all
Read the national overview

The typical state scores 68.9 out of 100 for safety. Because each rate sits on a fixed scale, the gaps between states reflect real differences in crime: 21 states score 75 or higher and 1 below 30. Violent crime runs from 93.2 per 100,000 in Maine to 729.3 in Alaska; property crime from 605 in Idaho to 2,239.5 in New Mexico. Geography matters: the Northeast averages 79.3 while the West averages 61.2, and 5 of the 10 safest states are in the Northeast. The 10 safest states have an average median household income of $81,958, against $77,863 in the 10 least safe. In the latest full year of FBI reports, the national reported violent crime rate fell 9.4% and the reported property crime rate fell 12.2%.

Safety Score Map: All 50 States

Darker states score higher. Hover, focus, or tap a state to see its safety rank, score, and grade in the panel.

Map violent crime by state yourself →

The 10 Safest and 10 Most Dangerous States

The 10 highest and lowest safety scores, with each state's violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Maine is safest; Alaska ranks last.

10 safest states

Score · grade
  1. 1Maine93.2 violent · 939.1 property per 100K94.5A+
  2. 2New Hampshire117.6 violent · 818.1 property per 100K94.3A+
  3. 3Rhode Island144.1 violent · 910.5 property per 100K90.8A+
  4. 4Connecticut109.6 violent · 1,146 property per 100K90.1A+
  5. 5Idaho217.3 violent · 605 property per 100K86.6A+
  6. 6Wyoming179.9 violent · 1,038 property per 100K86.1A
  7. 7New Jersey193.8 violent · 1,249.6 property per 100K81.8A
  8. 8Wisconsin240.3 violent · 1,016.7 property per 100K81.6A
  9. 9West Virginia241.7 violent · 1,053.3 property per 100K80.9A
  10. 10Kentucky212.1 violent · 1,261.7 property per 100K80.2A

10 most dangerous states

Score · grade
  1. 50Alaska729.3 violent · 1,892.8 property per 100K29.5F
  2. 49New Mexico621.6 violent · 2,239.5 property per 100K32.9F
  3. 48Louisiana515.1 violent · 1,966.4 property per 100K45.5D
  4. 47Arkansas531.8 violent · 1,644.9 property per 100K48.9D
  5. 46Colorado421.7 violent · 2,143.6 property per 100K50.4D
  6. 45Tennessee492.3 violent · 1,636.6 property per 100K52.2D
  7. 44Kansas457.2 violent · 1,796.5 property per 100K52.7D
  8. 43California432.7 violent · 1,792.2 property per 100K54.7D
  9. 42Nevada379.2 violent · 1,996 property per 100K55.9C
  10. 41Oklahoma407.7 violent · 1,813.5 property per 100K56.4C

Rates are the FBI's state estimates. North Dakota and Florida show the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.

Violent Crime Rate and Property Crime by State

Violent crime (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) carries 60% of the score and property crime (burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft) 40%. The two do not always agree: some states are calm on one and not the other.

Lowest violent crime rate

Per 100K
  1. 1Maine#1 for safety93.2
  2. 2Connecticut#4 for safety109.6
  3. 3New Hampshire#2 for safety117.6
  4. 4Rhode Island#3 for safety144.1
  5. 5Wyoming#6 for safety179.9
  6. 6New Jersey#7 for safety193.8
  7. 7Hawaii#21 for safety205.1
  8. 8Virginia#13 for safety205.9

Highest violent crime rate

Per 100K
  1. 50Alaska#50 for safety729.3
  2. 49New Mexico#49 for safety621.6
  3. 48Arkansas#47 for safety531.8
  4. 47Louisiana#48 for safety515.1
  5. 46Tennessee#45 for safety492.3
  6. 45Kansas#44 for safety457.2
  7. 44California#43 for safety432.7
  8. 43Colorado#46 for safety421.7

Lowest property crime rate

Per 100K
  1. 1Idaho#5 for safety605
  2. 2New Hampshire#2 for safety818.1
  3. 3Rhode Island#3 for safety910.5
  4. 4Maine#1 for safety939.1
  5. 5Wisconsin#8 for safety1,016.7
  6. 6Massachusetts#19 for safety1,031.2
  7. 7Wyoming#6 for safety1,038
  8. 8Indiana#11 for safety1,052.2

Highest property crime rate

Per 100K
  1. 50New Mexico#49 for safety2,239.5
  2. 49Colorado#46 for safety2,143.6
  3. 48Oregon#39 for safety2,118
  4. 47Nevada#42 for safety1,996
  5. 46Washington#30 for safety1,974.8
  6. 45Louisiana#48 for safety1,966.4
  7. 44Alaska#50 for safety1,892.8
  8. 43Maryland#37 for safety1,819.7

North Dakota and Florida show the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.

Safe on one measure, not the other

Low violent crime, high property crime

Property rank
  1. #7Hawaii205.1 violent · 1,603.8 property#32
  2. #25Washington283.9 violent · 1,974.8 property#46
  3. #22North Dakota256.7 violent · 1,698 property#37
  4. #10Vermont214.4 violent · 1,419.3 property#24
  5. #8Virginia205.9 violent · 1,353.5 property#18

Low property crime, high violent crime

Violent rank
  1. #13Michigan1,258.5 property · 416.2 violent#40
  2. #6Massachusetts1,031.2 property · 302.7 violent#27
  3. #5Wisconsin1,016.7 property · 240.3 violent#18
  4. #8Indiana1,052.2 property · 254.4 violent#21
  5. #16South Dakota1,312.3 property · 307.5 violent#28

Left number: the state's rank for the rate it does well on; right number: its rank for the other (1 = lowest rate of 50). Hawaii is the widest split: #7 for violent crime but #32 for property crime.

Crime Rates by Type: Murder, Robbery, Car Theft

How each state's crime breaks down by offense, from the latest full year of offenses reported to the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Aggravated assault makes up 72.3% of reported violent crime nationally and larceny-theft 74.4% of reported property crime.

What violent crime is made of (US)

  • Murder1.3% · 4.3 per 100K reported
  • Rape11.3% · 37 per 100K reported
  • Robbery15.2% · 50 per 100K reported
  • Aggravated assault72.3% · 238 per 100K reported

What property crime is made of (US)

  • Burglary12.6% · 195 per 100K reported
  • Larceny-theft74.4% · 1,147 per 100K reported
  • Motor vehicle theft13.0% · 200 per 100K reported

Highest murder rate

Per 100K
  1. 1New Mexico#49 for safety9.0
  2. 2Alabama#28 for safety8.6
  3. 3Missouri#40 for safety7.3
  4. 4Tennessee#45 for safety6.6
  5. 5North Carolina#33 for safety6.5
  6. 6South Carolina#38 for safety6.5
  7. 7Arkansas#47 for safety6.4
  8. 8Alaska#50 for safety6.4

Lowest murder rate

Per 100K
  1. 1New Hampshire#2 for safety1.2
  2. 2Massachusetts#19 for safety1.4
  3. 3North Dakota#27 for safety1.5
  4. 4Maine#1 for safety1.5
  5. 5Vermont#17 for safety1.7
  6. 6Iowa#12 for safety1.7
  7. 7Rhode Island#3 for safety1.7
  8. 8Idaho#5 for safety1.9

Highest robbery rate

Per 100K
  1. 1California#43 for safety95
  2. 2New York#34 for safety91
  3. 3Maryland#37 for safety86
  4. 4Alaska#50 for safety85
  5. 5Illinois#22 for safety63
  6. 6Nevada#42 for safety57
  7. 7New Mexico#49 for safety54
  8. 8Washington#30 for safety53

Most car thefts

Per 100K
  1. 1Nevada#42 for safety401
  2. 2New Mexico#49 for safety334
  3. 3Maryland#37 for safety320
  4. 4California#43 for safety317
  5. 5Colorado#46 for safety315
  6. 6Missouri#40 for safety298
  7. 7Hawaii#21 for safety292
  8. 8Alaska#50 for safety281

Highest burglary rate

Per 100K
  1. 1New Mexico#49 for safety415
  2. 2Oklahoma#41 for safety368
  3. 3Washington#30 for safety319
  4. 4Nevada#42 for safety318
  5. 5North Carolina#33 for safety299
  6. 6Kansas#44 for safety290
  7. 7Colorado#46 for safety289
  8. 8Arkansas#47 for safety286

Highest larceny-theft rate

Per 100K
  1. 1Oregon#39 for safety1,687
  2. 2Colorado#46 for safety1,611
  3. 3New Mexico#49 for safety1,587
  4. 4Washington#30 for safety1,428
  5. 5Kansas#44 for safety1,393
  6. 6Alaska#50 for safety1,372
  7. 7Maryland#37 for safety1,359
  8. 8New York#34 for safety1,310

Offenses reported by each state's law enforcement agencies, per 100,000 residents of the areas they cover. 48 states are ranked; Mississippi and Louisiana are left out because their reporting agencies covered fewer than 80% of residents. These are reported counts, not the statewide estimates behind the safety score, so the two can differ.

Explore the FBI Crime Data Explorer →

Crime Rate by State: All 50 Ranked

Every state's safety score, violent and property crime rates, murder and car theft rates, and the latest one-year change. Click a column header to re-sort, search for a state, or narrow the list by region, grade, or trend. The # column is always the safety rank, even after you filter.

Grade
Latest year
50 states
#GradeRegion
1Maine94.5939391.560−7.4%#9A+Northeast
2New Hampshire94.31188181.254+6.0%#1A+Northeast
3Rhode Island90.81449111.7106−5.9%#19A+Northeast
4Connecticut90.11101,1461.9172−20.2%#16A+Northeast
5Idaho86.62176051.954−6.5%#4A+West
6Wyoming86.11801,0383.383−11.8%#2AWest
7New Jersey81.81941,2502.0148−10.5%#28ANortheast
8Wisconsin81.62401,0174.1135−15.0%#11AMidwest
9West Virginia80.92421,0534.472+0.7%#44ASouth
10Kentucky80.22121,2622.8193−5.5%#41ASouth
11Indiana79.92541,0525.0177−14.0%#22B+Midwest
12Iowa79.82341,1721.7120−3.7%#14B+Midwest
13Virginia79.32061,3544.3114−6.1%#15B+South
14Mississippi79.02271,264———#46B+South
15Pennsylvania78.12271,3244.2190−8.8%#25B+Northeast
16Nebraska78.02181,3792.3187−0.8%#10B+Midwest
17Vermont77.72141,4191.749−3.0%#8B+Northeast
18Minnesota77.12241,4122.3166−12.9%#12B+Midwest
19Massachusetts76.43031,0311.489−5.3%#13BNortheast
20Utah76.02361,4162.597−5.5%#6BWest
21Hawaii75.72051,6042.0292−7.2%#17BWest
22Illinois73.42511,5084.6248−12.6%#39BMidwest
23Florida73.12751,4023.066−4.2%#21BSouth
24Ohio72.62761,4295.0191−7.7%#33BMidwest
25South Dakota71.83081,3123.4145−8.3%#3BMidwest
26Georgia71.22971,4095.7160−8.2%#26BSouth
27North Dakota70.22571,6981.5154−6.8%#5C+Midwest
28Alabama66.33481,4628.6163−7.3%#37C+South
29Delaware65.03471,5594.1191−4.5%#30C+Northeast
30Washington63.92841,9753.0259−12.1%#20C+West
31Michigan63.94161,2594.5188−2.6%#45C+Midwest
32Arizona63.23781,5144.8183−11.6%#38C+West
33North Carolina63.13301,7806.5207−13.6%#23C+South
34New York63.03681,5752.4129−6.2%#29C+Northeast
35Texas61.83451,7864.7251−12.3%#32CSouth
36Montana60.94191,4492.8137−1.4%#7CWest
37Maryland60.33581,8205.4320−14.3%#31CNortheast
38South Carolina60.03881,6766.5165−11.7%#36CSouth
39Oregon59.63112,1183.0217−6.5%#35CWest
40Missouri58.14181,6447.3298−10.0%#34CMidwest
41Oklahoma56.44081,8145.0196−4.1%#43CSouth
42Nevada55.93791,9965.0401−6.1%#40CWest
43California54.74331,7923.5317−9.1%#47DWest
44Kansas52.74571,7974.7225+0.2%#27DMidwest
45Tennessee52.24921,6376.6229−17.5%#24DSouth
46Colorado50.44222,1443.9315−10.3%#18DWest
47Arkansas48.95321,6456.4142−9.2%#48DSouth
48Louisiana45.55151,966———#50DSouth
49New Mexico32.96222,2409.0334−13.0%#49FWest
50Alaska29.57291,8936.4281+0.6%#42FWest

Score combines the violent crime rate (60%) and the property crime rate (40%) per 100,000 residents, each on a fixed scale; Violent and Property are those scored rates, the FBI's state estimates (hover for the state's rank, 1 = lowest). Florida and North Dakota show the prior year's estimate because their latest year is based on limited data. Murder, Car theft, and Reported violent, 1 yr come from the latest offenses reported to the FBI Crime Data Explorer and are not scored; a dash means the state's reporting agencies covered fewer than 80% of residents in that year. Overall is the state's rank across all 11 categories.

The Safest and Most Dangerous Big Cities

Among the 321 cities of 100,000 or more whose own police department filed a full year of FBI reports, Pembroke Pines, FL is the safest and Oakland, CA the least safe.

Safest cities of 100,000+

#CityScoreViolentProperty
1Pembroke PinesFL98.642686
2CarmelIN98.651689
3NapervilleIL98.270569
4FishersIN98.278467
5AllenTX96.779709
6SurpriseAZ95.786781
7League CityTX95.2601,072
8CaryNC95.175966
9FriscoTX94.998790
10MiramarFL94.9121585

Most dangerous cities of 100,000+

#CityScoreViolentProperty
1OaklandCA5.41,4755,255
2St. LouisMO6.91,2305,048
3MemphisTN7.11,8535,029
4WichitaKS9.91,2094,645
5MinneapolisMN10.81,0044,518
6BirminghamAL11.21,2394,466
7PuebloCO12.11,1774,336
8AlbuquerqueNM14.21,0244,044
9DaytonOH14.41,2304,027
10BaltimoreMD14.51,3514,009

City scores weigh violent crime 60% and property crime 40% per 100,000 residents on wider fixed scales than the state score (50-1000 and 500-6,000). Only cities whose police department reported all twelve months are ranked; cities served by a county sheriff or a metro-wide department, or with a partial year of reports, are left out rather than estimated.

The safest city in each state

Listed only where the state's best city of 50,000+ residents has a violent crime rate below the US rate of 328 per 100,000.

The highest-scoring city of 50,000 or more residents in each state, among cities with a full year of FBI reports. Left out because even the best qualifying city is above the US violent crime rate: Alaska (Anchorage, 1,027 per 100K), Delaware (Wilmington, 1,152 per 100K), Montana (Bozeman, 397 per 100K), and South Dakota (Sioux Falls, 364 per 100K). Hawaii, Vermont, and West Virginia have no city of that size with a full year of reports.

Search all 1,312 cities →

How the Safety Score Is Calculated

Two FBI crime rates, each placed on a fixed scale and weighted into one score. Here is what each number means and what it leaves out.

What the score measures

Violent crime per 100,000 residents (60%): murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Property crime per 100,000 residents (40%): burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft. Both are the FBI's official state estimates for the latest year. North Dakota and Florida show the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.

Fixed scales, not a curve

Violent crime maps onto 0-100 between 50 and 800 per 100,000, property crime between 800 and 3,500; a lower rate scores higher, and rates outside a band count as 0 or 100. Every state can improve at once.

Why violent crime counts more

Violent crime threatens people directly and shapes how safe residents feel, so it carries 60% of the score. Property crime is far more common but less severe, so it carries 40%.

Weight in the overall score

12%

Safety is one of 11 categories in each state's composite score, weighted at 12%, tied with health and education and behind only the economy. See the overall rankings →

Letter grades

Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1-5, A for 6-10, B+ for 11-18, B for 19-26, C+ for 27-34, C for 35-42, D for 43-48, and F for 49-50.

Crime types and trends

The offense breakdown and the one-year and 5-year changes come from offenses reported to the FBI Crime Data Explorer by each state's agencies. They are shown for context and are not scored. A year counts only when reporting agencies covered at least 80% of the state's residents.

City crime

City rates come from twelve months of FBI reports filed by each city's own police department, divided by the population it serves. 1,085 tracked cities qualify. Cities policed by a county sheriff or metro-wide department, or with a partial year, get no safety score.

What is not counted

Traffic deaths, drug overdoses, domestic incidents that are never reported, white-collar and online fraud, and natural hazards. Crime concentrates in a few neighborhoods, so a statewide rate says little about any one street.

Always the latest releases

This page is rebuilt from the most recent FBI data each source has published (checked October 2026). Scores change when a new release moves a state's crime rates.

Read the full methodology →

Key Takeaways

Patterns in the crime data that the table alone does not show.

  1. The Northeast holds most of the top 10

    5 of the 10 safest states are in the Northeast: Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey. By average score the Northeast leads at 79.3, against 61.2 for the West. 5 of the 10 least safe states are in the West: Nevada, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Alaska.

  2. Violent and property crime do not move together

    Hawaii has the #7 lowest violent crime rate (205.1 per 100,000) but ranks #32 for property crime (1,603.8). Michigan runs the other way: #13 for property crime and #40 for violent crime. Violent crime carries 60% of the score, so it decides most ranks.

  3. Big states land in the middle

    The 10 most populous states rank between #15 (Pennsylvania) and #43 (California). 1 of them ranks in the top 20. 47% of Americans live in a state with a violent crime rate below the national rate of 328 per 100,000.

  4. Safer states are richer, and less urban

    The 10 safest states have an average median household income of $81,958, against $77,863 in the 10 least safe. They are also less urban: on average 11.3% of their residents live in a city of 100,000 or more, compared with 37.5% in the bottom 10.

  5. Violent crime fell in most states last year

    In the latest full year of FBI reports, the reported violent crime rate fell in 44 of the 48 states with reliable coverage in both years and rose in 4. Nationally the reported rate fell 9.4%. Connecticut saw the largest drop (−20.2%). New Hampshire saw the largest rise (+6.0%).

  6. City gaps dwarf state gaps

    Among cities of 100,000 or more with a full year of FBI reports, Pembroke Pines, FL records 42 violent crimes per 100,000 and Oakland, CA records 1,475, a 35-fold difference. Between the safest and least safe states the gap is 7.8-fold.

Average safety score by region

Mean safety score of the states in each Census region, with the average violent crime rate per 100,000.

  1. 1Northeast11 states · 225 violent79.3
  2. 2Midwest12 states · 296 violent71.6
  3. 3South14 states · 344 violent65.6
  4. 4West13 states · 370 violent61.2

The Northeast averages 225 violent crimes per 100,000 residents; the West averages 370.

Go Deeper

Best states for families →

Safety and schools carry the most weight when every category is re-weighted for households with kids.

Best states for retirees →

Taxes, healthcare, housing costs, and safety for a retired couple.

Compare two states →

Crime, costs, and every other category side by side.

All 1,312 cities ranked →

Search and sort every city we track by safety, income, and cost of living.

Where Americans are moving →

State-to-state migration flows, and whether people leave high-crime states.

What Are the Safest States in America 2026? Crime Rates Ranked →

The data story behind the safest states.

Other categoriesEconomyHealthEducationFiscal HealthGrowthAffordabilityEnvironmentOutdoor AccessTransportationLivability

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the safest state in America?

Maine is the safest state in America with a safety score of 94.5 out of 100. It records 93.2 violent crimes and 939.1 property crimes per 100,000 residents, against national rates of 328 and 1,548. New Hampshire (94.3) and Rhode Island (90.8) rank second and third.

What are the 10 safest states in the US?

The 10 safest states are Maine (94.5), New Hampshire (94.3), Rhode Island (90.8), Connecticut (90.1), Idaho (86.6), Wyoming (86.1), New Jersey (81.8), Wisconsin (81.6), West Virginia (80.9), and Kentucky (80.2). 5 of the 10 are in the Northeast.

What is the most dangerous state in America?

Alaska ranks last (#50) for safety with a score of 29.5: 729.3 violent crimes and 1,892.8 property crimes per 100,000 residents. New Mexico (#49) and Louisiana (#48) are next. Crime is concentrated in specific neighborhoods, so most residents of any state never experience a violent crime in a given year.

What are the 10 most dangerous states?

By safety score, the 10 least safe states are Alaska (29.5), New Mexico (32.9), Louisiana (45.5), Arkansas (48.9), Colorado (50.4), Tennessee (52.2), Kansas (52.7), California (54.7), Nevada (55.9), and Oklahoma (56.4). 5 of them are in the West.

Which state has the lowest crime rate?

Maine has the lowest violent crime rate at 93.2 per 100,000 residents, followed by Connecticut (109.6), New Hampshire (117.6), and Rhode Island (144.1). For property crime, Idaho is lowest at 605 per 100,000, followed by New Hampshire (818.1), Rhode Island (910.5), and Maine (939.1).

Which state has the highest violent crime rate?

Alaska has the highest violent crime rate at 729.3 per 100,000 residents, about 1 in 137 residents a year. New Mexico (621.6), Arkansas (531.8), and Louisiana (515.1) follow. 4 states top 500 per 100,000, and 6 states stay under 200.

Which state has the highest property crime rate?

New Mexico has the highest property crime rate at 2,239.5 per 100,000 residents, followed by Colorado (2,143.6), Oregon (2,118), and Nevada (1,996). Property crime covers burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft, and it is far more common than violent crime: the national rate is 1,548 per 100,000.

What is the national violent crime rate?

Weighted by population, the United States records about 328 violent crimes and 1,548 property crimes per 100,000 residents, based on the state rates this page scores. The unweighted average state records 313 violent crimes. 47% of Americans live in a state below the national violent crime rate.

Is crime going up or down in the US?

Down in most states. In the latest full year of FBI reports, the reported violent crime rate fell in 44 of the 48 states with reliable coverage in both years and the reported property crime rate fell in 47. The national reported violent crime rate fell 9.4% and the reported property crime rate fell 12.2%. Over 5 years, violent crime is lower in 38 of 43 states with comparable data. Look up your state in the table on this page for its own change.

Which state has the highest murder rate?

In the latest FBI reports, New Mexico has the highest murder rate at 9.0 per 100,000 residents, followed by Alabama (8.6), Missouri (7.3), and Tennessee (6.6). New Hampshire has the lowest at 1.2. These rates cover the 48 states whose reporting agencies cover at least 80% of residents.

Which state has the most car thefts?

Nevada reports the most motor vehicle thefts at 401 per 100,000 residents, followed by New Mexico (334), Maryland (320), and California (317). Vermont reports the fewest (49).

What is the safest big city in America?

Among the 321 cities of 100,000 or more with a full year of FBI reports from their own police department, Pembroke Pines, Florida is the safest, with 42 violent and 686 property crimes per 100,000 residents. Carmel, IN, Naperville, IL, Fishers, IN, and Allen, TX follow.

What is the most dangerous city in America?

Among cities of 100,000 or more with a full year of FBI reports, Oakland, California has the lowest safety score, with 1,475 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. St. Louis, MO, Memphis, TN, Wichita, KS, and Minneapolis, MN follow. Cities whose police agency filed less than a full year of reports are left out rather than estimated.

Why is Maine the safest state?

Maine ranks #1 for violent crime and #4 for property crime among the 50 states. It has no city of 100,000 or more, and its median household income is $76,442. It ranks #9 overall across all 11 categories. Its safest tracked city of 50,000 or more is Portland.

How is the safety score calculated?

The score combines two FBI estimated rates per 100,000 residents: violent crime (murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) for 60% and property crime (burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft) for 40%. Each sits on a fixed scale, 50 to 800 for violent crime and 800 to 3,500 for property crime, where a lower rate scores higher. Safety counts for 12% of each state's overall score.

Does a big population make a state more dangerous?

Not by itself: every rate is per 100,000 residents. Among the 10 most populous states, Pennsylvania is #15, Illinois is #22, Florida is #23, Ohio is #24, Georgia is #26, Michigan is #31, North Carolina is #33, New York is #34, Texas is #35, and California is #43. What tracks crime more closely is concentration in large cities: on average 37.5% of residents in the 10 least safe states live in a city of 100,000 or more, against 11.3% in the 10 safest.

Where do California, Texas, Florida, and New York rank for safety?

California ranks #43 (432.7 violent crimes per 100,000), Texas ranks #35 (344.9 violent crimes per 100,000), Florida ranks #23 (275.2 violent crimes per 100,000), and New York ranks #34 (368.4 violent crimes per 100,000). The safest of the 10 biggest states is Pennsylvania (#15).

Can a state have low violent crime but high property crime?

Yes. Hawaii (#7 for violent crime, #32 for property crime), Washington (#25 for violent crime, #46 for property crime), and North Dakota (#22 for violent crime, #37 for property crime) are the clearest cases. The reverse holds in Michigan, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin, where property crime is low and violent crime is higher. Rank 1 is the lowest rate.

Which region of the US is the safest?

The Northeast has the highest average safety score at 79.3, followed by the Midwest (71.6), South (65.6), and West (61.2). The Northeast's states average 225 violent crimes per 100,000; the West's average 370.

How much does safety count in the overall state rankings?

Safety is 12% of each state's composite score, tied with health and education and behind only the economy (15%). Maine, the safest state, ranks #9 overall; Alaska, #50 for safety, ranks #42 overall. Safety also carries extra weight in the best states for families ranking at americadashboard.com/best-places/families.

Where does the crime data come from, and how current is it?

State violent and property crime rates, the ones scored and ranked, are the FBI's official estimates of all crimes per 100,000 residents, which fill in for agencies that did not report. Florida and North Dakota show the FBI's prior-year estimate because the FBI flags their latest year as based on limited data. The crime-type breakdown and year-over-year trends come from the latest offenses reported to the FBI Crime Data Explorer by each state's agencies; a state is included only when those agencies cover at least 80% of its residents, so a few states are left out. City rates come from twelve months of FBI reports filed by each city's own police department (1,085 cities). The page is rebuilt when the FBI publishes a new release.

Safety Rank for Every State

Every state's safety rank, score, and violent crime rate. Click through for the full profile, including the state's cities.

North Dakota and Florida show the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.