Data / Rankings / Female imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) / US states

US states by female imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners)

Oklahoma had the highest female imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) of 50 states in 2017, at 157 per 100,000 people. Massachusetts had the lowest, at 11 per 100,000 people. The median was 55 per 100,000 people and the figure for the United States was 63 per 100,000 people. Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest157Oklahoma
Lowest11Massachusetts
Median5550 states
United States63History

Map of states, 2017

Alabama: 70 per 100,000 peopleAlaska: 22 per 100,000 peopleArizona: 104 per 100,000 peopleArkansas: 92 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia: 29 per 100,000 peopleColorado: 68 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut: 26 per 100,000 peopleDelaware: 37 per 100,000 peopleFlorida: 62 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia: 70 per 100,000 peopleHawaii: 38 per 100,000 peopleIdaho: 114 per 100,000 peopleIllinois: 35 per 100,000 peopleIndiana: 71 per 100,000 peopleIowa: 51 per 100,000 peopleKansas: 58 per 100,000 peopleKentucky: 133 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana: 82 per 100,000 peopleMaine: 22 per 100,000 peopleMaryland: 27 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts: 11 per 100,000 peopleMichigan: 42 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota: 26 per 100,000 peopleMississippi: 84 per 100,000 peopleMissouri: 109 per 100,000 peopleMontana: 79 per 100,000 peopleNebraska: 44 per 100,000 peopleNevada: 85 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire: 33 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey: 17 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico: 73 per 100,000 peopleNew York: 22 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina: 50 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota: 53 per 100,000 peopleOhio: 74 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma: 157 per 100,000 peopleOregon: 63 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania: 43 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island: 13 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina: 50 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota: 123 per 100,000 peopleTennessee: 87 per 100,000 peopleTexas: 89 per 100,000 peopleUtah: 32 per 100,000 peopleVermont: 33 per 100,000 peopleVirginia: 73 per 100,000 peopleWashington: 46 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia: 89 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin: 53 per 100,000 peopleWyoming: 103 per 100,000 people
  • Under 27
  • 27 to 43
  • 43 to 55
  • 55 to 73
  • 73 to 89
  • 89 and over
  • No data
per 100,000 people, 2017. Hatched areas have no value for this period. Source: BJS, National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced female prisoners per 100,000 female U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2017

Oklahoma: 157 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma157Kentucky: 133 per 100,000 peopleKentucky133South Dakota: 123 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota123Idaho: 114 per 100,000 peopleIdaho114Missouri: 109 per 100,000 peopleMissouri109Arizona: 104 per 100,000 peopleArizona104Wyoming: 103 per 100,000 peopleWyoming103Arkansas: 92 per 100,000 peopleArkansas92Texas: 89 per 100,000 peopleTexas89West Virginia: 89 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia89Tennessee: 87 per 100,000 peopleTennessee87Nevada: 85 per 100,000 peopleNevada85Mississippi: 84 per 100,000 peopleMississippi84Louisiana: 82 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana82Montana: 79 per 100,000 peopleMontana79Ohio: 74 per 100,000 peopleOhio74Virginia: 73 per 100,000 peopleVirginia73New Mexico: 73 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico73Indiana: 71 per 100,000 peopleIndiana71Georgia: 70 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia70Alabama: 70 per 100,000 peopleAlabama70Colorado: 68 per 100,000 peopleColorado68Oregon: 63 per 100,000 peopleOregon63Florida: 62 per 100,000 peopleFlorida62Kansas: 58 per 100,000 peopleKansas58North Dakota: 53 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota53Wisconsin: 53 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin53Iowa: 51 per 100,000 peopleIowa51South Carolina: 50 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina50North Carolina: 50 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina50Washington: 46 per 100,000 peopleWashington46Nebraska: 44 per 100,000 peopleNebraska44Pennsylvania: 43 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania43Michigan: 42 per 100,000 peopleMichigan42Hawaii: 38 per 100,000 peopleHawaii38Delaware: 37 per 100,000 peopleDelaware37Illinois: 35 per 100,000 peopleIllinois35Vermont: 33 per 100,000 peopleVermont33New Hampshire: 33 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire33Utah: 32 per 100,000 peopleUtah32California: 29 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia29Maryland: 27 per 100,000 peopleMaryland27Connecticut: 26 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut26Minnesota: 26 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota26New York: 22 per 100,000 peopleNew York22Maine: 22 per 100,000 peopleMaine22Alaska: 22 per 100,000 peopleAlaska22New Jersey: 17 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey17Rhode Island: 13 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island13Massachusetts: 11 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts11Oklahoma: 157 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma157Kentucky: 133 per 100,000 peopleKentucky133South Dakota: 123 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota123Idaho: 114 per 100,000 peopleIdaho114Missouri: 109 per 100,000 peopleMissouri109Arizona: 104 per 100,000 peopleArizona104Wyoming: 103 per 100,000 peopleWyoming103Arkansas: 92 per 100,000 peopleArkansas92Texas: 89 per 100,000 peopleTexas89West Virginia: 89 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia89Tennessee: 87 per 100,000 peopleTennessee87Nevada: 85 per 100,000 peopleNevada85Mississippi: 84 per 100,000 peopleMississippi84Louisiana: 82 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana82Montana: 79 per 100,000 peopleMontana79Ohio: 74 per 100,000 peopleOhio74Virginia: 73 per 100,000 peopleVirginia73New Mexico: 73 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico73Indiana: 71 per 100,000 peopleIndiana71Georgia: 70 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia70Alabama: 70 per 100,000 peopleAlabama70Colorado: 68 per 100,000 peopleColorado68Oregon: 63 per 100,000 peopleOregon63Florida: 62 per 100,000 peopleFlorida62Kansas: 58 per 100,000 peopleKansas58North Dakota: 53 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota53Wisconsin: 53 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin53Iowa: 51 per 100,000 peopleIowa51South Carolina: 50 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina50North Carolina: 50 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina50Washington: 46 per 100,000 peopleWashington46Nebraska: 44 per 100,000 peopleNebraska44Pennsylvania: 43 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania43Michigan: 42 per 100,000 peopleMichigan42Hawaii: 38 per 100,000 peopleHawaii38Delaware: 37 per 100,000 peopleDelaware37Illinois: 35 per 100,000 peopleIllinois35Vermont: 33 per 100,000 peopleVermont33New Hampshire: 33 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire33Utah: 32 per 100,000 peopleUtah32California: 29 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia29Maryland: 27 per 100,000 peopleMaryland27Connecticut: 26 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut26Minnesota: 26 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota26New York: 22 per 100,000 peopleNew York22Maine: 22 per 100,000 peopleMaine22Alaska: 22 per 100,000 peopleAlaska22New Jersey: 17 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey17Rhode Island: 13 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island13Massachusetts: 11 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts11
per 100,000 people. Source: BJS, National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced female prisoners per 100,000 female U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2017
per 100,000 people		Change on 2016
1Oklahoma157-14.2 pts
2Kentucky133+3.1 pts
3South Dakota123+7.3 pts
4Idaho114+1.1 pts
5Missouri109+1.6 pts
6Arizona104-2.1 pts
7Wyoming103+2.7 pts
8Arkansas92+2.6 pts
9Texas89-2.3 pts
10West Virginia89-5.7 pts
11Tennessee87+7.7 pts
12Nevada85+2.1 pts
13Mississippi84+1.1 pts
14Louisiana82-0.7 pts
15Montana79+0.4 pts
16Ohio74-3 pts
17Virginia73+0.6 pts
18New Mexico73+6.4 pts
19Indiana71+5.9 pts
20Georgia700 pts
21Alabama70-18.2 pts
22Colorado68-1 pts
23Oregon63+0.1 pts
24Florida62-2.2 pts
25Kansas58+3.1 pts
26North Dakota53-4 pts
27Wisconsin53+4.1 pts
28Iowa51-1.1 pts
29South Carolina50-3.9 pts
30North Carolina50+1.8 pts
31Washington46+1.5 pts
32Nebraska44+0.9 pts
33Pennsylvania43-0.3 pts
34Michigan42-1.9 pts
35Hawaii38-12.2 pts
36Delaware37-3.6 pts
37Illinois35-5 pts
38Vermont33+6.9 pts
39New Hampshire33-0.5 pts
40Utah32+5.1 pts
41California29-0.2 pts
42Maryland27+0.7 pts
43Connecticut26-4.1 pts
44Minnesota26-1.6 pts
45New York22+0.2 pts
46Maine22-0.2 pts
47Alaska22-8.5 pts
48New Jersey17-1.1 pts
49Rhode Island13+0.2 pts
50Massachusetts11-1.8 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Sentenced female prisoners (sentence of more than 1 year) under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities on December 31, per 100,000 female residents. Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics, with Census Bureau resident population estimates for January 1 of the following year.

Counts only prisoners sentenced to more than 1 year, so it differs from the prison population rate used for other countries (prison_population_rate), which counts everyone held in prison, pre-trial detainees included. Prisoners are counted by the jurisdiction with legal authority over them, wherever they are held, on December 31. The national figure adds the federal system to the states. Local jails are not included, except in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island and Vermont, which run one combined prison and jail system. Felons sentenced in the District of Columbia have been the responsibility of the Federal Bureau of Prisons since 2001, so the District has values only up to 2000.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. 1 states with data in other periods have no value for 2017 and are left out rather than filled from another source. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced female prisoners per 100,000 female U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2026). National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced female prisoners per 100,000 female U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables) (US states by female imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables

MLA 9

National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced female prisoners per 100,000 female U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables), US states by female imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2017. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 20 Feb. 2026, https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/female-imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2017. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Bureau of Justice Statistics. 2026. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced female prisoners per 100,000 female U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). US states by female imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/female-imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2017.

Harvard

Bureau of Justice Statistics (2026) National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced female prisoners per 100,000 female U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables), US states by female imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/female-imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_us_states_by_female_2017,
  author = {{Bureau of Justice Statistics}},
  title = {{National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced female prisoners per 100,000 female U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables): US states by female imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/female-imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2017. Publisher attribution: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced female prisoners per 100,000 female U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Bureau of Justice Statistics
TI  - National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced female prisoners per 100,000 female U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables): US states by female imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/20
PB  - Bureau of Justice Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/female-imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/female-imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2017.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced female prisoners per 100,000 female U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank US states by female imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"imprisonment_rate_female","level":"region","within":"United States","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=imprisonment_rate_female&level=region&within=United%20States&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which state has the highest female imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners)?

Oklahoma, with 157 per 100,000 people in 2017, according to Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Which state has the lowest female imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners)?

Massachusetts, with 11 per 100,000 people in 2017.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced female prisoners per 100,000 female U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). Retrieved 2026-10-12. 1 states have no value for 2017 and are not ranked.

US states: more rankings