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

US states by female imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners)

Idaho had the highest female imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) of 50 states in 2019, at 138 per 100,000 people. Massachusetts had the lowest, at 10 per 100,000 people. The median was 55 per 100,000 people and the figure for the United States was 61 per 100,000 people. Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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Highest138Idaho
Lowest10Massachusetts
Median5550 states
United States61History

Map of states, 2019

Alabama: 55 per 100,000 peopleAlaska: 23 per 100,000 peopleArizona: 111 per 100,000 peopleArkansas: 101 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia: 28 per 100,000 peopleColorado: 67 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut: 28 per 100,000 peopleDelaware: 33 per 100,000 peopleFlorida: 60 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia: 72 per 100,000 peopleHawaii: 40 per 100,000 peopleIdaho: 138 per 100,000 peopleIllinois: 35 per 100,000 peopleIndiana: 75 per 100,000 peopleIowa: 53 per 100,000 peopleKansas: 59 per 100,000 peopleKentucky: 128 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana: 71 per 100,000 peopleMaine: 22 per 100,000 peopleMaryland: 23 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts: 10 per 100,000 peopleMichigan: 40 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota: 23 per 100,000 peopleMississippi: 83 per 100,000 peopleMissouri: 77 per 100,000 peopleMontana: 103 per 100,000 peopleNebraska: 42 per 100,000 peopleNevada: 80 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire: 33 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey: 15 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico: 62 per 100,000 peopleNew York: 19 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina: 45 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota: 55 per 100,000 peopleOhio: 72 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma: 126 per 100,000 peopleOregon: 57 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania: 42 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island: 11 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina: 46 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota: 127 per 100,000 peopleTennessee: 78 per 100,000 peopleTexas: 86 per 100,000 peopleUtah: 36 per 100,000 peopleVermont: 27 per 100,000 peopleVirginia: 69 per 100,000 peopleWashington: 42 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia: 91 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin: 49 per 100,000 peopleWyoming: 118 per 100,000 people
  • Under 27
  • 27 to 41
  • 41 to 55
  • 55 to 71
  • 71 to 90
  • 90 and over
  • No data
per 100,000 people, 2019. 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, 2019

Idaho: 138 per 100,000 peopleIdaho138Kentucky: 128 per 100,000 peopleKentucky128South Dakota: 127 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota127Oklahoma: 126 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma126Wyoming: 118 per 100,000 peopleWyoming118Arizona: 111 per 100,000 peopleArizona111Montana: 103 per 100,000 peopleMontana103Arkansas: 101 per 100,000 peopleArkansas101West Virginia: 91 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia91Texas: 86 per 100,000 peopleTexas86Mississippi: 83 per 100,000 peopleMississippi83Nevada: 80 per 100,000 peopleNevada80Tennessee: 78 per 100,000 peopleTennessee78Missouri: 77 per 100,000 peopleMissouri77Indiana: 75 per 100,000 peopleIndiana75Georgia: 72 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia72Ohio: 72 per 100,000 peopleOhio72Louisiana: 71 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana71Virginia: 69 per 100,000 peopleVirginia69Colorado: 67 per 100,000 peopleColorado67New Mexico: 62 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico62Florida: 60 per 100,000 peopleFlorida60Kansas: 59 per 100,000 peopleKansas59Oregon: 57 per 100,000 peopleOregon57Alabama: 55 per 100,000 peopleAlabama55North Dakota: 55 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota55Iowa: 53 per 100,000 peopleIowa53Wisconsin: 49 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin49South Carolina: 46 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina46North Carolina: 45 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina45Washington: 42 per 100,000 peopleWashington42Pennsylvania: 42 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania42Nebraska: 42 per 100,000 peopleNebraska42Hawaii: 40 per 100,000 peopleHawaii40Michigan: 40 per 100,000 peopleMichigan40Utah: 36 per 100,000 peopleUtah36Illinois: 35 per 100,000 peopleIllinois35New Hampshire: 33 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire33Delaware: 33 per 100,000 peopleDelaware33Connecticut: 28 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut28California: 28 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia28Vermont: 27 per 100,000 peopleVermont27Minnesota: 23 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota23Alaska: 23 per 100,000 peopleAlaska23Maryland: 23 per 100,000 peopleMaryland23Maine: 22 per 100,000 peopleMaine22New York: 19 per 100,000 peopleNew York19New Jersey: 15 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey15Rhode Island: 11 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island11Massachusetts: 10 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts10Idaho: 138 per 100,000 peopleIdaho138Kentucky: 128 per 100,000 peopleKentucky128South Dakota: 127 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota127Oklahoma: 126 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma126Wyoming: 118 per 100,000 peopleWyoming118Arizona: 111 per 100,000 peopleArizona111Montana: 103 per 100,000 peopleMontana103Arkansas: 101 per 100,000 peopleArkansas101West Virginia: 91 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia91Texas: 86 per 100,000 peopleTexas86Mississippi: 83 per 100,000 peopleMississippi83Nevada: 80 per 100,000 peopleNevada80Tennessee: 78 per 100,000 peopleTennessee78Missouri: 77 per 100,000 peopleMissouri77Indiana: 75 per 100,000 peopleIndiana75Georgia: 72 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia72Ohio: 72 per 100,000 peopleOhio72Louisiana: 71 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana71Virginia: 69 per 100,000 peopleVirginia69Colorado: 67 per 100,000 peopleColorado67New Mexico: 62 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico62Florida: 60 per 100,000 peopleFlorida60Kansas: 59 per 100,000 peopleKansas59Oregon: 57 per 100,000 peopleOregon57Alabama: 55 per 100,000 peopleAlabama55North Dakota: 55 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota55Iowa: 53 per 100,000 peopleIowa53Wisconsin: 49 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin49South Carolina: 46 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina46North Carolina: 45 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina45Washington: 42 per 100,000 peopleWashington42Pennsylvania: 42 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania42Nebraska: 42 per 100,000 peopleNebraska42Hawaii: 40 per 100,000 peopleHawaii40Michigan: 40 per 100,000 peopleMichigan40Utah: 36 per 100,000 peopleUtah36Illinois: 35 per 100,000 peopleIllinois35New Hampshire: 33 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire33Delaware: 33 per 100,000 peopleDelaware33Connecticut: 28 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut28California: 28 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia28Vermont: 27 per 100,000 peopleVermont27Minnesota: 23 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota23Alaska: 23 per 100,000 peopleAlaska23Maryland: 23 per 100,000 peopleMaryland23Maine: 22 per 100,000 peopleMaine22New York: 19 per 100,000 peopleNew York19New Jersey: 15 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey15Rhode Island: 11 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island11Massachusetts: 10 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts10
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

RankStates2019
per 100,000 people		Change on 2018
1Idaho138+14.7 pts
2Kentucky128-6.8 pts
3South Dakota127-3.4 pts
4Oklahoma126-25.1 pts
5Wyoming118-0.2 pts
6Arizona111+4.3 pts
7Montana103+18 pts
8Arkansas101+9.6 pts
9West Virginia91+4.3 pts
10Texas86-5 pts
11Mississippi83+0.6 pts
12Nevada80-5.2 pts
13Tennessee78+0.8 pts
14Missouri77-23.1 pts
15Indiana75-0.1 pts
16Georgia72+0.8 pts
17Ohio72-0.3 pts
18Louisiana71-2.5 pts
19Virginia69-1.4 pts
20Colorado67-4.4 pts
21New Mexico62-9 pts
22Florida60-1.6 pts
23Kansas59-0.5 pts
24Oregon57-1.6 pts
25Alabama55+0.8 pts
26North Dakota55+3.7 pts
27Iowa53-0.1 pts
28Wisconsin49-2.9 pts
29South Carolina46-2.3 pts
30North Carolina45-2.1 pts
31Washington42-2.8 pts
32Pennsylvania42-1.7 pts
33Nebraska42-0.9 pts
34Hawaii40-2.1 pts
35Michigan40-1 pts
36Utah36-0.1 pts
37Illinois35-0.9 pts
38New Hampshire33-0.6 pts
39Delaware33-4.8 pts
40Connecticut28+2.1 pts
41California28-1.1 pts
42Vermont27-3.5 pts
43Minnesota23-1.3 pts
44Alaska23-1.4 pts
45Maryland23-3 pts
46Maine22-1.6 pts
47New York19-1.6 pts
48New Jersey15-1.5 pts
49Rhode Island11-0.2 pts
50Massachusetts10-0.6 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 2019 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), 2019) [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), 2019. 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=2019. 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), 2019. 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=2019.

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), 2019 [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=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_us_states_by_female_2019,
  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), 2019}},
  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=2019. 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), 2019
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=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/female-imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2019.
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  -
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Questions

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

Idaho, with 138 per 100,000 people in 2019, according to Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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

Massachusetts, with 10 per 100,000 people in 2019.

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 2019 and are not ranked.

US states: more rankings