Data / Rankings / Imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) / US states

US states by imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners)

Louisiana had the highest imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) of 50 states in 2012, at 870 per 100,000 people. Maine had the lowest, at 145 per 100,000 people. The median was 381 per 100,000 people and the figure for the United States was 480 per 100,000 people. Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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Highest870Louisiana
Lowest145Maine
Median38150 states
United States480History

Map of states, 2012

Alabama: 650 per 100,000 peopleAlaska: 405 per 100,000 peopleArizona: 583 per 100,000 peopleArkansas: 494 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia: 351 per 100,000 peopleColorado: 392 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut: 333 per 100,000 peopleDelaware: 448 per 100,000 peopleFlorida: 524 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia: 542 per 100,000 peopleHawaii: 273 per 100,000 peopleIdaho: 499 per 100,000 peopleIllinois: 383 per 100,000 peopleIndiana: 440 per 100,000 peopleIowa: 282 per 100,000 peopleKansas: 325 per 100,000 peopleKentucky: 489 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana: 870 per 100,000 peopleMaine: 145 per 100,000 peopleMaryland: 360 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts: 199 per 100,000 peopleMichigan: 441 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota: 184 per 100,000 peopleMississippi: 717 per 100,000 peopleMissouri: 518 per 100,000 peopleMontana: 358 per 100,000 peopleNebraska: 247 per 100,000 peopleNevada: 460 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire: 211 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey: 261 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico: 315 per 100,000 peopleNew York: 276 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina: 357 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota: 213 per 100,000 peopleOhio: 440 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma: 648 per 100,000 peopleOregon: 378 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania: 398 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island: 190 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina: 458 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota: 434 per 100,000 peopleTennessee: 438 per 100,000 peopleTexas: 601 per 100,000 peopleUtah: 242 per 100,000 peopleVermont: 242 per 100,000 peopleVirginia: 451 per 100,000 peopleWashington: 249 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia: 378 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin: 357 per 100,000 peopleWyoming: 379 per 100,000 people
  • Under 250
  • 250 to 340
  • 340 to 380
  • 380 to 440
  • 440 to 510
  • 510 and over
  • No data
per 100,000 people, 2012. Hatched areas have no value for this period. Source: BJS, National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2012

Louisiana: 870 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana870Mississippi: 717 per 100,000 peopleMississippi717Alabama: 650 per 100,000 peopleAlabama650Oklahoma: 648 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma648Texas: 601 per 100,000 peopleTexas601Arizona: 583 per 100,000 peopleArizona583Georgia: 542 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia542Florida: 524 per 100,000 peopleFlorida524Missouri: 518 per 100,000 peopleMissouri518Idaho: 499 per 100,000 peopleIdaho499Arkansas: 494 per 100,000 peopleArkansas494Kentucky: 489 per 100,000 peopleKentucky489Nevada: 460 per 100,000 peopleNevada460South Carolina: 458 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina458Virginia: 451 per 100,000 peopleVirginia451Delaware: 448 per 100,000 peopleDelaware448Michigan: 441 per 100,000 peopleMichigan441Ohio: 440 per 100,000 peopleOhio440Indiana: 440 per 100,000 peopleIndiana440Tennessee: 438 per 100,000 peopleTennessee438South Dakota: 434 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota434Alaska: 405 per 100,000 peopleAlaska405Pennsylvania: 398 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania398Colorado: 392 per 100,000 peopleColorado392Illinois: 383 per 100,000 peopleIllinois383Wyoming: 379 per 100,000 peopleWyoming379West Virginia: 378 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia378Oregon: 378 per 100,000 peopleOregon378Maryland: 360 per 100,000 peopleMaryland360Montana: 358 per 100,000 peopleMontana358North Carolina: 357 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina357Wisconsin: 357 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin357California: 351 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia351Connecticut: 333 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut333Kansas: 325 per 100,000 peopleKansas325New Mexico: 315 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico315Iowa: 282 per 100,000 peopleIowa282New York: 276 per 100,000 peopleNew York276Hawaii: 273 per 100,000 peopleHawaii273New Jersey: 261 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey261Washington: 249 per 100,000 peopleWashington249Nebraska: 247 per 100,000 peopleNebraska247Vermont: 242 per 100,000 peopleVermont242Utah: 242 per 100,000 peopleUtah242North Dakota: 213 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota213New Hampshire: 211 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire211Massachusetts: 199 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts199Rhode Island: 190 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island190Minnesota: 184 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota184Maine: 145 per 100,000 peopleMaine145Louisiana: 870 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana870Mississippi: 717 per 100,000 peopleMississippi717Alabama: 650 per 100,000 peopleAlabama650Oklahoma: 648 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma648Texas: 601 per 100,000 peopleTexas601Arizona: 583 per 100,000 peopleArizona583Georgia: 542 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia542Florida: 524 per 100,000 peopleFlorida524Missouri: 518 per 100,000 peopleMissouri518Idaho: 499 per 100,000 peopleIdaho499Arkansas: 494 per 100,000 peopleArkansas494Kentucky: 489 per 100,000 peopleKentucky489Nevada: 460 per 100,000 peopleNevada460South Carolina: 458 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina458Virginia: 451 per 100,000 peopleVirginia451Delaware: 448 per 100,000 peopleDelaware448Michigan: 441 per 100,000 peopleMichigan441Ohio: 440 per 100,000 peopleOhio440Indiana: 440 per 100,000 peopleIndiana440Tennessee: 438 per 100,000 peopleTennessee438South Dakota: 434 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota434Alaska: 405 per 100,000 peopleAlaska405Pennsylvania: 398 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania398Colorado: 392 per 100,000 peopleColorado392Illinois: 383 per 100,000 peopleIllinois383Wyoming: 379 per 100,000 peopleWyoming379West Virginia: 378 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia378Oregon: 378 per 100,000 peopleOregon378Maryland: 360 per 100,000 peopleMaryland360Montana: 358 per 100,000 peopleMontana358North Carolina: 357 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina357Wisconsin: 357 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin357California: 351 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia351Connecticut: 333 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut333Kansas: 325 per 100,000 peopleKansas325New Mexico: 315 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico315Iowa: 282 per 100,000 peopleIowa282New York: 276 per 100,000 peopleNew York276Hawaii: 273 per 100,000 peopleHawaii273New Jersey: 261 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey261Washington: 249 per 100,000 peopleWashington249Nebraska: 247 per 100,000 peopleNebraska247Vermont: 242 per 100,000 peopleVermont242Utah: 242 per 100,000 peopleUtah242North Dakota: 213 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota213New Hampshire: 211 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire211Massachusetts: 199 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts199Rhode Island: 190 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island190Minnesota: 184 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota184Maine: 145 per 100,000 peopleMaine145
per 100,000 people. Source: BJS, National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2012
per 100,000 people		Change on 2011
1Louisiana870+4.9 pts
2Mississippi717+26.4 pts
3Alabama650+0.9 pts
4Oklahoma648+15.7 pts
5Texas601-31.4 pts
6Arizona583-6.4 pts
7Georgia542-4.8 pts
8Florida524-12.1 pts
9Missouri518+5.6 pts
10Idaho499+12.1 pts
11Arkansas494-50.4 pts
12Kentucky489+10.2 pts
13Nevada460-1.4 pts
14South Carolina458-15.1 pts
15Virginia451-17.3 pts
16Delaware448+9.9 pts
17Michigan441+6.6 pts
18Ohio440-1.1 pts
19Indiana440-2.6 pts
20Tennessee438-4.8 pts
21South Dakota434+8.5 pts
22Alaska405+6.6 pts
23Pennsylvania398-4.6 pts
24Colorado392-34.4 pts
25Illinois383+6.5 pts
26Wyoming379-2.2 pts
27West Virginia378+11.8 pts
28Oregon378+6 pts
29Maryland360-19.2 pts
30Montana358-9.4 pts
31North Carolina357-4.6 pts
32Wisconsin357-27.8 pts
33California351-42.3 pts
34Connecticut333-17.1 pts
35Kansas325+0.6 pts
36New Mexico315-14.3 pts
37Iowa282-13.3 pts
38New York276-7.2 pts
39Hawaii273-9 pts
40New Jersey261-7.9 pts
41Washington249-10.5 pts
42Nebraska247+2.6 pts
43Vermont242-12.8 pts
44Utah242-0.4 pts
45North Dakota213+7.9 pts
46New Hampshire211+13.1 pts
47Massachusetts199-6 pts
48Rhode Island190-6.4 pts
49Minnesota184+1.5 pts
50Maine145-1.5 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Sentenced prisoners (sentence of more than 1 year) under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities on December 31, per 100,000 residents of all ages. 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 2012 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 prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents, total (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 prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables) (US states by imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2012) [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 prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables), US states by imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2012. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 20 Feb. 2026, https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2012. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Bureau of Justice Statistics. 2026. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). US states by imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2012. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2012.

Harvard

Bureau of Justice Statistics (2026) National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables), US states by imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2012 [Dataset]. Available at: https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2012 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_us_states_by_imprisonment_2012,
  author = {{Bureau of Justice Statistics}},
  title = {{National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables): US states by imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2012}},
  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/imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2012. Publisher attribution: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents, total (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 prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables): US states by imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2012
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/imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2012
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2012.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents, total (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 imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners)?

Louisiana, with 870 per 100,000 people in 2012, according to Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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

Maine, with 145 per 100,000 people in 2012.

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 prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents, total (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). Retrieved 2026-10-12. 1 states have no value for 2012 and are not ranked.

US states: more rankings