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 2014, at 816 per 100,000 people. Maine had the lowest, at 153 per 100,000 people. The median was 376 per 100,000 people and the figure for the United States was 471 per 100,000 people. Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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Highest816Louisiana
Lowest153Maine
Median37650 states
United States471History

Map of states, 2014

Alabama: 634 per 100,000 peopleAlaska: 281 per 100,000 peopleArizona: 592 per 100,000 peopleArkansas: 599 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia: 348 per 100,000 peopleColorado: 382 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut: 326 per 100,000 peopleDelaware: 440 per 100,000 peopleFlorida: 512 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia: 517 per 100,000 peopleHawaii: 257 per 100,000 peopleIdaho: 489 per 100,000 peopleIllinois: 375 per 100,000 peopleIndiana: 443 per 100,000 peopleIowa: 282 per 100,000 peopleKansas: 329 per 100,000 peopleKentucky: 474 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana: 816 per 100,000 peopleMaine: 153 per 100,000 peopleMaryland: 346 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts: 188 per 100,000 peopleMichigan: 437 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota: 194 per 100,000 peopleMississippi: 597 per 100,000 peopleMissouri: 526 per 100,000 peopleMontana: 360 per 100,000 peopleNebraska: 283 per 100,000 peopleNevada: 433 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire: 219 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey: 241 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico: 329 per 100,000 peopleNew York: 265 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina: 358 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota: 214 per 100,000 peopleOhio: 444 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma: 700 per 100,000 peopleOregon: 376 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania: 394 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island: 178 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina: 428 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota: 421 per 100,000 peopleTennessee: 437 per 100,000 peopleTexas: 582 per 100,000 peopleUtah: 237 per 100,000 peopleVermont: 241 per 100,000 peopleVirginia: 449 per 100,000 peopleWashington: 254 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia: 373 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin: 371 per 100,000 peopleWyoming: 407 per 100,000 people
  • Under 240
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  • 520 and over
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per 100,000 people, 2014. 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, 2014

Louisiana: 816 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana816Oklahoma: 700 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma700Alabama: 634 per 100,000 peopleAlabama634Arkansas: 599 per 100,000 peopleArkansas599Mississippi: 597 per 100,000 peopleMississippi597Arizona: 592 per 100,000 peopleArizona592Texas: 582 per 100,000 peopleTexas582Missouri: 526 per 100,000 peopleMissouri526Georgia: 517 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia517Florida: 512 per 100,000 peopleFlorida512Idaho: 489 per 100,000 peopleIdaho489Kentucky: 474 per 100,000 peopleKentucky474Virginia: 449 per 100,000 peopleVirginia449Ohio: 444 per 100,000 peopleOhio444Indiana: 443 per 100,000 peopleIndiana443Delaware: 440 per 100,000 peopleDelaware440Tennessee: 437 per 100,000 peopleTennessee437Michigan: 437 per 100,000 peopleMichigan437Nevada: 433 per 100,000 peopleNevada433South Carolina: 428 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina428South Dakota: 421 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota421Wyoming: 407 per 100,000 peopleWyoming407Pennsylvania: 394 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania394Colorado: 382 per 100,000 peopleColorado382Oregon: 376 per 100,000 peopleOregon376Illinois: 375 per 100,000 peopleIllinois375West Virginia: 373 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia373Wisconsin: 371 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin371Montana: 360 per 100,000 peopleMontana360North Carolina: 358 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina358California: 348 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia348Maryland: 346 per 100,000 peopleMaryland346Kansas: 329 per 100,000 peopleKansas329New Mexico: 329 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico329Connecticut: 326 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut326Nebraska: 283 per 100,000 peopleNebraska283Iowa: 282 per 100,000 peopleIowa282Alaska: 281 per 100,000 peopleAlaska281New York: 265 per 100,000 peopleNew York265Hawaii: 257 per 100,000 peopleHawaii257Washington: 254 per 100,000 peopleWashington254New Jersey: 241 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey241Vermont: 241 per 100,000 peopleVermont241Utah: 237 per 100,000 peopleUtah237New Hampshire: 219 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire219North Dakota: 214 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota214Minnesota: 194 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota194Massachusetts: 188 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts188Rhode Island: 178 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island178Maine: 153 per 100,000 peopleMaine153Louisiana: 816 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana816Oklahoma: 700 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma700Alabama: 634 per 100,000 peopleAlabama634Arkansas: 599 per 100,000 peopleArkansas599Mississippi: 597 per 100,000 peopleMississippi597Arizona: 592 per 100,000 peopleArizona592Texas: 582 per 100,000 peopleTexas582Missouri: 526 per 100,000 peopleMissouri526Georgia: 517 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia517Florida: 512 per 100,000 peopleFlorida512Idaho: 489 per 100,000 peopleIdaho489Kentucky: 474 per 100,000 peopleKentucky474Virginia: 449 per 100,000 peopleVirginia449Ohio: 444 per 100,000 peopleOhio444Indiana: 443 per 100,000 peopleIndiana443Delaware: 440 per 100,000 peopleDelaware440Tennessee: 437 per 100,000 peopleTennessee437Michigan: 437 per 100,000 peopleMichigan437Nevada: 433 per 100,000 peopleNevada433South Carolina: 428 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina428South Dakota: 421 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota421Wyoming: 407 per 100,000 peopleWyoming407Pennsylvania: 394 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania394Colorado: 382 per 100,000 peopleColorado382Oregon: 376 per 100,000 peopleOregon376Illinois: 375 per 100,000 peopleIllinois375West Virginia: 373 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia373Wisconsin: 371 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin371Montana: 360 per 100,000 peopleMontana360North Carolina: 358 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina358California: 348 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia348Maryland: 346 per 100,000 peopleMaryland346Kansas: 329 per 100,000 peopleKansas329New Mexico: 329 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico329Connecticut: 326 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut326Nebraska: 283 per 100,000 peopleNebraska283Iowa: 282 per 100,000 peopleIowa282Alaska: 281 per 100,000 peopleAlaska281New York: 265 per 100,000 peopleNew York265Hawaii: 257 per 100,000 peopleHawaii257Washington: 254 per 100,000 peopleWashington254New Jersey: 241 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey241Vermont: 241 per 100,000 peopleVermont241Utah: 237 per 100,000 peopleUtah237New Hampshire: 219 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire219North Dakota: 214 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota214Minnesota: 194 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota194Massachusetts: 188 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts188Rhode Island: 178 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island178Maine: 153 per 100,000 peopleMaine153
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

RankStates2014
per 100,000 people		Change on 2013
1Louisiana816-31.2 pts
2Oklahoma700-3.2 pts
3Alabama634-13.7 pts
4Arkansas599+20.2 pts
5Mississippi597-95.8 pts
6Arizona592+8.1 pts
7Texas582-17.2 pts
8Missouri526+4.8 pts
9Georgia517-15.6 pts
10Florida512-9.7 pts
11Idaho489-19 pts
12Kentucky474+13.1 pts
13Virginia449+3.6 pts
14Ohio444-2.7 pts
15Indiana443-11.5 pts
16Delaware440-1.9 pts
17Tennessee437+0.3 pts
18Michigan437-4.2 pts
19Nevada433-25.4 pts
20South Carolina428-18.2 pts
21South Dakota421-11.2 pts
22Wyoming407+11.4 pts
23Pennsylvania394-6.7 pts
24Colorado382-1.5 pts
25Oregon376-7.9 pts
26Illinois375-2.5 pts
27West Virginia373+4.8 pts
28Wisconsin371+1 pts
29Montana360+2.4 pts
30North Carolina358+2.4 pts
31California348-3.9 pts
32Maryland346-6.3 pts
33Kansas329+1.1 pts
34New Mexico329+8.4 pts
35Connecticut326-11.4 pts
36Nebraska283+20.1 pts
37Iowa282+3.1 pts
38Alaska281-82.7 pts
39New York265-5.9 pts
40Hawaii257+1 pts
41Washington254-2.1 pts
42New Jersey241-10.3 pts
43Vermont241-10.6 pts
44Utah237-5.4 pts
45New Hampshire219+4.3 pts
46North Dakota214+8.2 pts
47Minnesota194+5.2 pts
48Massachusetts188-3.7 pts
49Rhode Island178-15.3 pts
50Maine153+4.3 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 2014 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), 2014) [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), 2014. 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=2014. 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), 2014. 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=2014.

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), 2014 [Dataset]. Available at: https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2014 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_us_states_by_imprisonment_2014,
  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), 2014}},
  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=2014. 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), 2014
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=2014
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2014.
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 816 per 100,000 people in 2014, according to Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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

Maine, with 153 per 100,000 people in 2014.

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 2014 and are not ranked.

US states: more rankings