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

US states by male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners)

Louisiana had the highest male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) of 50 states in 2018, at 1,348 per 100,000 people. Maine had the lowest, at 251 per 100,000 people. The median was 673 per 100,000 people and the figure for the United States was 812 per 100,000 people. Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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Highest1,348Louisiana
Lowest251Maine
Median67350 states
United States812History

Map of states, 2018

Alabama: 807 per 100,000 peopleAlaska: 484 per 100,000 peopleArizona: 1,019 per 100,000 peopleArkansas: 1,107 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia: 620 per 100,000 peopleColorado: 632 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut: 490 per 100,000 peopleDelaware: 809 per 100,000 peopleFlorida: 869 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia: 957 per 100,000 peopleHawaii: 417 per 100,000 peopleIdaho: 764 per 100,000 peopleIllinois: 602 per 100,000 peopleIndiana: 733 per 100,000 peopleIowa: 546 per 100,000 peopleKansas: 626 per 100,000 peopleKentucky: 926 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana: 1,348 per 100,000 peopleMaine: 251 per 100,000 peopleMaryland: 612 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts: 289 per 100,000 peopleMichigan: 746 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota: 336 per 100,000 peopleMississippi: 1,206 per 100,000 peopleMissouri: 906 per 100,000 peopleMontana: 619 per 100,000 peopleNebraska: 519 per 100,000 peopleNevada: 806 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire: 370 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey: 428 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico: 597 per 100,000 peopleNew York: 470 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina: 617 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota: 380 per 100,000 peopleOhio: 806 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma: 1,206 per 100,000 peopleOregon: 673 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania: 703 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island: 313 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina: 703 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota: 758 per 100,000 peopleTennessee: 712 per 100,000 peopleTexas: 1,016 per 100,000 peopleUtah: 379 per 100,000 peopleVermont: 349 per 100,000 peopleVirginia: 802 per 100,000 peopleWashington: 467 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia: 672 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin: 736 per 100,000 peopleWyoming: 749 per 100,000 people
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per 100,000 people, 2018. Hatched areas have no value for this period. Source: BJS, National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2018

Louisiana: 1,348 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana1,348Mississippi: 1,206 per 100,000 peopleMississippi1,206Oklahoma: 1,206 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma1,206Arkansas: 1,107 per 100,000 peopleArkansas1,107Arizona: 1,019 per 100,000 peopleArizona1,019Texas: 1,016 per 100,000 peopleTexas1,016Georgia: 957 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia957Kentucky: 926 per 100,000 peopleKentucky926Missouri: 906 per 100,000 peopleMissouri906Florida: 869 per 100,000 peopleFlorida869Delaware: 809 per 100,000 peopleDelaware809Alabama: 807 per 100,000 peopleAlabama807Nevada: 806 per 100,000 peopleNevada806Ohio: 806 per 100,000 peopleOhio806Virginia: 802 per 100,000 peopleVirginia802Idaho: 764 per 100,000 peopleIdaho764South Dakota: 758 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota758Wyoming: 749 per 100,000 peopleWyoming749Michigan: 746 per 100,000 peopleMichigan746Wisconsin: 736 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin736Indiana: 733 per 100,000 peopleIndiana733Tennessee: 712 per 100,000 peopleTennessee712South Carolina: 703 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina703Pennsylvania: 703 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania703Oregon: 673 per 100,000 peopleOregon673West Virginia: 672 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia672Colorado: 632 per 100,000 peopleColorado632Kansas: 626 per 100,000 peopleKansas626California: 620 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia620Montana: 619 per 100,000 peopleMontana619North Carolina: 617 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina617Maryland: 612 per 100,000 peopleMaryland612Illinois: 602 per 100,000 peopleIllinois602New Mexico: 597 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico597Iowa: 546 per 100,000 peopleIowa546Nebraska: 519 per 100,000 peopleNebraska519Connecticut: 490 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut490Alaska: 484 per 100,000 peopleAlaska484New York: 470 per 100,000 peopleNew York470Washington: 467 per 100,000 peopleWashington467New Jersey: 428 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey428Hawaii: 417 per 100,000 peopleHawaii417North Dakota: 380 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota380Utah: 379 per 100,000 peopleUtah379New Hampshire: 370 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire370Vermont: 349 per 100,000 peopleVermont349Minnesota: 336 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota336Rhode Island: 313 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island313Massachusetts: 289 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts289Maine: 251 per 100,000 peopleMaine251Louisiana: 1,348 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana1,348Mississippi: 1,206 per 100,000 peopleMississippi1,206Oklahoma: 1,206 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma1,206Arkansas: 1,107 per 100,000 peopleArkansas1,107Arizona: 1,019 per 100,000 peopleArizona1,019Texas: 1,016 per 100,000 peopleTexas1,016Georgia: 957 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia957Kentucky: 926 per 100,000 peopleKentucky926Missouri: 906 per 100,000 peopleMissouri906Florida: 869 per 100,000 peopleFlorida869Delaware: 809 per 100,000 peopleDelaware809Alabama: 807 per 100,000 peopleAlabama807Nevada: 806 per 100,000 peopleNevada806Ohio: 806 per 100,000 peopleOhio806Virginia: 802 per 100,000 peopleVirginia802Idaho: 764 per 100,000 peopleIdaho764South Dakota: 758 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota758Wyoming: 749 per 100,000 peopleWyoming749Michigan: 746 per 100,000 peopleMichigan746Wisconsin: 736 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin736Indiana: 733 per 100,000 peopleIndiana733Tennessee: 712 per 100,000 peopleTennessee712South Carolina: 703 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina703Pennsylvania: 703 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania703Oregon: 673 per 100,000 peopleOregon673West Virginia: 672 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia672Colorado: 632 per 100,000 peopleColorado632Kansas: 626 per 100,000 peopleKansas626California: 620 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia620Montana: 619 per 100,000 peopleMontana619North Carolina: 617 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina617Maryland: 612 per 100,000 peopleMaryland612Illinois: 602 per 100,000 peopleIllinois602New Mexico: 597 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico597Iowa: 546 per 100,000 peopleIowa546Nebraska: 519 per 100,000 peopleNebraska519Connecticut: 490 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut490Alaska: 484 per 100,000 peopleAlaska484New York: 470 per 100,000 peopleNew York470Washington: 467 per 100,000 peopleWashington467New Jersey: 428 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey428Hawaii: 417 per 100,000 peopleHawaii417North Dakota: 380 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota380Utah: 379 per 100,000 peopleUtah379New Hampshire: 370 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire370Vermont: 349 per 100,000 peopleVermont349Minnesota: 336 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota336Rhode Island: 313 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island313Massachusetts: 289 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts289Maine: 251 per 100,000 peopleMaine251
per 100,000 people. Source: BJS, National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2018
per 100,000 people		Change on 2017
1Louisiana1,348-45.2 pts
2Mississippi1,206+20.1 pts
3Oklahoma1,206-55.9 pts
4Arkansas1,107-16.8 pts
5Arizona1,019-14.8 pts
6Texas1,016-5.8 pts
7Georgia957-12 pts
8Kentucky926-7.1 pts
9Missouri906-66.5 pts
10Florida869-18.4 pts
11Delaware809-24.5 pts
12Alabama807-123.3 pts
13Nevada806-19.6 pts
14Ohio806-16.2 pts
15Virginia802-11.9 pts
16Idaho764-12.9 pts
17South Dakota758-14.7 pts
18Wyoming749+9.9 pts
19Michigan746-17.1 pts
20Wisconsin736+3 pts
21Indiana733+16.8 pts
22Tennessee712-77.4 pts
23South Carolina703-41.1 pts
24Pennsylvania703-19.6 pts
25Oregon673+1.2 pts
26West Virginia672-27.1 pts
27Colorado632+2.6 pts
28Kansas626+13.3 pts
29California620-12.7 pts
30Montana619+2.7 pts
31North Carolina617-32.4 pts
32Maryland612-16.6 pts
33Illinois602-21.9 pts
34New Mexico597-22.6 pts
35Iowa546+22.7 pts
36Nebraska519+15 pts
37Connecticut490-34.6 pts
38Alaska484+10 pts
39New York470-25.9 pts
40Washington467-8.8 pts
41New Jersey428-4.5 pts
42Hawaii417-25.1 pts
43North Dakota380-9.9 pts
44Utah379+3.6 pts
45New Hampshire370-6 pts
46Vermont349+18.7 pts
47Minnesota336-22.7 pts
48Rhode Island313-25.5 pts
49Massachusetts289-11 pts
50Maine251+0.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Sentenced male prisoners (sentence of more than 1 year) under the jurisdiction of state or federal correctional authorities on December 31, per 100,000 male 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 2018 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 male prisoners per 100,000 male 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 male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables) (US states by male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2018) [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 male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables), US states by male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2018. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 20 Feb. 2026, https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/male-imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Bureau of Justice Statistics. 2026. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). US states by male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/male-imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2018.

Harvard

Bureau of Justice Statistics (2026) National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables), US states by male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2023-statistical-tables, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/male-imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_us_states_by_male_2018,
  author = {{Bureau of Justice Statistics}},
  title = {{National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables): US states by male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2018}},
  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/male-imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2018. Publisher attribution: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male 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 male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables): US states by male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners), 2018
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/male-imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/male-imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics. National Prisoner Statistics: imprisonment rate of sentenced male prisoners per 100,000 male 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 male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners)?

Louisiana, with 1,348 per 100,000 people in 2018, according to Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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

Maine, with 251 per 100,000 people in 2018.

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 male prisoners per 100,000 male U.S. residents (CSAT quick table and Prisoners in YYYY statistical tables). Retrieved 2026-10-12. 1 states have no value for 2018 and are not ranked.

US states: more rankings