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

US states by male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners)

Mississippi had the highest male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) of 50 states in 2021, at 1,106 per 100,000 people. Massachusetts had the lowest, at 189 per 100,000 people. The median was 562 per 100,000 people and the figure for the United States was 658 per 100,000 people. Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,106Mississippi
Lowest189Massachusetts
Median56250 states
United States658History

Map of states, 2021

Alabama: 738 per 100,000 peopleAlaska: 383 per 100,000 peopleArizona: 827 per 100,000 peopleArkansas: 1,036 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia: 498 per 100,000 peopleColorado: 491 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut: 301 per 100,000 peopleDelaware: 553 per 100,000 peopleFlorida: 695 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia: 817 per 100,000 peopleHawaii: 325 per 100,000 peopleIdaho: 771 per 100,000 peopleIllinois: 442 per 100,000 peopleIndiana: 653 per 100,000 peopleIowa: 487 per 100,000 peopleKansas: 522 per 100,000 peopleKentucky: 737 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana: 1,101 per 100,000 peopleMaine: 201 per 100,000 peopleMaryland: 485 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts: 189 per 100,000 peopleMichigan: 614 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota: 263 per 100,000 peopleMississippi: 1,106 per 100,000 peopleMissouri: 691 per 100,000 peopleMontana: 654 per 100,000 peopleNebraska: 519 per 100,000 peopleNevada: 590 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire: 284 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey: 264 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico: 434 per 100,000 peopleNew York: 302 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina: 506 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota: 367 per 100,000 peopleOhio: 713 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma: 1,006 per 100,000 peopleOregon: 577 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania: 548 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island: 233 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina: 571 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota: 627 per 100,000 peopleTennessee: 578 per 100,000 peopleTexas: 817 per 100,000 peopleUtah: 318 per 100,000 peopleVermont: 255 per 100,000 peopleVirginia: 655 per 100,000 peopleWashington: 328 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia: 588 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin: 590 per 100,000 peopleWyoming: 625 per 100,000 people
  • Under 300
  • 300 to 490
  • 490 to 560
  • 560 to 630
  • 630 to 740
  • 740 and over
  • No data
per 100,000 people, 2021. 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, 2021

Mississippi: 1,106 per 100,000 peopleMississippi1,106Louisiana: 1,101 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana1,101Arkansas: 1,036 per 100,000 peopleArkansas1,036Oklahoma: 1,006 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma1,006Arizona: 827 per 100,000 peopleArizona827Georgia: 817 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia817Texas: 817 per 100,000 peopleTexas817Idaho: 771 per 100,000 peopleIdaho771Alabama: 738 per 100,000 peopleAlabama738Kentucky: 737 per 100,000 peopleKentucky737Ohio: 713 per 100,000 peopleOhio713Florida: 695 per 100,000 peopleFlorida695Missouri: 691 per 100,000 peopleMissouri691Virginia: 655 per 100,000 peopleVirginia655Montana: 654 per 100,000 peopleMontana654Indiana: 653 per 100,000 peopleIndiana653South Dakota: 627 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota627Wyoming: 625 per 100,000 peopleWyoming625Michigan: 614 per 100,000 peopleMichigan614Nevada: 590 per 100,000 peopleNevada590Wisconsin: 590 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin590West Virginia: 588 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia588Tennessee: 578 per 100,000 peopleTennessee578Oregon: 577 per 100,000 peopleOregon577South Carolina: 571 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina571Delaware: 553 per 100,000 peopleDelaware553Pennsylvania: 548 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania548Kansas: 522 per 100,000 peopleKansas522Nebraska: 519 per 100,000 peopleNebraska519North Carolina: 506 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina506California: 498 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia498Colorado: 491 per 100,000 peopleColorado491Iowa: 487 per 100,000 peopleIowa487Maryland: 485 per 100,000 peopleMaryland485Illinois: 442 per 100,000 peopleIllinois442New Mexico: 434 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico434Alaska: 383 per 100,000 peopleAlaska383North Dakota: 367 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota367Washington: 328 per 100,000 peopleWashington328Hawaii: 325 per 100,000 peopleHawaii325Utah: 318 per 100,000 peopleUtah318New York: 302 per 100,000 peopleNew York302Connecticut: 301 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut301New Hampshire: 284 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire284New Jersey: 264 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey264Minnesota: 263 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota263Vermont: 255 per 100,000 peopleVermont255Rhode Island: 233 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island233Maine: 201 per 100,000 peopleMaine201Massachusetts: 189 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts189Mississippi: 1,106 per 100,000 peopleMississippi1,106Louisiana: 1,101 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana1,101Arkansas: 1,036 per 100,000 peopleArkansas1,036Oklahoma: 1,006 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma1,006Arizona: 827 per 100,000 peopleArizona827Georgia: 817 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia817Texas: 817 per 100,000 peopleTexas817Idaho: 771 per 100,000 peopleIdaho771Alabama: 738 per 100,000 peopleAlabama738Kentucky: 737 per 100,000 peopleKentucky737Ohio: 713 per 100,000 peopleOhio713Florida: 695 per 100,000 peopleFlorida695Missouri: 691 per 100,000 peopleMissouri691Virginia: 655 per 100,000 peopleVirginia655Montana: 654 per 100,000 peopleMontana654Indiana: 653 per 100,000 peopleIndiana653South Dakota: 627 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota627Wyoming: 625 per 100,000 peopleWyoming625Michigan: 614 per 100,000 peopleMichigan614Nevada: 590 per 100,000 peopleNevada590Wisconsin: 590 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin590West Virginia: 588 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia588Tennessee: 578 per 100,000 peopleTennessee578Oregon: 577 per 100,000 peopleOregon577South Carolina: 571 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina571Delaware: 553 per 100,000 peopleDelaware553Pennsylvania: 548 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania548Kansas: 522 per 100,000 peopleKansas522Nebraska: 519 per 100,000 peopleNebraska519North Carolina: 506 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina506California: 498 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia498Colorado: 491 per 100,000 peopleColorado491Iowa: 487 per 100,000 peopleIowa487Maryland: 485 per 100,000 peopleMaryland485Illinois: 442 per 100,000 peopleIllinois442New Mexico: 434 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico434Alaska: 383 per 100,000 peopleAlaska383North Dakota: 367 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota367Washington: 328 per 100,000 peopleWashington328Hawaii: 325 per 100,000 peopleHawaii325Utah: 318 per 100,000 peopleUtah318New York: 302 per 100,000 peopleNew York302Connecticut: 301 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut301New Hampshire: 284 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire284New Jersey: 264 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey264Minnesota: 263 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota263Vermont: 255 per 100,000 peopleVermont255Rhode Island: 233 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island233Maine: 201 per 100,000 peopleMaine201Massachusetts: 189 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts189
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

RankStates2021
per 100,000 people		Change on 2020
1Mississippi1,106-19.4 pts
2Louisiana1,101-33 pts
3Arkansas1,036+46.1 pts
4Oklahoma1,006-13.3 pts
5Arizona827-103 pts
6Georgia817-11.1 pts
6Texas817-31.1 pts
8Idaho771+101.4 pts
9Alabama738-13.4 pts
10Kentucky737-3.2 pts
11Ohio713+0.8 pts
12Florida695-18.1 pts
13Missouri691-4.9 pts
14Virginia655-34.5 pts
15Montana654+30.7 pts
16Indiana653-3.2 pts
17South Dakota627+4.6 pts
18Wyoming625+8.2 pts
19Michigan614-26.2 pts
20Nevada590-61.8 pts
20Wisconsin590-3 pts
22West Virginia588-17.5 pts
23Tennessee578-21.2 pts
24Oregon577+18 pts
25South Carolina571-27.3 pts
26Delaware553-70.8 pts
27Pennsylvania548-31.3 pts
28Kansas522-17.8 pts
29Nebraska519+26.3 pts
30North Carolina506-17.6 pts
31California498+7.6 pts
32Colorado491-14.9 pts
33Iowa487+12.4 pts
34Maryland485-17 pts
35Illinois442-7.9 pts
36New Mexico434-30.8 pts
37Alaska383-58.3 pts
38North Dakota367+58 pts
39Washington328-48.2 pts
40Hawaii325-16.8 pts
41Utah318+15.5 pts
42New York302-33.9 pts
43Connecticut301-41.8 pts
44New Hampshire284-30.1 pts
45New Jersey264-7 pts
46Minnesota263-8.2 pts
47Vermont255-13.3 pts
48Rhode Island233-17.4 pts
49Maine201-22.1 pts
50Massachusetts189-11.2 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 2021 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), 2021) [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), 2021. 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=2021. 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), 2021. 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=2021.

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), 2021 [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=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_us_states_by_male_2021,
  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), 2021}},
  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=2021. 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), 2021
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=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/male-imprisonment-rate/us-states?period=2021.
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  -
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 male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"imprisonment_rate_male","level":"region","within":"United States","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=imprisonment_rate_male&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 male imprisonment rate (sentenced prisoners)?

Mississippi, with 1,106 per 100,000 people in 2021, according to Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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

Massachusetts, with 189 per 100,000 people in 2021.

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 2021 and are not ranked.

US states: more rankings