Data / Rankings / Murder rate / US states

US states by murder rate

District of Columbia had the highest murder rate of 51 states in 2019, at 23.4 per 100,000 people. Maine had the lowest, at 1.6 per 100,000 people. The median was 4.8 per 100,000 people. Source: FBI.

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Highest23.4District of Columbia
Lowest1.6Maine
Median4.851 states

Map of states, 2019

Alabama: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleAlaska: 9.4 per 100,000 peopleArizona: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleArkansas: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleColorado: 4 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut: 3 per 100,000 peopleDelaware: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleFlorida: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleHawaii: 2.6 per 100,000 peopleIdaho: 1.6 per 100,000 peopleIllinois: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleIndiana: 5.5 per 100,000 peopleIowa: 2.2 per 100,000 peopleKansas: 3.3 per 100,000 peopleKentucky: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleMaine: 1.6 per 100,000 peopleMaryland: 9 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts: 2.2 per 100,000 peopleMichigan: 5.8 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota: 2.3 per 100,000 peopleMississippi: 10 per 100,000 peopleMissouri: 9.4 per 100,000 peopleMontana: 3 per 100,000 peopleNebraska: 2.3 per 100,000 peopleNevada: 4.7 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire: 2.4 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey: 3 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleNew York: 2.9 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota: 3.3 per 100,000 peopleOhio: 5 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleOregon: 2.8 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island: 2.5 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota: 1.8 per 100,000 peopleTennessee: 7.5 per 100,000 peopleTexas: 4.9 per 100,000 peopleUtah: 2.4 per 100,000 peopleVermont: 1.8 per 100,000 peopleVirginia: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleWashington: 2.7 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia: 5.6 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin: 3.2 per 100,000 peopleWyoming: 2.2 per 100,000 people
  • Under 2.3
  • 2.3 to 3
  • 3 to 4.8
  • 4.8 to 5.5
  • 5.5 to 7.9
  • 7.9 and over
per 100,000 people, 2019. Source: Invokely calculation with data from FBI. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2019

District of Columbia: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia23.4Louisiana: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana11.7Mississippi: 10 per 100,000 peopleMississippi10Alaska: 9.4 per 100,000 peopleAlaska9.4Missouri: 9.4 per 100,000 peopleMissouri9.4Maryland: 9 per 100,000 peopleMaryland9New Mexico: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico8.8South Carolina: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina8.8Alabama: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleAlabama7.9Arkansas: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleArkansas7.8Tennessee: 7.5 per 100,000 peopleTennessee7.5Oklahoma: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma6.9Illinois: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleIllinois6.7North Carolina: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina6.2Michigan: 5.8 per 100,000 peopleMichigan5.8Georgia: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia5.7West Virginia: 5.6 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia5.6Indiana: 5.5 per 100,000 peopleIndiana5.5Arizona: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleArizona5.4Pennsylvania: 5.3 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania5.3Florida: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleFlorida5.2Virginia: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleVirginia5.2Kentucky: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleKentucky5.1Ohio: 5 per 100,000 peopleOhio5Texas: 4.9 per 100,000 peopleTexas4.9Delaware: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleDelaware4.8Nevada: 4.7 per 100,000 peopleNevada4.7California: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia4.3Colorado: 4 per 100,000 peopleColorado4Kansas: 3.3 per 100,000 peopleKansas3.3North Dakota: 3.3 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota3.3Wisconsin: 3.2 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin3.2Connecticut: 3 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut3Montana: 3 per 100,000 peopleMontana3New Jersey: 3 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey3New York: 2.9 per 100,000 peopleNew York2.9Oregon: 2.8 per 100,000 peopleOregon2.8Washington: 2.7 per 100,000 peopleWashington2.7Hawaii: 2.6 per 100,000 peopleHawaii2.6Rhode Island: 2.5 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island2.5New Hampshire: 2.4 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire2.4Utah: 2.4 per 100,000 peopleUtah2.4Minnesota: 2.3 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota2.3Nebraska: 2.3 per 100,000 peopleNebraska2.3Iowa: 2.2 per 100,000 peopleIowa2.2Massachusetts: 2.2 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts2.2Wyoming: 2.2 per 100,000 peopleWyoming2.2South Dakota: 1.8 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota1.8Vermont: 1.8 per 100,000 peopleVermont1.8Idaho: 1.6 per 100,000 peopleIdaho1.6Maine: 1.6 per 100,000 peopleMaine1.6District of Columbia: 23.4 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia23.4Louisiana: 11.7 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana11.7Mississippi: 10 per 100,000 peopleMississippi10Alaska: 9.4 per 100,000 peopleAlaska9.4Missouri: 9.4 per 100,000 peopleMissouri9.4Maryland: 9 per 100,000 peopleMaryland9New Mexico: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico8.8South Carolina: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina8.8Alabama: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleAlabama7.9Arkansas: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleArkansas7.8Tennessee: 7.5 per 100,000 peopleTennessee7.5Oklahoma: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma6.9Illinois: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleIllinois6.7North Carolina: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina6.2Michigan: 5.8 per 100,000 peopleMichigan5.8Georgia: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia5.7West Virginia: 5.6 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia5.6Indiana: 5.5 per 100,000 peopleIndiana5.5Arizona: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleArizona5.4Pennsylvania: 5.3 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania5.3Florida: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleFlorida5.2Virginia: 5.2 per 100,000 peopleVirginia5.2Kentucky: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleKentucky5.1Ohio: 5 per 100,000 peopleOhio5Texas: 4.9 per 100,000 peopleTexas4.9Delaware: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleDelaware4.8Nevada: 4.7 per 100,000 peopleNevada4.7California: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia4.3Colorado: 4 per 100,000 peopleColorado4Kansas: 3.3 per 100,000 peopleKansas3.3North Dakota: 3.3 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota3.3Wisconsin: 3.2 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin3.2Connecticut: 3 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut3Montana: 3 per 100,000 peopleMontana3New Jersey: 3 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey3New York: 2.9 per 100,000 peopleNew York2.9Oregon: 2.8 per 100,000 peopleOregon2.8Washington: 2.7 per 100,000 peopleWashington2.7Hawaii: 2.6 per 100,000 peopleHawaii2.6Rhode Island: 2.5 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island2.5New Hampshire: 2.4 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire2.4Utah: 2.4 per 100,000 peopleUtah2.4Minnesota: 2.3 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota2.3Nebraska: 2.3 per 100,000 peopleNebraska2.3Iowa: 2.2 per 100,000 peopleIowa2.2Massachusetts: 2.2 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts2.2Wyoming: 2.2 per 100,000 peopleWyoming2.2South Dakota: 1.8 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota1.8Vermont: 1.8 per 100,000 peopleVermont1.8Idaho: 1.6 per 100,000 peopleIdaho1.6Maine: 1.6 per 100,000 peopleMaine1.6
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from FBI. Retrieved 2026-10-18.

Full ranking

RankStates2019
per 100,000 people		Change on 2018
1District of Columbia23.4+0.6 pts
2Louisiana11.7+0.3 pts
3Mississippi10+2.8 pts
4Alaska9.4+3 pts
4Missouri9.4-0.4 pts
6Maryland9+0.9 pts
7New Mexico8.8+1.5 pts
7South Carolina8.8+0.7 pts
9Alabama7.9+0.1 pts
10Arkansas7.8+0.4 pts
11Tennessee7.50 pts
12Oklahoma6.9+1.4 pts
13Illinois6.7-0.4 pts
14North Carolina6.2+0.7 pts
15Michigan5.8+0.2 pts
16Georgia5.7-0.5 pts
17West Virginia5.6+1.4 pts
18Indiana5.5-0.7 pts
19Arizona5.40 pts
20Pennsylvania5.3-0.8 pts
21Florida5.20 pts
21Virginia5.2+0.3 pts
23Kentucky5.1-0.5 pts
24Ohio5-0.1 pts
25Texas4.9+0.3 pts
26Delaware4.80 pts
27Nevada4.7-2 pts
28California4.3-0.1 pts
29Colorado4+0.2 pts
30Kansas3.3-0.9 pts
30North Dakota3.3+0.9 pts
32Wisconsin3.2+0.2 pts
33Connecticut3+0.6 pts
33Montana3-0.5 pts
33New Jersey3-0.2 pts
36New York2.90 pts
37Oregon2.8+0.7 pts
38Washington2.7-0.4 pts
39Hawaii2.6-0.2 pts
40Rhode Island2.5+1 pts
41New Hampshire2.4+0.8 pts
41Utah2.4+0.4 pts
43Minnesota2.3+0.4 pts
43Nebraska2.30 pts
45Iowa2.20 pts
45Massachusetts2.2+0.2 pts
45Wyoming2.2-0.2 pts
48South Dakota1.8+0.4 pts
48Vermont1.80 pts
50Idaho1.6-0.3 pts
50Maine1.6-0.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Estimated murders and nonnegligent manslaughters known to law enforcement per 100,000 inhabitants. FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

UCR definition: the willful killing of one human being by another, excluding deaths caused by negligence, suicides, accidents and justifiable homicides. For other countries use homicide_rate (UNODC). Per 100,000 inhabitants of the population the FBI uses, as published by the FBI, not Invokely population figures. FBI estimates for the whole population: agencies that did not report, or reported part of the year, are filled in by the FBI. The FBI revises earlier years in each annual release, and from 2021 the estimates are built from incident-based (NIBRS) reports. The national series has no values for 2017 to 2020 in the FBI estimates file.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer. FBI UCR Summary Reporting System estimated crimes, 1979 on: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rate per 100,000 inhabitants. https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/downloads. Retrieved 2026-10-18.

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

Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program. (2026). FBI UCR Summary Reporting System estimated crimes, 1979 on: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rate per 100,000 inhabitants (US states by murder rate, 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/downloads

MLA 9

FBI UCR Summary Reporting System estimated crimes, 1979 on: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rate per 100,000 inhabitants, US states by murder rate, 2019. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program, 14 Aug. 2026, https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/downloads. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/murder-rate/us-states?period=2019. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program. 2026. FBI UCR Summary Reporting System estimated crimes, 1979 on: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rate per 100,000 inhabitants. US states by murder rate, 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 18, 2026. https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/downloads. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/murder-rate/us-states?period=2019.

Harvard

Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program (2026) FBI UCR Summary Reporting System estimated crimes, 1979 on: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rate per 100,000 inhabitants, US states by murder rate, 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/downloads, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/murder-rate/us-states?period=2019 (Accessed: 18 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{federal_us_states_by_murder_2019,
  author = {{Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program}},
  title = {{FBI UCR Summary Reporting System estimated crimes, 1979 on: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rate per 100,000 inhabitants: US states by murder rate, 2019}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/downloads},
  urldate = {2026-10-18},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/murder-rate/us-states?period=2019. Publisher attribution: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer. FBI UCR Summary Reporting System estimated crimes, 1979 on: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rate per 100,000 inhabitants. https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/\#/pages/downloads. Retrieved 2026-10-18.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program
TI  - FBI UCR Summary Reporting System estimated crimes, 1979 on: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rate per 100,000 inhabitants: US states by murder rate, 2019
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/14
PB  - Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/downloads
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/murder-rate/us-states?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/18
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/murder-rate/us-states?period=2019.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer. FBI UCR Summary Reporting System estimated crimes, 1979 on: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rate per 100,000 inhabitants. https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/downloads. Retrieved 2026-10-18.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest murder rate?

District of Columbia, with 23.4 per 100,000 people in 2019, according to FBI.

Which state has the lowest murder rate?

Maine, with 1.6 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: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program, FBI UCR Summary Reporting System estimated crimes, 1979 on: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rate per 100,000 inhabitants. Retrieved 2026-10-18.

US states: more rankings