Data / Rankings / Murder rate / US states

US states by murder rate

District of Columbia had the highest murder rate of 51 states in 2020, at 28.2 per 100,000 people. New Hampshire had the lowest, at 0.9 per 100,000 people. The median was 5.9 per 100,000 people. Source: FBI.

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Highest28.2District of Columbia
Lowest0.9New Hampshire
Median5.951 states

Map of states, 2020

Alabama: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleAlaska: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleArizona: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleArkansas: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia: 5.6 per 100,000 peopleColorado: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleDelaware: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia: 28.2 per 100,000 peopleFlorida: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleHawaii: 2.9 per 100,000 peopleIdaho: 2.2 per 100,000 peopleIllinois: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleIndiana: 7.5 per 100,000 peopleIowa: 3.5 per 100,000 peopleKansas: 3.4 per 100,000 peopleKentucky: 7.2 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleMaine: 1.6 per 100,000 peopleMaryland: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts: 2.3 per 100,000 peopleMichigan: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota: 3.4 per 100,000 peopleMississippi: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleMissouri: 11.8 per 100,000 peopleMontana: 5 per 100,000 peopleNebraska: 3.6 per 100,000 peopleNevada: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire: 0.9 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey: 3.7 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleNew York: 4.2 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina: 8 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota: 4.2 per 100,000 peopleOhio: 7 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleOregon: 2.9 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania: 7.9 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island: 3 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota: 4.5 per 100,000 peopleTennessee: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleTexas: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleUtah: 3.1 per 100,000 peopleVermont: 2.2 per 100,000 peopleVirginia: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleWashington: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleWyoming: 3.1 per 100,000 people
  • Under 3.1
  • 3.1 to 4.1
  • 4.1 to 5.9
  • 5.9 to 7.4
  • 7.4 to 9.1
  • 9.1 and over
per 100,000 people, 2020. Source: Invokely calculation with data from FBI. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2020

District of Columbia: 28.2 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia28.2Louisiana: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana15.8Missouri: 11.8 per 100,000 peopleMissouri11.8Arkansas: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleArkansas10.6Mississippi: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleMississippi10.6South Carolina: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina10.5Alabama: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleAlabama9.6Tennessee: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleTennessee9.6Illinois: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleIllinois9.1Maryland: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleMaryland9.1Georgia: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia8.8North Carolina: 8 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina8Pennsylvania: 7.9 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania7.9New Mexico: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico7.8Michigan: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleMichigan7.6Indiana: 7.5 per 100,000 peopleIndiana7.5Delaware: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleDelaware7.4Oklahoma: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma7.4Kentucky: 7.2 per 100,000 peopleKentucky7.2Ohio: 7 per 100,000 peopleOhio7Arizona: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleArizona6.9Alaska: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleAlaska6.7Texas: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleTexas6.6West Virginia: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia6.6Virginia: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleVirginia6.1Florida: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleFlorida5.9Nevada: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleNevada5.7California: 5.6 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia5.6Wisconsin: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin5.3Colorado: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleColorado5.1Montana: 5 per 100,000 peopleMontana5South Dakota: 4.5 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota4.5New York: 4.2 per 100,000 peopleNew York4.2North Dakota: 4.2 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota4.2Connecticut: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut3.9Washington: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleWashington3.9New Jersey: 3.7 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey3.7Nebraska: 3.6 per 100,000 peopleNebraska3.6Iowa: 3.5 per 100,000 peopleIowa3.5Kansas: 3.4 per 100,000 peopleKansas3.4Minnesota: 3.4 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota3.4Utah: 3.1 per 100,000 peopleUtah3.1Wyoming: 3.1 per 100,000 peopleWyoming3.1Rhode Island: 3 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island3Hawaii: 2.9 per 100,000 peopleHawaii2.9Oregon: 2.9 per 100,000 peopleOregon2.9Massachusetts: 2.3 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts2.3Idaho: 2.2 per 100,000 peopleIdaho2.2Vermont: 2.2 per 100,000 peopleVermont2.2Maine: 1.6 per 100,000 peopleMaine1.6New Hampshire: 0.9 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire0.9District of Columbia: 28.2 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia28.2Louisiana: 15.8 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana15.8Missouri: 11.8 per 100,000 peopleMissouri11.8Arkansas: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleArkansas10.6Mississippi: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleMississippi10.6South Carolina: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina10.5Alabama: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleAlabama9.6Tennessee: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleTennessee9.6Illinois: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleIllinois9.1Maryland: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleMaryland9.1Georgia: 8.8 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia8.8North Carolina: 8 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina8Pennsylvania: 7.9 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania7.9New Mexico: 7.8 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico7.8Michigan: 7.6 per 100,000 peopleMichigan7.6Indiana: 7.5 per 100,000 peopleIndiana7.5Delaware: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleDelaware7.4Oklahoma: 7.4 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma7.4Kentucky: 7.2 per 100,000 peopleKentucky7.2Ohio: 7 per 100,000 peopleOhio7Arizona: 6.9 per 100,000 peopleArizona6.9Alaska: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleAlaska6.7Texas: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleTexas6.6West Virginia: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia6.6Virginia: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleVirginia6.1Florida: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleFlorida5.9Nevada: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleNevada5.7California: 5.6 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia5.6Wisconsin: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin5.3Colorado: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleColorado5.1Montana: 5 per 100,000 peopleMontana5South Dakota: 4.5 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota4.5New York: 4.2 per 100,000 peopleNew York4.2North Dakota: 4.2 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota4.2Connecticut: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut3.9Washington: 3.9 per 100,000 peopleWashington3.9New Jersey: 3.7 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey3.7Nebraska: 3.6 per 100,000 peopleNebraska3.6Iowa: 3.5 per 100,000 peopleIowa3.5Kansas: 3.4 per 100,000 peopleKansas3.4Minnesota: 3.4 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota3.4Utah: 3.1 per 100,000 peopleUtah3.1Wyoming: 3.1 per 100,000 peopleWyoming3.1Rhode Island: 3 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island3Hawaii: 2.9 per 100,000 peopleHawaii2.9Oregon: 2.9 per 100,000 peopleOregon2.9Massachusetts: 2.3 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts2.3Idaho: 2.2 per 100,000 peopleIdaho2.2Vermont: 2.2 per 100,000 peopleVermont2.2Maine: 1.6 per 100,000 peopleMaine1.6New Hampshire: 0.9 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire0.9
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from FBI. Retrieved 2026-10-18.

Full ranking

RankStates2020
per 100,000 people		Change on 2019
1District of Columbia28.2+4.8 pts
2Louisiana15.8+4.1 pts
3Missouri11.8+2.4 pts
4Arkansas10.6+2.8 pts
4Mississippi10.6+0.6 pts
6South Carolina10.5+1.7 pts
7Alabama9.6+1.7 pts
7Tennessee9.6+2.1 pts
9Illinois9.1+2.4 pts
9Maryland9.1+0.1 pts
11Georgia8.8+3.1 pts
12North Carolina8+1.8 pts
13Pennsylvania7.9+2.6 pts
14New Mexico7.8-1 pts
15Michigan7.6+1.8 pts
16Indiana7.5+2 pts
17Delaware7.4+2.6 pts
17Oklahoma7.4+0.5 pts
19Kentucky7.2+2.1 pts
20Ohio7+2 pts
21Arizona6.9+1.5 pts
22Alaska6.7-2.7 pts
23Texas6.6+1.7 pts
23West Virginia6.6+1 pts
25Virginia6.1+0.9 pts
26Florida5.9+0.7 pts
27Nevada5.7+1 pts
28California5.6+1.3 pts
29Wisconsin5.3+2.1 pts
30Colorado5.1+1.1 pts
31Montana5+2 pts
32South Dakota4.5+2.7 pts
33New York4.2+1.3 pts
33North Dakota4.2+0.9 pts
35Connecticut3.9+0.9 pts
35Washington3.9+1.2 pts
37New Jersey3.7+0.7 pts
38Nebraska3.6+1.3 pts
39Iowa3.5+1.3 pts
40Kansas3.4+0.1 pts
40Minnesota3.4+1.1 pts
42Utah3.1+0.7 pts
42Wyoming3.1+0.9 pts
44Rhode Island3+0.5 pts
45Hawaii2.9+0.3 pts
45Oregon2.9+0.1 pts
47Massachusetts2.3+0.1 pts
48Idaho2.2+0.6 pts
48Vermont2.2+0.4 pts
50Maine1.60 pts
51New Hampshire0.9-1.5 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, 2020) [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, 2020. 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=2020. 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, 2020. 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=2020.

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, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/downloads, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/murder-rate/us-states?period=2020 (Accessed: 18 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{federal_us_states_by_murder_2020,
  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, 2020}},
  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=2020. 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, 2020
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=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/18
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/murder-rate/us-states?period=2020.
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 28.2 per 100,000 people in 2020, according to FBI.

Which state has the lowest murder rate?

New Hampshire, with 0.9 per 100,000 people in 2020.

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