Data / Rankings / Murder rate / US states

US states by murder rate

District of Columbia had the highest murder rate of 51 states in 2023, at 38.7 per 100,000 people. New Hampshire had the lowest, at 1.8 per 100,000 people. The median was 5.4 per 100,000 people and the figure for the United States was 5.9 per 100,000 people. Source: FBI.

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Highest38.7District of Columbia
Lowest1.8New Hampshire
Median5.451 states
United States5.9History

Map of states, 2023

Alabama: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleAlaska: 8 per 100,000 peopleArizona: 6.5 per 100,000 peopleArkansas: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia: 5 per 100,000 peopleColorado: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut: 3.8 per 100,000 peopleDelaware: 4.4 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia: 38.7 per 100,000 peopleFlorida: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia: 7.5 per 100,000 peopleHawaii: 2.5 per 100,000 peopleIdaho: 2.5 per 100,000 peopleIllinois: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleIndiana: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleIowa: 2.5 per 100,000 peopleKansas: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleKentucky: 6.4 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana: 14.6 per 100,000 peopleMaine: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleMaryland: 8.7 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts: 2.1 per 100,000 peopleMichigan: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota: 3.2 per 100,000 peopleMississippi: 7.2 per 100,000 peopleMissouri: 9.4 per 100,000 peopleMontana: 3.2 per 100,000 peopleNebraska: 3.5 per 100,000 peopleNevada: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire: 1.8 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey: 2.9 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico: 11.8 per 100,000 peopleNew York: 3.3 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina: 8 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota: 3.5 per 100,000 peopleOhio: 6 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma: 6.3 per 100,000 peopleOregon: 4.5 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island: 2.6 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota: 2.8 per 100,000 peopleTennessee: 10 per 100,000 peopleTexas: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleUtah: 2.3 per 100,000 peopleVermont: 2.6 per 100,000 peopleVirginia: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleWashington: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia: 6 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin: 5 per 100,000 peopleWyoming: 3.2 per 100,000 people
  • Under 2.8
  • 2.8 to 4.1
  • 4.1 to 5.4
  • 5.4 to 6.4
  • 6.4 to 8.5
  • 8.5 and over
per 100,000 people, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from FBI. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2023

District of Columbia: 38.7 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia38.7Louisiana: 14.6 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana14.6New Mexico: 11.8 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico11.8Alabama: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleAlabama10.5Tennessee: 10 per 100,000 peopleTennessee10Arkansas: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleArkansas9.6Missouri: 9.4 per 100,000 peopleMissouri9.4South Carolina: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina8.9Maryland: 8.7 per 100,000 peopleMaryland8.7Alaska: 8 per 100,000 peopleAlaska8North Carolina: 8 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina8Georgia: 7.5 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia7.5Nevada: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleNevada7.3Mississippi: 7.2 per 100,000 peopleMississippi7.2Pennsylvania: 6.7 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania6.7Illinois: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleIllinois6.6Arizona: 6.5 per 100,000 peopleArizona6.5Kentucky: 6.4 per 100,000 peopleKentucky6.4Oklahoma: 6.3 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma6.3Virginia: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleVirginia6.2Texas: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleTexas6.1Ohio: 6 per 100,000 peopleOhio6West Virginia: 6 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia6Michigan: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleMichigan5.9Indiana: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleIndiana5.7Colorado: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleColorado5.4Kansas: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleKansas5.3California: 5 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia5Wisconsin: 5 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin5Florida: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleFlorida4.8Washington: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleWashington4.8Oregon: 4.5 per 100,000 peopleOregon4.5Delaware: 4.4 per 100,000 peopleDelaware4.4Maine: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleMaine4.3Connecticut: 3.8 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut3.8Nebraska: 3.5 per 100,000 peopleNebraska3.5North Dakota: 3.5 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota3.5New York: 3.3 per 100,000 peopleNew York3.3Minnesota: 3.2 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota3.2Montana: 3.2 per 100,000 peopleMontana3.2Wyoming: 3.2 per 100,000 peopleWyoming3.2New Jersey: 2.9 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey2.9South Dakota: 2.8 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota2.8Rhode Island: 2.6 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island2.6Vermont: 2.6 per 100,000 peopleVermont2.6Hawaii: 2.5 per 100,000 peopleHawaii2.5Idaho: 2.5 per 100,000 peopleIdaho2.5Iowa: 2.5 per 100,000 peopleIowa2.5Utah: 2.3 per 100,000 peopleUtah2.3Massachusetts: 2.1 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts2.1New Hampshire: 1.8 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire1.8District of Columbia: 38.7 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia38.7Louisiana: 14.6 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana14.6New Mexico: 11.8 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico11.8Alabama: 10.5 per 100,000 peopleAlabama10.5Tennessee: 10 per 100,000 peopleTennessee10Arkansas: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleArkansas9.6Missouri: 9.4 per 100,000 peopleMissouri9.4South Carolina: 8.9 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina8.9Maryland: 8.7 per 100,000 peopleMaryland8.7Alaska: 8 per 100,000 peopleAlaska8North Carolina: 8 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina8Georgia: 7.5 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia7.5Nevada: 7.3 per 100,000 peopleNevada7.3Mississippi: 7.2 per 100,000 peopleMississippi7.2Pennsylvania: 6.7 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania6.7Illinois: 6.6 per 100,000 peopleIllinois6.6Arizona: 6.5 per 100,000 peopleArizona6.5Kentucky: 6.4 per 100,000 peopleKentucky6.4Oklahoma: 6.3 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma6.3Virginia: 6.2 per 100,000 peopleVirginia6.2Texas: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleTexas6.1Ohio: 6 per 100,000 peopleOhio6West Virginia: 6 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia6Michigan: 5.9 per 100,000 peopleMichigan5.9Indiana: 5.7 per 100,000 peopleIndiana5.7Colorado: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleColorado5.4Kansas: 5.3 per 100,000 peopleKansas5.3California: 5 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia5Wisconsin: 5 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin5Florida: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleFlorida4.8Washington: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleWashington4.8Oregon: 4.5 per 100,000 peopleOregon4.5Delaware: 4.4 per 100,000 peopleDelaware4.4Maine: 4.3 per 100,000 peopleMaine4.3Connecticut: 3.8 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut3.8Nebraska: 3.5 per 100,000 peopleNebraska3.5North Dakota: 3.5 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota3.5New York: 3.3 per 100,000 peopleNew York3.3Minnesota: 3.2 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota3.2Montana: 3.2 per 100,000 peopleMontana3.2Wyoming: 3.2 per 100,000 peopleWyoming3.2New Jersey: 2.9 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey2.9South Dakota: 2.8 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota2.8Rhode Island: 2.6 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island2.6Vermont: 2.6 per 100,000 peopleVermont2.6Hawaii: 2.5 per 100,000 peopleHawaii2.5Idaho: 2.5 per 100,000 peopleIdaho2.5Iowa: 2.5 per 100,000 peopleIowa2.5Utah: 2.3 per 100,000 peopleUtah2.3Massachusetts: 2.1 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts2.1New Hampshire: 1.8 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire1.8
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from FBI. Retrieved 2026-10-18.

Full ranking

RankStates2023
per 100,000 people		Change on 2022
1District of Columbia38.7+8.3 pts
2Louisiana14.6-1.9 pts
3New Mexico11.8-0.5 pts
4Alabama10.5-1.1 pts
5Tennessee10+0.8 pts
6Arkansas9.6-0.7 pts
7Missouri9.4-0.8 pts
8South Carolina8.9-1.7 pts
9Maryland8.7-1.1 pts
10Alaska8-1.5 pts
10North Carolina8-0.1 pts
12Georgia7.5-0.9 pts
13Nevada7.3+0.2 pts
14Mississippi7.2-0.4 pts
15Pennsylvania6.7-1.4 pts
16Illinois6.6-1.3 pts
17Arizona6.5-0.5 pts
18Kentucky6.4-0.9 pts
19Oklahoma6.3-0.7 pts
20Virginia6.2-1.2 pts
21Texas6.1-0.8 pts
22Ohio6-0.3 pts
22West Virginia6+0.6 pts
24Michigan5.9-1 pts
25Indiana5.7-1.1 pts
26Colorado5.4-1 pts
27Kansas5.3+0.5 pts
28California5-0.8 pts
28Wisconsin5-0.5 pts
30Florida4.8-0.6 pts
30Washington4.8-0.3 pts
32Oregon4.5-0.2 pts
33Delaware4.4-0.4 pts
34Maine4.3+2.1 pts
35Connecticut3.80 pts
36Nebraska3.5+0.4 pts
36North Dakota3.5n/a
38New York3.3-0.8 pts
39Minnesota3.20 pts
39Montana3.2-1.4 pts
39Wyoming3.2+0.6 pts
42New Jersey2.9-0.5 pts
43South Dakota2.8-1.6 pts
44Rhode Island2.6+1 pts
44Vermont2.6-0.8 pts
46Hawaii2.5+0.5 pts
46Idaho2.5-0.2 pts
46Iowa2.5+0.6 pts
49Utah2.3+0.1 pts
50Massachusetts2.10 pts
51New Hampshire1.8-0.1 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, 2023) [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, 2023. 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=2023. 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, 2023. 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=2023.

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, 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/downloads, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/murder-rate/us-states?period=2023 (Accessed: 18 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{federal_us_states_by_murder_2023,
  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, 2023}},
  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=2023. 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, 2023
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=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/18
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/murder-rate/us-states?period=2023.
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 38.7 per 100,000 people in 2023, according to FBI.

Which state has the lowest murder rate?

New Hampshire, with 1.8 per 100,000 people in 2023.

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