The rate of serious crime was highest in New Mexico, and the rate of property crime was highest in Washington. There was the least amount of serious crime in Maine, and the least amount of property crime in Idaho.
The US crime rate has been going down for decades, and new research backs this up. But the rate of property crime went up by 6.7%, while the rate of serious crime went down by 1.6% from 2021 to 2022. Rates vary from region to region because of things like the amount of urbanization, the economy, and how well law enforcement works.
Highest and Lowest Crime Rates States in US
With 780.5 violent crimes per 100,000 people, New Mexico had the highest rate of any state. Alaska came in second with 758.9, followed by Arkansas with 645.3, Louisiana with 628.6, and Tennessee with 621.6. The states with the most serious crimes were New Hampshire (125.6), Maine (103.3), Connecticut (150.0), Rhode Island (172.3), and Wyoming (201.9).
In the same year, 3,356.4 property crimes were committed against every 100,000 people in Washington. Colorado came in second with 3,147.6, followed by New Mexico with 2,984.0, Oregon with 2,935.3, and Louisiana with 2,748.2. The states with the lowest rates of property crime were Maine (1,213.5), New Hampshire (1,010.9), Idaho (926.9), and West Virginia (1,230.1).
Different states and regions have different crime rates because of a number of different reasons. The FBI says the following are some of the most important factors that affect both the amount and type of crime:
- Levels of development and population density
- The share of young people
- Stability of the population, including moving around and driving
- Infrastructure and tools for transportation
- Things like poverty, work, and the median income
- Religion, culture, and schooling all play a role.
- Factors that affect family life, such as divorce rates and unity
- The weather
- Strength of law enforcement
- Strategies and goals for law enforcement
- Rules for the criminal justice system (prosecutors, judges, prisons, and probation)
- How people feel about crime
- How people report crimes
Also Read: This Ohio City Becomes the Third Highest Violent Crime City in the Entire US
The crime rate in Washington, DC, was higher than in every state, but it makes more sense to compare it to crime rates in other places. Read Which areas have the highest or lowest crime rates to learn more about crime rates by city.
The Lowest and Highest Crime Rates Regions
The least amount of crime happens in the northeastern states. For property crimes, it was 27.6% less than the rest of the country, and for serious crimes, it was 23.0% less. In 2022, the Northeast had three of the states with the lowest rates of property crime and four of the states with the lowest rates of serious crime. Some of the states with the lowest rates of property and serious crime were New Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode Island.
The West had the highest crime rates. The rate of property crime there was 36.7% higher than the rest of the country, and the rate of serious crime was 27.1% higher. Washington, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oregon had the highest rates of property crime. Alaska and New Mexico, on the other hand, had the highest rates of serious crime.
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