What are the top 5 most murderous states?

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The top five U.S. states with the highest per-capita murder rates are Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, New Mexico, and Missouri.

Top 5 States by Murder Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)

  • Mississippi: Frequently ranks highest nationally, with recent per-capita rates ranging between 19 and 23 per 100,000 residents.
  • Louisiana: Consistently near the top, averaging roughly 17 to 21 murders per 100,000 residents.
  • Alabama: Reports average rates around 15 per 100,000 residents.
  • New Mexico: Records rates near 13 to 15 per 100,000 residents.
  • Missouri: Completes the top tier with rates around 10 to 13 per 100,000 residents.

(Note: States with the highest total number of homicides overall are usually large-population states like Texas and California, but "murder states" typically refers to per-capita rates adjusted for population size.)

What are the top 5 most violent states?

According to recent U.S. News & World Report and FBI crime data analyses, the top 5 states with the highest rates of violent crime per capita are Alaska, New Mexico, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

Top 5 States for Violent Crime

  • Alaska: Ranks near the top of the nation with over 724 violent crime incidents per 100,000 residents, largely driven by high rates of aggravated assault and sexual assault.
  • New Mexico: Records roughly 717 violent crime incidents per 100,000 residents, representing the highest rate in the contiguous United States.
  • Tennessee: Features a violent crime rate of about 592 incidents per 100,000 residents, influenced heavily by high crime numbers in metropolitan areas like Memphis.
  • Arkansas: Reports roughly 579 violent crime incidents per 100,000 residents, driven by elevated rates of assault.
  • Louisiana: Records around 520 violent crime incidents per 100,000 residents, alongside some of the highest per capita homicide rates in the country.

(Note: While Washington, D.C., frequently records higher per capita rates than any state, it is a fully urban federal district rather than a U.S. state.)

What state has the highest rate of murderers?

Louisiana and Mississippi consistently record the highest per capita murder rates in the United States.

Highest Murder Rates (Per Capita)

When looking at the number of homicides per 100,000 residents according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and FBI reports, the top states fluctuate slightly by year but typically include:

  • Louisiana: Frequently ranks at or near the very top of state lists over long multi-year averages (around 8.7 to 10.8 per 100,000 residents).
  • Mississippi: Frequently trades the highest spot with Louisiana, reaching peaks near 19 to 20 per 100,000 residents in recent public health and USAFacts analyses.
  • New Mexico and Alabama: Also consistently rank among the top four states with the highest per capita homicide rates.
  • Note on Washington, D.C.: If counted as a state, the District of Columbia often reports a higher per capita homicide rate than any individual U.S. state, though it is entirely urban.

Total Number of Murders vs. Rate

  • Per Capita Rate: Measures homicides relative to population size, showing which state is most dangerous on an individual resident basis. Smaller or mid-sized populations with elevated crime numbers can have very high rates.
  • Total Counts: More populous states like California and Texas record the highest total number of absolute murders, but their per capita rates remain well below national averages or top-ranking Southern states.

What are the top 10 homicide cities in the US?

Memphis, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri, consistently rank at the top of U.S. cities with the highest per-capita homicide rates based on recent crime data.

Top Homicide and High-Crime Cities

Per-capita rates (murders per 100,000 residents) provide the most accurate measure of risk rather than total raw numbers. Leading rankings from recent Visual Capitalist and U.S. News & World Report analyses highlight these locations:

  • Memphis, Tennessee: Frequently ranks #1 nationally for violent crime and high homicide rates relative to its population size.
  • St. Louis, Missouri: Historically maintains one of the highest per-capita murder rates in the country.
  • New Orleans, Louisiana: Consistently places near the top of per-capita lists.
  • Baltimore, Maryland: Faces long-term challenges with concentrated urban violence and high rates per 100,000 residents.
  • Birmingham, Alabama: Routinely appears high on per-capita homicide tracking.
  • Detroit, Michigan: Reports high overall violent crime and significant per-capita homicide rates.
  • Washington, D.C.: Experiences elevated per-capita numbers compared to national averages.
  • Kansas City, Missouri: Frequently ranks among mid-to-large cities with severe violent crime metrics.
  • Cleveland, Ohio: Appears in regional and national high-risk crime rankings.
  • Little Rock, Arkansas: Frequently features in top lists due to localized neighborhood gun violence.

Context on Crime Data

  • Rates vs. Totals: Large cities like Chicago or New York record higher total numbers of homicides due to sheer population size, but their per-capita rates place them much lower on risk rankings.
  • National Trends: National homicide rates have experienced significant declines over recent years following pandemic-era peaks.

What is the most killing state?

California and Texas record the highest total number of murders in the United States, while states like Mississippi and Louisiana have the highest murder rates per capita.

Total Number of Murders (Absolute Count)

Because of their large populations, the most populous states record the highest overall volume of homicides:

  • California: Ranks highest in absolute total murders (recording roughly 1,782 in recent annual reporting data).
  • Texas: Ranks second in total number of murders (recording around 1,616).

Murder Rates (Per Capita)

When adjusted for population size (murders per 100,000 residents), the states with the highest frequency relative to population differ significantly:

  • Mississippi: Consistently registers among the highest age-adjusted per capita homicide rates in the country (near 19.7 per 100k).
  • Louisiana: Regularly follows closely behind or alternates for the top per capita position (around 10.7 to 15.2 depending on the specific year and tracking data from the USAFacts or CDC).
  • Alabama, New Mexico, and Tennessee also consistently rank near the top for per capita rates.

5 Most Dangerous States in the United States (2026)

9 related questions found

What are the top 5 states for murders?

The top five U.S. states with the highest murder rates per capita are Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, New Mexico, and Tennessee or Missouri, depending on the specific year and tracking data from agencies like the CDC and USAFacts.

Per Capita Murder Rates

When adjusted for population size (murders per 100,000 residents), Southern and Southwestern states consistently record the highest rates:

  • Mississippi: Frequently ranks highest or near the top with rates often exceeding 17 to 20 per 100,000 people.
  • Louisiana: Consistently places among the highest in the country for per capita homicides.
  • Alabama: Features high per capita rates linked heavily to regional poverty and gun violence.
  • New Mexico: Frequently tracks in the top four or five states.
  • Tennessee / Missouri: Alternates in the fifth position depending on annual reporting metrics.

Total Number of Murders

When looking at raw totals rather than per capita rates, populous states record the highest overall volume of homicides:

  • Texas
  • California
  • Florida

What is the #1 most violent city in the US?

Memphis, Tennessee ranks as the number one most violent city in the U.S. among major metropolitan areas, according to recent U.S. News Crime Risk Rankings and FBI statistics.

Key Violent Crime Statistics

  • Violent Crime Rate: Memphis records roughly 2,437 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, which is more than six times the national average.
  • Specific Categories: The city leads major U.S. cities in rates of aggravated assault and murder.
  • Concentration: High crime rates in Memphis are heavily concentrated in specific neighborhoods rather than distributed evenly across the entire city.

Other High-Ranking Cities

Other large U.S. cities that frequently rank near the top for violent crime rates per capita include:

  • Oakland, California
  • St. Louis, Missouri
  • Detroit, Michigan
  • Baltimore, Maryland

What state is #1 in crime in the USA?

Alaska ranks #1 among U.S. states for its violent crime rate, while New Mexico ranks #1 for property crime.

Crime Rate Rankings

  • Violent Crime #1: Alaska records the highest violent crime rate at over 720 incidents per 100,000 residents, according to USAFacts and FBI data.
  • Property Crime #1: New Mexico ranks highest for property crime, with approximately 2,750 offenses per 100,000 residents.
  • Overall Context: The District of Columbia often exceeds all states in per capita rates, but it is a federal district rather than a state.

What are the top five states for serial killers?

California has the highest total number of recorded serial killers in the United States, while Wyoming ranks highest per capita.

Because rankings depend on whether you count absolute totals or per capita rates (per million or 100,000 residents), the top states differ based on the metric used.

Top 5 States by Total Number of Serial Killers (Absolute Count)

Based on historical tracking data (such as Radford University's database and state records), the states with the highest overall number of documented serial killers are:

  1. California – Over 120–1,700 total victims/killers depending on the specific tracking criteria (highest raw volume due to large population size).
  2. Texas – Second highest in total recorded cases and victims.
  3. Florida – High absolute volume, home to notorious figures like Ted Bundy.
  4. Illinois – Features a high concentration of prominent cases (such as John Wayne Gacy).
  5. New York – High absolute count, including historical cases like the Son of Sam.

Top 5 States by Per Capita Rate (Per Million Residents)

When adjusted for population size, smaller states or those with high statistical density per resident shift to the top of the list:

  1. Wyoming – ~13.59 serial killers per one million residents.
  2. Alaska – ~12.21 serial killers per one million residents (also features one of the highest victim rates per 100,000).
  3. Oregon – ~7.49 serial killers per one million residents.
  4. Montana – ~6.99 serial killers per one million residents.
  5. Missouri – ~6.54 serial killers per one million residents.

What state has had the most murders in history?

California has recorded the highest total number of murders historically in the United States.

Total Count vs. Murder Rate

  • Total Murders: Because of its large population, California consistently registers the highest cumulative number of homicides over the long term, closely followed by Texas.
  • Per Capita Rate: When measured by population size (murders per 100,000 residents), states with smaller populations like Louisiana and Mississippi frequently rank highest, according to data from agencies like the USAFacts and the Third Way.