10 States With the Lowest Crime Rates in America

The US isn’t a stranger to crime. But according to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) data, some states have higher crime rates than others. Do you live in one of the safest states in America by crime rate?

Crime Against Persons

Innerbody.com analyzed “crime against persons” statistics from the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to determine the states with the lowest crime rates.

This or That

To determine the states with the lowest crime rates, Innerbody ranked states according to the following crime types, weighing them as follows:

• Homicide offenses (50%)
• Sex offenses (20%)
• Kidnapping/abduction (11%)
• Human trafficking offenses (11%)
• Assaults (8%)

Here’s how the results panned out.

1: New Jersey

New Jersey has the lowest crime rates in the nation, according to Innerbody’s study. Firearm laws are strict in New Jersey, and the Garden State has the lowest rate of assault at only 43 cases per 10,000 residents.

2: Vermont

Vermont ranks as the second state with the lowest crime rate. The Green Mountain State has lower-than-average abductions, kidnappings, human trafficking, and sex offenses.

3: Connecticut

Connecticut is one of seven states on this list to have strict firearm laws and low crime. The Nutmeg State also has the sixth lowest homicide and assault rates in the nation.

4: Rhode Island

Tiny Rhode Island packs a punch with a low crime rate. Only two states (New Jersey and Vermont) outrank Rhode Island as having the lowest homicide and assault rates.

5: Maryland

Maryland is the fifth state in the US with the lowest crime rate. Despite the Free State ranking number eight for the prevalence of mental health illness, a recent study shows there’s a greater chance of a person with mental health issues being the victim of a violent crime than performing a violent crime.

6: New York

New York marks yet another Northeastern state with low crime rates. As with several states before it, the Empire State has strong firearm laws. It also ranks seventh in the nation for the fewest abductions and kidnappings.

7: Maine

Maine is a pro-firearm advocate’s dream, showing the nation that firearm possession doesn’t always correlate with high violent crime rates. The Pine Tree State’s constitutional carry policy means certain people can legally carry a registered gun, potentially preventing higher rates of violent crime incidents.

8: Idaho

Idaho has the seventh-lowest rate of homicides and assaults in the nation. The Gem State has an open carry policy, meaning a concealed firearms license isn’t required.

9: Massachusetts

Massachusetts residents have the advantage of low rates of sex offenses, kidnappings, human trafficking, and abductions. As with several states on this list, it also has some of the strictest firearm policies in the nation.

10: Hawaii

Hawaii is the last state to squeeze into the coveted top ten states with the lowest crime rates. The Aloha State’s low crime may be attributed to its strong firearm control policies.

What’s So Great About Jersey?

Innerbody reasons that New Jersey’s strict firearm laws may have something to do with the Garden State having the lowest crime rate in America. New Jersey has the second strictest firearm regulations in the nation after California. Interestingly, California didn’t make it onto this list.

The Missing State

Innerbody didn’t include Florida in its rankings. The reason? Individual police departments voluntarily submit crime data to the FBI’s NIBRS. Since Florida didn’t submit crime data, Innerbody didn’t have it to work with.

Perception vs Reality

According to Innerbody’s research, no fewer than 60% of American adults believe that more crimes are happening across the nation compared to the previous year. However, between 1993 and 2019, violent crime plummeted by 49%.

Highest Crime

Nevada has the highest crime rate in the United States. The Silver State has a massive 22.6 crime score, ranking in the top ten for all five violent crime categories that Innerbody assessed.

Runners Up

New Mexico, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Alaska ranked as the second to fifth states with the highest crime rates in the nation. Whereas most states with the lowest crime rates are in the Northeast, five out of the top ten states with the highest crime rates are in the South.

Most Common Crime

Assault is the most commonly reported crime that happens in the US. Arkansas is the biggest offender, with almost 214 assaults per 10,000 people.

Staying Safe

According to Innerbody’s research, the 60-minute period between 12:00 am and 1:00 am is when Americans have the highest chance of experiencing violent crime.

A Twist

Despite alcohol being in customers’ systems, bars and nightclubs have exceptionally low rates of violent crime. Instead, almost half of all violent crime in the US occurs in residential homes.

Getting Help

If you’re a victim or know of a victim of domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline can help. It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

States With the Highest and Lowest Firearm Fatality Rates

Most Americans would agree that too many citizens lose their lives to firearms. However, some states have higher rates of firearm fatalities than others. These are the states with the most and least annual firearm fatalities.

States With the Highest and Lowest Firearm Fatality Rates Ranked From 1 to 50