The FBI released its “Most Dangerous States List” and a Carolina is on it! According to the latest data from Deslide , there were 334 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 people nationwide in 2021. Violent crime is a broad category that consists of four types of the most serious offenses. Robbery, rape, aggravated assault, and homicide.
Using violent crime data from the FBI’s 2021 UCR, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 15 most dangerous states in America. In each of the states on this list, the violent crime rate exceeds the national rate. We also considered the homicide rate – a component of the overall violent crime rate – in each of these states.
The largest share of states on this list is in the South, though there are also a handful of states in the West and Midwest.
To compile its annual reports, the FBI relies on state and local police departments to voluntarily submit crime data. While participation has never been 100%, this year it was especially low. The FBI recently switched to a new crime-reporting system, known as the National Incident-Based Reporting System, or NIBRS. This report completely phases out its legacy Summary Reporting System.
The latest FBI report excludes nine states due to insufficient reporting: California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Pennsylvania. Whether or not 2021 crime estimates for these states will eventually be released remains to be seen.
Still, the FBI’s latest report offers some useful insight into violent crime levels across the country in 2021. In some states, criminal violence is much more common than it is nationwide.
Violent crime is often more common in economically disadvantaged areas with high poverty. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey shows that in the majority of the states on this list, the poverty rate exceeds the national rate of 12.8%.
15. Kansas
(Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:345.8
- Total violent crimes, 2021:10,147 (18th lowest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:4.8 (18th lowest of 41 states)
- Total murders, 2021:141 (16th lowest of 41 states)
- Poverty rate:11.7% (20th lowest of 41 states)
14. South Dakota
(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:356.6
- Total violent crimes, 2021:3,192 (7th lowest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:3.0 (12th lowest of 41 states)
- Total murders, 2021:27 (5th lowest of 41 states)
- Poverty rate:12.3% (18th highest of 41 states)
13. Nevada
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:377.0
- Total violent crimes, 2021:11,853 (20th lowest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:7.3 (12th highest of 41 states)
- Total murders, 2021:228 (20th highest of 41 states)
- Poverty rate:14.1% (10th highest of 41 states)
12. Montana
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:389.5
- Total violent crimes, 2021:4,301 (12th lowest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:2.7 (10th lowest of 41 states)
- Total murders, 2021:30 (6th lowest — tied)
- Poverty rate:11.9% (21st highest of 41 states)
11. Texas
(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:391.1
- Total violent crimes, 2021:115,474 (the highest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:6.6 (17th highest of 41 states)
- Total murders, 2021:1,952 (the highest of 41 states)
- Poverty rate:14.2% (9th highest of 41 states)
10. Oklahoma
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:393.3
- Total violent crimes, 2021:15,681 (20th highest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:6.8 (16th highest of 41 states)
- Total murders, 2021:272 (18th highest of 41 states)
- Poverty rate:15.6% (7th highest of 41 states)
9. South Carolina
(Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:403.8
- Total violent crimes, 2021:20,952 (12th highest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:9.9 (3rd highest of 41 states)
- Total murders, 2021:516 (11th highest of 41 states)
- Poverty rate:14.6% (8th highest of 41 states)
8. Colorado
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:404.0
- Total violent crimes, 2021:23,481 (10th highest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:5.6 (20th highest of 41 states)
- Total murders, 2021:327 (14th highest of 41 states)
- Poverty rate:9.7% (4th lowest of 41 states)
7. Michigan
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:415.8
- Total violent crimes, 2021:41,783 (2nd highest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:6.9 (15th highest of 41 states)
- Total murders, 2021:695 (6th highest of 41 states)
- Poverty rate:13.1% (15th highest of 41 states)
6. Missouri
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:424.8
- Total violent crimes, 2021:26,200 (7th highest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:9.3 (5th highest of 41 states)
- Total murders, 2021:574 (9th highest of 41 states)
- Poverty rate:12.7% (17th highest of 41 states)
5. Alaska
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:451.0
- Total violent crimes, 2021:3,304 (9th lowest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:N/A
- Total murders, 2021:N/A
- Poverty rate:10.5% (10th lowest of 41 states)
4. Tennessee
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:498.2
- Total violent crimes, 2021:34,753 (3rd highest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:9.0 (6th highest of 41 states)
- Total murders, 2021:630 (7th highest of 41 states)
- Poverty rate:13.6% (12th highest of 41 states)
3. Alabama
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:518.5
- Total violent crimes, 2021:26,129 (8th highest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:12.1 (2nd highest of 41 states)
- Total murders, 2021:608 (8th highest of 41 states)
- Poverty rate:16.1% (6th highest of 41 states)
2. Arkansas
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:555.7
- Total violent crimes, 2021:16,815 (15th highest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:9.7 (4th highest of 41 states)
- Total murders, 2021:293 (17th highest of 41 states)
- Poverty rate:16.3% (5th highest of 41 states)
1. Louisiana
- Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2021:564.0
- Total violent crimes, 2021:26,078 (9th highest of 41 states)
- Murders per 100,000 people, 2021:16.0 (the highest of 41 states)
- Total murders, 2021:738 (5th highest of 41 states)
- Poverty rate:19.6% (the highest of 41 states)
