The ten most dangerous states in America ranked – as crime stats reveal new number one
Violent crime rates have fallen in recent years after a wave of pandemics, but several states have been slower than most to return to safety.
In a new ranking of American news Based on both violent and property crimes nationwide, New Mexico emerged as the most dangerous of all fifty states.
The South and Midwest played host to the majority of the unenviable rankings, with Louisiana and Colorado rounding out the top three.
It comes after the US saw a frightening spike in robberies, assaults and murders in 2022, which have since declined according to new data from the FBI.
New Mexico has become the most dangerous state in America, with a violent crime rate of 780 per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 2,984 per 100,000 residents.
Louisiana routinely ranks as one of the least safe places in the country and came in second in the new rankings thanks to a violent crime rate of 629 cases per 100,000 people
Colorado – also home to one of the highest suicide rates in the country – came in third with a worse property crime rate than the two largest states, with 3,148 cases per 100,000 residents
According to the FBI, in 2023 there was a 13 percent decrease in homicides compared to the previous year, a six percent decrease in violent crime reports and a four percent decrease in property crime.
These violent and property crime figures were used to calculate the most dangerous state we currently live in, as lawbreaking in New Mexico came out on top.
The state has a violent crime rate of 780 per 100,000 people, and a property crime rate of 2,984 per 100,000 people.
This was closely followed by Louisiana – which routinely ranks among the most dangerous places in America – with a violent crime rate of 629 per 100,000 residents.
Louisiana also owns America’s second most dangerous city, Monroe, where residents have a shocking 1 in 38 chance of being a victim of violent crime.
Monroe also has one of the highest murder rates in the United States, according to analysis of reports to the FBI, and was the most dangerous city for the past two years until it was toppled this year by Bessemer, Alabama.
Colorado ranks third in the latest rankings, although the state has a worse property crime rate than the top two states at 3,148 cases per 100,000 residents.
In a separate ranking, the top 100 most crime-ridden cities were recently revealed – with Bessemer, Alabama taking the top spot
Missouri also found its way into the top 10 most dangerous states list thanks to some of the loosest gun laws in the country
Oregon came in eighth on the list, with one of the worst property crime rates: 2,935 cases per 100,000 residents
Although not counted in the ranking statistics, the mountainous state is also home to one of the highest suicide rates in the country, and sits in the heart of America’s “Suicide Belt.”
Although Arkansas’ 2,452 property crime cases are low at fourth on the list, its residents experience a higher rate of violent crime: 645 cases per 100,000 residents.
Washington and Tennessee placed fourth and fifth, with the latter recently making headlines after college student Riley Strain disappeared during a night out in Nashville while his family searched for answers.
Alaska – the third least populous state in the country – has a low property crime rate of just 1,789 cases per 100,000, but has the second highest violent crime rate in the country at 759 cases per 100,000.
Oregon, California and Missouri rounded out the top 10, with the Show-me State’s crime worsened by some of the loosest gun laws in America.