Violent crime -- a broad category of offenses that includes rape, robbery, aggravated assault, and homicide -- is on the rise in the United States. According to FBI data, there were a total of 1.3 million violent offenses reported in 2020, or 388 for every 100,000 people -- a 5% increase from 2019.
The uptick was led by a spike in homicide. The number of murders surged by nearly 30%, from 16,669 in 2019 to 21,570 in 2020, the largest year-over-year increase on record. The spike in murders came during a year of national turmoil marked by coronavirus lockdowns, mass protests against police misconduct, and a sharp rise in gun sales. These are the states buying the most guns.
Despite the increase, the national violent crime rate remains well below the highs reported in the 1990s. Still, crime is ultimately a local phenomenon, and in some parts of the country, violence is much more common than in others.
Oklahoma's violent crime rate of 459 incidents for every 100,000 people is higher than that of all but a dozen other states. The majority of the 18,255 violent crimes committed in the state in 2020 -- 74% -- were aggravated assaults.
Property crimes, like larceny and motor vehicle theft, are even more common in Oklahoma relative to much of the rest of the country. There were 2,706 property crimes reported in Oklahoma for every 100,000 people in 2020, more than in all but five other states.
All crime data used in this story is from the FBI and is for the year 2020.
RankStateViolent crimes per 100,000 people, 2020Total violent crimes, 2020Total homicides, 20201-yr. change in violent crime rate (%)50Maine108.61,46622-5.749New Hampshire146.42,00012-4.048Vermont173.41,08114-14.347Connecticut181.66,459140-1.146New Jersey195.417,353329-5.645Virginia208.717,9255240.344Rhode Island230.82,440324.443Wyoming234.21,364187.842Idaho242.64,432418.441Hawaii254.23,57641-11.040Kentucky259.111,60032319.339Utah260.78,47110210.638Minnesota277.515,69819017.437Mississippi291.28,6383154.836Oregon291.912,3801252.635Washington293.722,596301-0.134Iowa303.59,60111113.933Ohio308.836,1048205.332Massachusetts308.821,288160-5.731Wisconsin323.418,86130810.330North Dakota329.02,5183215.629Nebraska334.16,4736911.028West Virginia355.96,35211712.427Indiana357.724,161505-3.626New York363.870,3398081.425Florida383.683,3681,2901.424Pennsylvania389.549,7931,00927.123Maryland399.924,215553-12.022Georgia400.142,85094317.421North Carolina419.344,45185212.820Colorado423.124,57029411.119Kansas425.012,3851003.518Illinois425.953,6121,1514.717Delaware431.94,262732.216California442.0174,0262,2030.215Texas446.5131,0841,9316.614Alabama453.622,322471-11.213Oklahoma458.618,2552966.212Nevada460.314,445180-6.811Montana469.85,0775416.010Michigan478.047,6417549.39Arizona484.835,9805136.58South Dakota501.44,4764025.77South Carolina530.727,6915493.86Missouri542.733,3857239.65Louisiana639.429,70473416.44Arkansas671.920,36332114.93Tennessee672.746,32866313.02New Mexico778.316,393164-6.51Alaska837.86,12649-3.4
via Oklahoma's Center Square News