America's Most Peaceful and Violent States

California has a relatively high violent crime rate, at 447 incidents per 100,000. This is largely driven by the state’s high incidence of robberies. With 137 robberies reported for every 100,000 residents, California has the second highest share of this crime, well beyond the U.S. robbery rate of 86 incidents per 100,000 residents.

Despite its high violent crime rate, California does not rank among the more violent states in America. This is due in part to the fact that firearm deaths are relatively rare. California reported just 7.5 firearm deaths per 100,000 residents, a lower share than all but six other states.

Wyoming has a lower violent crime rate than all but seven other states, at 212 incidents per 100,000 residents, and a murder rate less than half that of the nation as a whole. Wyoming reported just 17 robberies for every 100,000 residents, roughly one-fifth of the U.S. robbery rate.

Though Wyoming has relatively low violent crime and murder rates, firearms deaths are still alarmingly common. For every 100,000 Wyoming residents, 21.5 died as a result of a firearm discharge — the third highest share of any state. These include accidental discharges, intentional self-harm by firearm, assault, and legal interventions that resulted in death.

Ohio had one of the largest declines in its murder rate from 2017 to 2018 — falling 24.1% from 6.4 incidents per 100,000 residents to 4.8 homicides per 100,0000, just below the national rate. Its violent crime rate of 280 incidents per 100,000 residents is also well below the national rate of 381 per 100,000.

In spite of the low crime rate, incarceration is relatively common. Ohio has the 15th highest incarceration rate in the country, as there are 431 incarcerated people for every 100,000 residents.

No state had a larger reduction in violent crime from 2017 to 2018 than West Virginia. Its violent crime rate dropped nearly 20%, from 361 to 289.9 incidents per 100,000 residents. Partially as a result, it ranked as the 27th most violent state, improving from 18th the previous year.

The total number of murders dropped from 98 in 2017 to 67 in 2018 — resulting in a murder rate of 3.7 incidents per 100,00, below the nation’s 5.0 per 100,000 murder rate. West Virginia does, however, have a high share of firearm deaths per capita. The state reported 18.2 firearm deaths per 100,000 residents — the ninth highest among states. This includes accidental discharges, intentional self-harm by firearm, assault, and legal interventions that resulted in death.

While violent crime became less common in most states from 2017 to 2018, Colorado saw a 6.7% increase — the third highest in the country. Violent crimes — which include murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault — are now slightly more common in Colorado, at 397 incidents per 100,000 than they are nationwide. The U.S. violent crime rate is 381 incidents per 100,000 residents.

This bump in violent crime was largely driven by aggravated assaults. Colorado reported 12.1% more aggravated assaults per 100,000 residents in 2017 than it did in 2018. During that same time, aggravated assaults across the U.S. fell by 1%.