Motor vehicle theft, one of the most serious offenses tracked by the FBI, is on the rise in the United States. There were a total of 810,400 motor vehicle thefts nationwide in 2020, the most in over a decade.
Motor vehicle theft can be either the theft or attempted theft of a vehicle, such as a car, truck, ATV, or motorcycle. Some experts attribute the rising rates of vehicle theft to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to vehicles sitting unattended and unused for longer than usual. Additionally, vehicle theft is often committed for monetary gain, and the pandemic sent unemployment soaring and left many Americans struggling financially.
While motorists nationwide now face a greater risk of vehicle theft than they have in many years, in some parts of the country, car owners are far more likely to be victims of car theft than in others.
Using data from the FBI’s 2020 Uniform Crime Report, 24/7 Wall St. identified the town where your car is most likely to be stolen in every state. Towns – defined as places with populations between 2,500 and 25,000 – are ranked by the number of motor vehicle thefts reported for every 100,000 people. In Hawaii, there are no qualifying towns with available crime data.
Though each of the towns on this list ranks as having the highest motor vehicle theft rate in its respective state, vehicle theft rates in these places vary considerably, from 137 incidents per 100,000 people to 2,861 per 100,000. Still, in every town on this list, vehicle theft rates exceed the statewide rate, and all but a few exceed the national rate of 246 per 100,000.
Motor vehicle theft, along with burglary and larceny, is one of three criminal offenses that make up the property crime category. Due in large part to higher than average vehicle theft rates, in nearly every town on this list, the overall property crime rate exceeds the comparable statewide rate. Here is a look at the 10 most stolen cars in America.
Click here to see the town where your car is most likely to be stolen in every state
Click here to see our methodology
Source: Thomson200 / Wikimedia Commons
Alabama: Centre
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 422.9 (Alabama: 222.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 15 (Alabama: 10,926)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,495.9 (Alabama: 2,136.8)
> Total property crimes: 124 (Alabama: 105,161)
> Population: 3,525
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Alaska: Seward
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 285.1 (Alaska: 269.3)
> Total vehicle thefts: 8 (Alaska: 1,969)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,102.6 (Alaska: 2,260.5)
> Total property crimes: 59 (Alaska: 16,528)
> Population: 2,773
Arizona: Tolleson
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 1,298.5 (Arizona: 241.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 97 (Arizona: 17,937)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 12,168.7 (Arizona: 2,227.7)
> Total property crimes: 909 (Arizona: 165,323)
> Population: 7,246
Source: Brandonrush / Wikimedia Commons
Arkansas: Brinkley
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 592.7 (Arkansas: 261.8)
> Total vehicle thefts: 15 (Arkansas: 7,933)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,437.4 (Arkansas: 2,613.4)
> Total property crimes: 87 (Arkansas: 79,200)
> Population: 2,742
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California: Commerce
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 2,832.1 (California: 427.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 358 (California: 168,323)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 8,456.6 (California: 2,138.9)
> Total property crimes: 1,069 (California: 842,054)
> Population: 12,830
Colorado: Glendale
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 2,861.0 (Colorado: 524.3)
> Total vehicle thefts: 150 (Colorado: 30,452)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 17,242.0 (Colorado: 2,833.8)
> Total property crimes: 904 (Colorado: 164,582)
> Population: 5,177
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Connecticut: Derby
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 586.3 (Connecticut: 236.8)
> Total vehicle thefts: 72 (Connecticut: 8,422)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,004.6 (Connecticut: 1,565.1)
> Total property crimes: 369 (Connecticut: 55,670)
> Population: 12,485
Delaware: Elsmere
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 393.1 (Delaware: 168.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 23 (Delaware: 1,665)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,880.0 (Delaware: 1,961.4)
> Total property crimes: 110 (Delaware: 19,355)
> Population: 5,943
Source: raksybH / iStock via Getty Images
Florida: Chattahoochee
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 1,077.0 (Florida: 176.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 34 (Florida: 38,271)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,674.4 (Florida: 1,769.4)
> Total property crimes: 116 (Florida: 384,556)
> Population: 3,113
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Source: sgoodwin4813 / Getty Images
Georgia: College Park
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 1,400.9 (Georgia: 238.2)
> Total vehicle thefts: 213 (Georgia: 25,506)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 6,143.1 (Georgia: 2,007.4)
> Total property crimes: 934 (Georgia: 214,988)
> Population: 14,501
Source: maximkabb / Getty Images
Hawaii: No eligible towns
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: N/A (Hawaii: 379.8)
> Total vehicle thefts: N/A (Hawaii: 5,344)
> Property crimes per 100K people: N/A (Hawaii: 2,411.4)
> Total property crimes: N/A (Hawaii: 33,928)
> Population: N/A
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Idaho: Wendell
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 295.5 (Idaho: 96.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 8 (Idaho: 1,767)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 923.5 (Idaho: 1,111.9)
> Total property crimes: 25 (Idaho: 20,313)
> Population: 2,703
Illinois: Hazel Crest
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 887.9 (Illinois: 169.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 120 (Illinois: 21,332)
> Property crimes per 100K people: N/A (Illinois: 1,559.4)
> Total property crimes: N/A (Illinois: 196,287)
> Population: 13,549
Source: Purdue9394 / iStock via Getty Images
Indiana: Vincennes
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 407.2 (Indiana: 228.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 68 (Indiana: 15,435)
> Property crimes per 100K people: N/A (Indiana: 1,783.2)
> Total property crimes: N/A (Indiana: 120,453)
> Population: 17,304
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Iowa: Carter Lake
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 555.0 (Iowa: 197.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 21 (Iowa: 6,235)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,959.8 (Iowa: 1,698.2)
> Total property crimes: 112 (Iowa: 53,725)
> Population: 3,796
Kansas: Merriam
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 1,316.9 (Kansas: 248.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 146 (Kansas: 7,229)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 6,115.3 (Kansas: 2,199.1)
> Total property crimes: 678 (Kansas: 64,077)
> Population: 11,185
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Kentucky: Shively
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 800.8 (Kentucky: 256.8)
> Total vehicle thefts: 126 (Kentucky: 11,497)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,234.8 (Kentucky: 1,779.5)
> Total property crimes: 509 (Kentucky: 79,673)
> Population: 15,726
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Louisiana: Vinton
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 466.4 (Louisiana: 266.9)
> Total vehicle thefts: 15 (Louisiana: 12,400)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,633.1 (Louisiana: 2,884.4)
> Total property crimes: 149 (Louisiana: 133,989)
> Population: 3,298
Maine: Thomaston
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 255.4 (Maine: 63.8)
> Total vehicle thefts: 7 (Maine: 862)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,283.5 (Maine: 1,156.2)
> Total property crimes: 90 (Maine: 15,610)
> Population: 1,967
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Maryland: Takoma Park
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 185.1 (Maryland: 172.9)
> Total vehicle thefts: 33 (Maryland: 10,469)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,630.3 (Maryland: 1,609.8)
> Total property crimes: 469 (Maryland: 97,487)
> Population: 17,672
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Massachusetts: South Hadley
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 193.0 (Massachusetts: 99.2)
> Total vehicle thefts: 34 (Massachusetts: 6,835)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,243.4 (Massachusetts: 1,053.2)
> Total property crimes: 219 (Massachusetts: 72,602)
> Population: 17,703
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Source: 131630311@N03 / Flickr
Michigan: Harper Woods
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 796.8 (Michigan: 184.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 109 (Michigan: 18,385)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,011.9 (Michigan: 1,360.9)
> Total property crimes: 412 (Michigan: 135,633)
> Population: 13,895
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Minnesota: West St. Paul
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 564.8 (Minnesota: 250.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 113 (Minnesota: 14,146)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 7,792.3 (Minnesota: 2,124.9)
> Total property crimes: 1,559 (Minnesota: 120,212)
> Population: 19,779
Mississippi: Cleveland
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 539.1 (Mississippi: 205.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 59 (Mississippi: 6,083)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 6,195.2 (Mississippi: 2,101.6)
> Total property crimes: 678 (Mississippi: 62,351)
> Population: 11,627
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Missouri: North Kansas City
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 2,383.5 (Missouri: 393.2)
> Total vehicle thefts: 110 (Missouri: 24,189)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 10,725.9 (Missouri: 2,531.0)
> Total property crimes: 495 (Missouri: 155,698)
> Population: 4,477
Montana: Havre
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 376.8 (Montana: 247.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 37 (Montana: 2,676)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,055.0 (Montana: 2,120.8)
> Total property crimes: 300 (Montana: 22,917)
> Population: 9,786
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Source: Skinzfan23 / Wikimedia Commons
Nebraska: Ralston
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 282.9 (Nebraska: 260.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 21 (Nebraska: 5,048)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,536.0 (Nebraska: 1,909.2)
> Total property crimes: 114 (Nebraska: 36,991)
> Population: 7,321
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Source: jmoor17 / Getty Images
Nevada: Elko
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 396.2 (Nevada: 336.4)
> Total vehicle thefts: 82 (Nevada: 10,556)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,942.5 (Nevada: 1,926.6)
> Total property crimes: 609 (Nevada: 60,462)
> Population: 20,304
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
New Hampshire: Portsmouth
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 285.9 (New Hampshire: 76.4)
> Total vehicle thefts: 63 (New Hampshire: 1,044)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,334.4 (New Hampshire: 1,098.9)
> Total property crimes: 294 (New Hampshire: 15,014)
> Population: 21,775
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New Jersey: Woodlynne
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 447.4 (New Jersey: 115.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 13 (New Jersey: 10,278)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,408.8 (New Jersey: 1,158.2)
> Total property crimes: 70 (New Jersey: 102,875)
> Population: 2,920
Source: BrianScantlebury / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
New Mexico: Gallup
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 456.7 (New Mexico: 427.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 98 (New Mexico: 9,006)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,249.8 (New Mexico: 2,841.9)
> Total property crimes: 912 (New Mexico: 59,859)
> Population: 21,854
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New York: Lackawanna
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 209.3 (New York: 101.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 37 (New York: 19,656)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,963.3 (New York: 1,410.7)
> Total property crimes: 347 (New York: 272,788)
> Population: 17,831
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Source: ferrantraite / iStock via Getty Images
North Carolina: Pineville
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 705.4 (North Carolina: 193.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 65 (North Carolina: 20,520)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 10,353.8 (North Carolina: 2,226.5)
> Total property crimes: 954 (North Carolina: 236,026)
> Population: 8,749
North Dakota: Devils Lake
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 504.2 (North Dakota: 271.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 37 (North Dakota: 2,074)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,665.3 (North Dakota: 2,124.1)
> Total property crimes: 269 (North Dakota: 16,256)
> Population: 7,344
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Ohio: Moraine
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 478.5 (Ohio: 171.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 31 (Ohio: 20,077)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 6,607.0 (Ohio: 1,850.3)
> Total property crimes: 428 (Ohio: 216,363)
> Population: 6,486
Oklahoma: Sand Springs
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 679.1 (Oklahoma: 378.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 136 (Oklahoma: 15,047)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,504.1 (Oklahoma: 2,705.6)
> Total property crimes: 902 (Oklahoma: 107,705)
> Population: 19,794
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Source: Andrew Parodi / Wikimedia Commons
Oregon: Gervais
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 679.8 (Oregon: 391.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 19 (Oregon: 16,585)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,502.7 (Oregon: 2,659.0)
> Total property crimes: 42 (Oregon: 112,782)
> Population: 2,713
Pennsylvania: Aliquippa
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 159.5 (Pennsylvania: 121.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 14 (Pennsylvania: 15,474)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,150.3 (Pennsylvania: 1,644.1)
> Total property crimes: 101 (Pennsylvania: 210,167)
> Population: 9,004
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Rhode Island: Central Falls
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 220.2 (Rhode Island: 142.7)
> Total vehicle thefts: 43 (Rhode Island: 1,509)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,254.5 (Rhode Island: 1,245.5)
> Total property crimes: 245 (Rhode Island: 13,166)
> Population: 19,429
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South Carolina: West Columbia
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 672.4 (South Carolina: 282.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 122 (South Carolina: 14,718)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 8,014.1 (South Carolina: 2,721.1)
> Total property crimes: 1,454 (South Carolina: 141,987)
> Population: 17,641
South Dakota: Mitchell
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 476.9 (South Dakota: 259.3)
> Total vehicle thefts: 75 (South Dakota: 2,315)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 3,306.6 (South Dakota: 1,956.7)
> Total property crimes: 520 (South Dakota: 17,468)
> Population: 15,727
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Source: library_of_congress / Flickr
Tennessee: Newport
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 799.4 (Tennessee: 306.4)
> Total vehicle thefts: 55 (Tennessee: 21,098)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 7,180.2 (Tennessee: 2,492.8)
> Total property crimes: 494 (Tennessee: 171,675)
> Population: 6,848
Source: krblokhin / iStock via Getty Images
Texas: Brownfield
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 1,791.1 (Texas: 287.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 167 (Texas: 84,276)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 2,681.3 (Texas: 2,245.0)
> Total property crimes: 250 (Texas: 659,160)
> Population: 9,525
Utah: Roosevelt
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 924.0 (Utah: 316.6)
> Total vehicle thefts: 68 (Utah: 10,288)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,389.2 (Utah: 2,464.4)
> Total property crimes: 323 (Utah: 80,091)
> Population: 7,041
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Source: Sharan Singh / iStock via Getty Images
Vermont: Hartford
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 136.6 (Vermont: 42.4)
> Total vehicle thefts: 13 (Vermont: 264)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,355.8 (Vermont: 1,217.0)
> Total property crimes: 129 (Vermont: 7,586)
> Population: 9,643
Source: Bill Chizek / iStock via Getty Images
Virginia: Colonial Beach
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 496.1 (Virginia: 126.3)
> Total vehicle thefts: 18 (Virginia: 10,853)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,543.6 (Virginia: 1,456.4)
> Total property crimes: 56 (Virginia: 125,114)
> Population: 3,574
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Source: catscandotcom / iStock via Getty Images
Washington: Fife
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 2,757.0 (Washington: 356.1)
> Total vehicle thefts: 284 (Washington: 27,399)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 8,746.7 (Washington: 2,732.4)
> Total property crimes: 901 (Washington: 210,223)
> Population: 10,096
Source: 129679309@N05 / Flickr
West Virginia: Grafton
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 322.4 (West Virginia: 127.2)
> Total vehicle thefts: 16 (West Virginia: 2,271)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 1,551.5 (West Virginia: 1,399.4)
> Total property crimes: 77 (West Virginia: 24,976)
> Population: 5,061
Wisconsin: West Milwaukee
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 906.6 (Wisconsin: 161.0)
> Total vehicle thefts: 37 (Wisconsin: 9,393)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 22,004.4 (Wisconsin: 1,485.7)
> Total property crimes: 898 (Wisconsin: 86,654)
> Population: 4,146
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Wyoming: Riverton
> 2020 vehicle thefts per 100K people: 622.0 (Wyoming: 165.5)
> Total vehicle thefts: 67 (Wyoming: 964)
> Property crimes per 100K people: 4,233.2 (Wyoming: 1,610.6)
> Total property crimes: 456 (Wyoming: 9,379)
> Population: 10,891
Methodology:
To determine the town where your car is most likely to be stolen in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed motor vehicle theft figures from the FBI’s 2020 Uniform Crime Report.
We defined towns based on population thresholds — having at least 2,500 people and less than 25,000 people — using five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey. Limited data was available in the 2020 UCR for areas in Alabama, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, though these states were not excluded from analysis.
Data for property crime — a category that includes larceny-theft, burglary, and motor vehicle theft — also came from the 2020 FBI UCR. Population figures are five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey. However, these estimates were not used to calculate crime rates. Crime rates per 100,000 people were calculated using population figures provided by the FBI in the 2020 UCR.
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