The U.S. murder rate is at its highest level in nearly two and half decades. A total of 21,570 murders were committed nationwide in 2020, up nearly 30% from the previous year — the largest annual increase on record.

The rash of deadly violence came during a tumultuous year in American history. The COVID-19 pandemic led to school closures and left millions of Americans out of work. The murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer rattled confidence in American law enforcement and sparked nationwide protests. Firearms sales soared, resulting in the proliferation of tens of millions of new guns. Here is a look at the states where gun sales are surging.

Some experts speculate that each of these factors likely played a role in the rising homicide rate. While it may be years before the precise causal factors are identified, the effects are being felt in communities across the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists homicide as a contributing factor in the historic 1.5 year decline in life expectancy in the U.S. last year — trailing only COVID-19 and accidental deaths, like drug overdoses, in significance.

There were a total of 549 murders in South Carolina in 2020, or 10.5 for every 100,000 people — the fifth highest murder rate among states. For comparison, the national homicide rate stands at 6.5 per 100,000.

Along with rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, murder is one component of the broader violent crime category. Just as South Carolina has a higher than average murder rate, its overall violent crime rate is also higher than average. There were a total of 531 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 people in the state in 2020, compared to 399 per 100,000 nationwide.

All data used in this story, including population figures used to calculate population-adjusted crime rates, is from the FBI’s 2020 Uniform Crime Report.

 

Rank	Geo	Murders per 100,000 people, 2020	Total murders, 2020	Violent crimes per 100,000 people, 2020
1	Louisiana	15.8	734	639
2	Missouri	11.8	723	543
3	Arkansas	10.6	321	672
3	Mississippi	10.6	315	291
5	South Carolina	10.5	549	531
6	Alabama	9.6	471	454
6	Tennessee	9.6	663	673
8	Illinois	9.1	1,151	426
8	Maryland	9.1	553	400
10	Georgia	8.8	943	400
11	North Carolina	8.0	852	419
12	Pennsylvania	7.9	1,009	390
13	New Mexico	7.8	164	778
14	Michigan	7.6	754	478
15	Indiana	7.5	505	358
16	Delaware	7.4	73	432
16	Oklahoma	7.4	296	459
18	Kentucky	7.2	323	259
19	Ohio	7.0	820	309
20	Arizona	6.9	513	485
21	Alaska	6.7	49	838
22	Texas	6.6	1,931	447
22	West Virginia	6.6	117	356
24	Virginia	6.1	524	209
25	Florida	5.9	1,290	384
26	Nevada	5.7	180	460
27	California	5.6	2,203	442
28	Wisconsin	5.3	308	323
29	Colorado	5.1	294	423
30	Montana	5.0	54	470
31	South Dakota	4.5	40	501
32	New York	4.2	808	364
32	North Dakota	4.2	32	329
34	Connecticut	3.9	140	182
34	Washington	3.9	301	294
36	New Jersey	3.7	329	195
37	Nebraska	3.6	69	334
38	Iowa	3.5	111	304
39	Kansas	3.4	100	425
39	Minnesota	3.4	190	278
41	Utah	3.1	102	261
41	Wyoming	3.1	18	234
43	Rhode Island	3.0	32	231
44	Hawaii	2.9	41	254
44	Oregon	2.9	125	292
46	Massachusetts	2.3	160	309
47	Idaho	2.2	41	243
47	Vermont	2.2	14	173
49	Maine	1.6	22	109
50	New Hampshire	0.9	12	146