What is the biggest crime in America?

Asked by: Zola Mitchell  |  Last update: April 6, 2026
Score: 4.6/5 (67 votes)

The "biggest crime" in America depends on how you measure it, but by sheer volume, Larceny-Theft (property crime) and Aggravated Assault (violent crime) are the most common offenses, while cybercrime (like phishing and investment fraud) leads to the highest financial losses, and serious threats like drug trafficking and organized crime pose major societal risks, notes the FBI and SafeWise.

What is the number one crime in America?

Aggravated assault is the most common type of violent crime. It includes criminal behavior that involves an attack on someone with the intent to cause injury. It may or may not include the use of a weapon.

What is the #1 crime city in the US?

Memphis, Tennessee, is frequently cited as the U.S. city with the highest overall violent crime rate in recent 2024-2025 data, followed by cities like Detroit, St. Louis, and Baltimore, though rankings can shift slightly based on whether property crime or specific violent offenses like homicide are prioritized, with Oakland often leading property crime, notes.
 

Which state is no. 1 in crime?

Alaska often ranks #1 for violent crime rates per capita, followed closely by New Mexico, while Louisiana frequently tops lists for overall danger or homicide rates, though figures vary slightly by source and specific metrics (violent vs. property crime) for 2024/2025 data. 

What are the top 10 most crime ridden states?

The states with the highest crime rates, particularly violent crime, consistently include Alaska, New Mexico, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana, often followed by states like Missouri, Alabama, South Carolina, Colorado, and Washington, though rankings shift slightly depending on whether violent crime, property crime, or overall danger metrics are used, with data from 2024/2025 showing strong showings for Alaska and New Mexico at the top. 

Crime Crackdown Recap: Here's the 10 U.S. Cities With the Highest Murder Rates | TRENDING

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Which US state is safest?

Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire consistently rank as the safest states in the U.S., according to recent studies by WalletHub and others, often due to low violent crime rates, strong financial stability, and good road safety, with Maine and Utah also frequently appearing in the top five. These rankings consider multiple factors, including personal safety (crime), financial security (unemployment, poverty), road safety (fatalities), workplace safety, and emergency preparedness. 

Which state is lowest in crime?

While rankings vary slightly by source and metrics (violent vs. property crime), New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont consistently appear as states with the lowest overall crime rates in recent analyses (2025-2026), often leading due to very low violent crime and property offenses, including burglary and assault. 

What is a good crime index?

The Index is based on the crime rate per 1,000 population for all crimes in a specific neighborhood or city. A crime index of 80 means a neighborhood is safer than 80% of the neighborhoods in America, and a 50 means the neighborhood is safer than 50% of the neighborhoods in America.

What is Utah crime rate ranked?

Utah's crime rate rankings vary, generally placing it as safer than the national average, often ranking in the top half of states for safety, though specific rankings differ by data source and crime type, with some recent analyses placing it around 38th-39th for violent crime but even higher (around 5th) for overall safety metrics in some 2024-2025 reports. It consistently shows lower violent and property crime rates compared to the national average, but has seen some concerning trends in areas like child maltreatment. 

What is the safest city in America?

There's no single "safest city" as rankings vary by study and metrics, but Warwick, Rhode Island, often appears at the top for overall safety in recent analyses (WalletHub), while San Jose, California, is frequently cited as the safest big city (SmartAsset). Other highly-rated cities include Overland Park, Kansas, Burlington, Vermont, Frisco, Texas, and towns like Ramapo, New York, depending on whether the focus is on large cities, suburbs, or specific crime types.
 

What city has the worst crime in the world?

While rankings vary by source and metric (homicide vs. overall crime index), Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, is frequently cited as the city with the highest overall crime rate in 2024/2025 based on surveys like Numbeo's Crime Index, with other South African cities and cities in Mexico, Venezuela (Caracas), and Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby) also topping lists for high crime and homicide rates.
 

How many murders are there in America per year?

There were a total of 19,252 reported homicide cases in the U.S. in 2023.

What is the most violent city in the United states?

Memphis, Tennessee, frequently ranks as the most violent city in the U.S. based on violent crime rates per capita, followed closely by cities like Oakland, Detroit, and Baltimore, though rankings vary slightly by report and year, with data from late 2024 and early 2025 showing Memphis with over 2,500 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. Other cities consistently cited for high violent crime include New Orleans, St. Louis, and Houston, often due to factors like poverty and social service strain. 

What are the top 5 states for murders?

Based on recent data (around 2023-2024), the U.S. states with the highest murder rates (per capita) consistently include Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, New Mexico, and Tennessee, with other states like Alaska, South Carolina, and Missouri also frequently appearing at the top, while the District of Columbia often has the highest rate overall. 

What race has the highest crime rate?

Official record studies consistently show that Blacks exhibit higher levels of involvement in criminal offending than Whites do.

What state is #1 in crime?

Alaska often ranks #1 for violent crime rates per capita, followed closely by New Mexico, while Louisiana frequently tops lists for overall danger or homicide rates, though figures vary slightly by source and specific metrics (violent vs. property crime) for 2024/2025 data. 

What is the no. 1 safest country?

Iceland is consistently ranked as the safest country in the world by the Global Peace Index (GPI), holding the top spot for over a decade due to its low crime, lack of army, and strong social cohesion, though some recent reports also highlight the Netherlands and Switzerland for overall safety and peacefulness. 

What are the 7 index crimes?

Crime classifications presently used in the index are: 1) murder, 2) rape, 3) robbery, 4) aggravated assault, 5) burglary, 6) larceny, and 7) motor vehicle theft.

What is the #1 best state to live in the US?

There's no single #1 state, as it depends on priorities, but Utah often tops lists for overall quality of life by U.S. News for its economy, education, and infrastructure, while Massachusetts leads WalletHub's rankings for strong healthcare, education, and low crime, despite higher housing costs. Other top contenders include Idaho, New Hampshire, and New Jersey, all offering a blend of affordability, opportunity, or quality of life.
 

Which states are toughest on crime?

  • New Hampshire. #1 in Crime & Corrections. #2 in Best States Overall. ...
  • Maine. #2 in Crime & Corrections. ...
  • Hawaii. #3 in Crime & Corrections. ...
  • Vermont. #4 in Crime & Corrections. ...
  • Massachusetts. #5 in Crime & Corrections. ...
  • Rhode Island. #6 in Crime & Corrections. ...
  • Utah. #7 in Crime & Corrections. ...
  • Connecticut. #8 in Crime & Corrections.

Which state in the USA is safest?

Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire consistently rank as the safest states in the U.S., according to recent studies by WalletHub and others, often due to low violent crime rates, strong financial stability, and good road safety, with Maine and Utah also frequently appearing in the top five. These rankings consider multiple factors, including personal safety (crime), financial security (unemployment, poverty), road safety (fatalities), workplace safety, and emergency preparedness. 

What is the most violent city in the world?

Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities in the World

  1. Colima, Mexico. Colima tops the list at 181.94 homicides per 100,000 people. ...
  2. Zamora de Hidalgo, Mexico. ...
  3. Ciudad Obregón, Mexico. ...
  4. Zacatecas, Mexico. ...
  5. Tijuana, Mexico. ...
  6. Celaya, Mexico. ...
  7. Uruapan del Progreso, Mexico. ...
  8. New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

What city has the most unsolved murders?

While it's hard to pinpoint one single city due to varying reporting, Chicago, Baltimore, St. Louis, Detroit, and New Orleans consistently rank high for high numbers and percentages of unsolved murders, often with clearance rates below 50%, driven by factors like poverty, gang violence, and strained police-community trust, leaving thousands of cases cold.
 

What is the safest big city in the US?

Key Findings. San Jose is the safest major city. San Jose ranked among the top 10 for every safety metric considered. Relative to its adult population, San Jose had the third fewest violent crimes (5,185 total) and fifth fewest property crimes (25,715).