Which states have the worst gun violence?

Asked by: Katarina Macejkovic  |  Last update: February 21, 2026
Score: 4.7/5 (39 votes)

The states with the highest rates of gun violence, typically measured by deaths per capita, consistently include Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, New Mexico, Alaska, and Missouri, often with Southern states dominating the top rankings due to both homicides and suicides. While rates fluctuate slightly by year and source (CDC, Pew Research), states like Arkansas, South Carolina, Montana, and Oklahoma also frequently appear in the top tiers for overall firearm mortality, according to recent data.

What US state has the most gun violence?

These are the 20 states with the highest firearm homicide rates in the country along with their gun-friendliness scores:

  • Louisiana: 11.0 (3)
  • Mississippi: 10.2 (5)
  • Alabama: 9.5 (4)
  • Missouri: 8.5 (5)
  • Maryland: 7.4 (1)
  • South Carolina: 7.4 (3)
  • Tennessee: 6.7 (4)
  • Illinois: 6.5 (2)

Which US state is the most heavily armed?

Texas consistently has the most guns by total number, often exceeding a million registered firearms, followed by Florida, Virginia, and California, largely due to their large populations; however, states like Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska lead in gun ownership rates (percentage of households owning guns). Data varies slightly by year and source (e.g., registered firearms vs. sales vs. household ownership), but Texas remains the top state for total gun numbers.
 

What state is #1 in crime in the USA?

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 deadliest states?

The top 10 most dangerous U.S. states often include Louisiana, New Mexico, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alaska, Mississippi, South Carolina, Missouri, and California, based on factors like high violent crime rates, property crimes, poverty, and gun availability, though rankings vary slightly by source and year, with some showing Colorado, Alabama, Washington, and Nevada also in the mix. Louisiana and New Mexico frequently appear at the very top due to elevated violent crime rates, according to recent data. 

Five States With the Highest Gun-Related Deaths

17 related questions found

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 is the #1 crime city in the US?

Based on recent 2024 data from the FBI and other sources, Memphis, Tennessee, consistently ranks as having the highest violent crime rate per capita among large U.S. cities, followed by cities like Detroit, St. Louis, and Baltimore, though rankings can vary slightly by source and specific crime metrics (violent vs. property). These rankings are typically calculated per 100,000 residents, with Memphis reporting around 2,500 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
 

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. 

What state is leading in murders?

Mississippi consistently ranks as the state with the highest murder rate in the U.S., often followed by Louisiana, Alabama, New Mexico, and Tennessee, with these states frequently showing rates significantly above the national average, driven by issues like poverty and concentrated violence in major cities. 

What state is the 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 is most gun-friendly?

There isn't one single "most" gun-friendly state, as rankings vary, but New Hampshire, West Virginia, Montana, Arkansas, and South Dakota consistently appear at the top for lenient laws, permitless carry (constitutional carry), and lack of sales tax on firearms, with strong protections like "stand-your-ground" laws. These states offer broad rights for lawful gun owners, with New Hampshire often cited as #1 due to its combination of permitless carry for ages 18+, no sales tax, and self-defense protections.
 

Which country is the most heavily armed?

The United States is the most armed country, holding the most civilian firearms (over 393 million, or about 120.5 per 100 people) globally, far surpassing any military's total stock. While other nations like Russia and China have large military arsenals, the U.S. civilian population is the world's largest "armed group" by sheer volume of guns, driven by a strong gun culture and constitutional rights, although military strength and nuclear power are separate metrics.
 

What US state has the least guns?

Rates of Gun Ownership by State

Wyoming has the highest rate of gun ownership, with an estimated 66 firearms per 100 residents. Massachusetts and New Jersey share the lowest rate at 14.7 firearms for every 100 residents.

What state has the harshest gun laws?

California consistently ranks as the state with the strictest gun laws, leading in comprehensive safety regulations like assault weapon bans, universal background checks, and red flag laws, followed closely by states like Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey. These states generally implement strong universal background checks, waiting periods, permits to purchase, and restrictions on certain types of firearms, leading to lower gun death rates compared to less regulated states.
 

What are the top 10 homicide cities in the US?

The nation's top 10 most dangerous cities (or the least safe of the 182 ranked), according to WalletHub, are:

  • New Orleans.
  • Memphis, Tennessee.
  • Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
  • Detroit.
  • Baltimore.
  • Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
  • Houston.
  • San Bernardino, California.

What state is the most heavily armed?

The "most armed" state depends on the metric: Montana has the highest percentage of gun-owning adults (around 66%), while Texas has the highest total number of guns and gun-owning households, often exceeding one gun per person. Other states with very high rates include Wyoming, Alaska, and Idaho, particularly in terms of household ownership. 

What is the most unsafe state in the US?

The most dangerous states in the USA are typically identified by their violent crime and property crime rates. Alabama, New Mexico, and Louisiana often rank high on lists due to elevated rates of violent crime. These rankings can vary year to year depending on updated FBI or BJS data.

Who commits the most violent crime in America?

Among known risk factors for being convicted of a violent crime, male sex is the most prominent; men commit about 90 % of violent crimes [1, 3]. Substance abuse carries an increased risk for violent crime, both among offenders [11] and in general population samples [12–14].

What are the safest cities in the US?

Warwick, R.I., is the safest city in the U.S., according to a new analysis published by WalletHub. The personal finance company released its 2025 “Safest Cities in America” ranking on Oct. 20.

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

There's no single #1 state, as it depends on priorities, but Massachusetts often ranks first for overall livability due to excellent healthcare and education (WalletHub 2025), while Utah frequently tops lists for overall quality, economy, and infrastructure (U.S. News 2024). Other top contenders include Idaho (low costs, growth) and New Hampshire (safety).
 

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 is the #1 safest country?

  • Switzerland. #1 in Safe. #1 in Best Countries Overall. ...
  • Norway. #2 in Safe. #11 in Best Countries Overall. ...
  • Sweden. #3 in Safe. #6 in Best Countries Overall. ...
  • Austria. #4 in Safe. #21 in Best Countries Overall. ...
  • Denmark. #5 in Safe. #10 in Best Countries Overall. ...
  • Canada. #6 in Safe. ...
  • Finland. #7 in Safe. ...
  • New Zealand. #8 in Safe.

Where do most murders take place in the US?

Number of murders in the U.S. 2023, by state

California reported the largest number of homicides to the FBI in 2023, at 1,929 for the year. Texas recorded the second-highest number of murders, with 1,845 for the year.

What is the most criminal city 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.