The Center Square
Samuel Stebbins
24/7 Wall St. via The Center Square
December 15, 2021
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.
There were a total of 1,290 murders in Florida in 2020, or 5.9 for every 100,000 people — the 25th 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 Florida has a lower than average murder rate, its overall violent crime rate is also lower than average. There were a total of 384 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 |