Numbers don't lie, but they certainly get twisted. If you've been watching the news lately, you might think every major city in America is a scene out of an action movie. But when you actually sit down and look at the hard data—specifically the numbers coming out of the FBI and the CDC—the map of violence in the United States looks a lot different than the headlines suggest.
Honestly, the "scary city" narrative is kinda lazy. People talk about Chicago or New York as if they’re the most dangerous spots on the map. They aren't. Not even close. If you want to know which states have the highest murder rate, you have to look south and west, specifically at places where poverty is sticky and gun laws are, well, pretty loose.
The States Holding the Top Spots
For over 30 years, Louisiana has been a consistent outlier. It’s a tragic streak. According to the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report data from 2024 and provisional 2025 stats, Louisiana recorded a murder rate of roughly 10.8 per 100,000 residents. While that's actually a decrease from its pandemic-era peaks, it still puts the state at the top of a list nobody wants to be on.
But Mississippi is right there with them. Depending on which dataset you trust more—the FBI's law enforcement reports or the CDC’s death certificate data—Mississippi often swaps places with Louisiana for the number one spot. In 2023 and 2024, Mississippi’s homicide rate sat near 19.4 per 100,000. That is staggering. To put that in perspective, that's more than ten times the rate of New Hampshire.
Think about that for a second. Ten times.
Here is a look at the states that have consistently reported the highest numbers per capita over the last 18 months:
- Mississippi: 19.4 per 100,000
- Louisiana: 19.3 per 100,000
- Alabama: 14.8 per 100,000
- New Mexico: 14.7 per 100,000
- Tennessee: 11.4 per 100,000
- Arkansas: 11.3 per 100,000
It’s a regional trend. The Southeast is essentially the epicenter of lethal violence in America. You’ve got a combination of high poverty, limited access to mental healthcare, and a massive saturation of firearms.
What’s Going on in Mississippi?
You can't talk about Mississippi without talking about Jackson. It’s the state’s capital and, for several years running, it has held one of the highest murder rates of any major city in the world.
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In 2025, reports highlighted a bizarre and sobering reality: Mississippi’s homicide rate is now higher than that of several Latin American countries historically associated with high volatility, like El Salvador or Argentina.
A report by AOAV (Action on Armed Violence) pointed out that while the state's overall violent crime rate isn't necessarily the highest, its lethal violence is through the roof. Basically, when people get into fights in Mississippi, they are much more likely to be using a gun. There’s no "secure storage" law there. No mandatory background checks for private sales. It's easy to get a weapon, and in high-stress, low-income environments, that's a recipe for a high body count.
The New Mexico Surprise
Most people don't expect to see New Mexico on this list. They think of the desert, Breaking Bad, and maybe some turquoise jewelry. But New Mexico has been struggling. Hard.
In 2024, New Mexico actually recorded the highest property crime rate in the nation and ranked fourth for homicides. Albuquerque is the main driver here. The city has dealt with a massive surge in fentanyl-related violence and a police department that has been understaffed and overwhelmed for years.
It’s a different vibe than the South. In the Southeast, the violence is often interpersonal or domestic. In New Mexico, it’s frequently tied to the narcotics trade and systemic issues with the state's judicial system, which critics say has a "revolving door" problem for repeat violent offenders.
The "Big City" Myth
Let’s debunk something real quick. You always hear about "Blue Cities" being the reason these states are dangerous.
"If you just took out Jackson and New Orleans, the state would be safe!"
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Except, that’s not true. Researchers at Third Way did the math. They found that even when you strip out the largest cities from states like Mississippi and Alabama, the murder rates in the remaining "red" rural areas are still higher than the rates in many "blue" states.
Violence in America is not just an urban problem. It is a regional and economic problem. Small towns in the Delta or the Appalachians are seeing spikes in violence that rarely make the national news because the raw numbers are low, even if the rate is high.
Why 2024 and 2025 Feel Different
There is some good news, sort of.
Nationwide, murder is actually dropping. After the massive spike in 2020 and 2021, the numbers have been in a steady decline. The FBI's provisional data for late 2024 and early 2025 shows a nearly 15% drop in murders nationally.
New Orleans is a great example. In 2022, it was dubbed the "Murder Capital of the U.S." with 266 killings. By the end of 2024, that number dropped to 125. In 2025, it fell again to 107.
Why? Local officials point to better tech, like NOPD's increased use of state and federal partnerships, and the deployment of the National Guard in specific "hot zones." Critics argue it’s just the natural "cooling off" after the pandemic chaos, but regardless of the cause, the trend is heading the right way.
Understanding the Regional Divide
The Northeast remains the safest region in the country by a long shot. States like Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts consistently report murder rates below 3 per 100,000.
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Why the gap? It’s a mix of things.
- Higher average incomes and better social safety nets.
- Stricter firearm regulations (generally).
- Higher "clearance rates"—meaning the police actually catch the killers more often, which acts as a deterrent.
In the South, the clearance rate for murders has plummeted in some areas to below 40%. If you think you can get away with it, you're more likely to do it. It’s a grim cycle.
How to Actually Use This Info
If you’re looking at these statistics because you’re planning a move or just trying to stay informed, don’t just look at the state-wide number.
Violence is hyper-local. Even in a "dangerous" state like Louisiana, there are dozens of towns where the murder rate is effectively zero. Most violent crime happens in specific neighborhoods, often between people who already know each other.
To stay safe and informed:
- Check the "Clearance Rate": Look at how many murders your local PD actually solves. A low rate usually means a neighborhood is under-policed or lacks community trust.
- Focus on Trends, Not Totals: A city with 100 murders that used to have 200 is getting safer. A city with 20 murders that used to have 5 is getting more dangerous.
- Look at the CDC WONDER database: For the most accurate, non-political data, the CDC’s mortality records are often more complete than FBI reports, which rely on voluntary reporting from local cops.
The reality of which states have the highest murder rate is that it’s a reflection of deep-seated issues: poverty, lack of opportunity, and easy access to lethal force. While the national numbers are finally cooling down, the gap between the safest and most dangerous states remains a massive, unresolved chasm in American life.