Does Maine have the lowest violent crime rate in America? | Fact brief

Maine has the lowest violent crime rate in America, according to the most recently available data.

Maine had the nation’s lowest violent crime rate in 2024, with 100 violent offenses per 100,000 people, according to FBI data compiled by government data aggregator USAFacts.

The District of Columbia had the nation’s highest violent crime rate, with 1,006 crimes per 100,000 people. Alaska ranked highest among the 50 states, with 724 crimes per 100,000 people. Maine’s violent crime rate was 86.2% lower than Alaska’s.

Most crime data distinguishes violent crime from property crime. Maine had the nation’s fifth-lowest property crime rate in 2024, with 1,142 crimes per 100,000 people.  

Idaho had the lowest property crime rate, with 736 crimes per 100,000 people. The District of Columbia had the highest rate, at 3,693 crimes per 100,000 people, while New Mexico ranked highest among states, with 2,751 crimes per 100,000 people.