We will be adding states as 2022 homicide data becomes available.
When we say highest homicide rate in history, this means the highest on record. The records generally go back to 1960.
Year: # of homicides (population, homicide rate)
Alabama:
2020: 471 (4,922k, 9.6 per 100k) – Highest rate since 1997
Data on homicides from Alabama in 2021 is missing numbers for many cities. The state has not published a comprehensive crime report since 2019. CDC data suggests that homicides went up significantly in 2021.
Alaska:
2018: 47 (737k, 6.4 per 100k)
2019: 70 (734k, 9.5 per 100k) – highest rate since 1987
2020: 48 (731k, 6.6 per 100k)
2021: 42 (733k, 5.7 per 100k)
2022: 66* (734k, 9.0 per 100k)
*estimate based on CDC date
Arizona:
2020: 513 (7,421k, 6.9 per 100k) – highest rate since 2008
Arkansas:
2018: 222 (3,012k, 7.4 per 100k)
2019: 242 (3,021k, 8.0 per 100k)
2020: 321 (3,031k, 10.6 per 100k) – highest rate since 1994
2021: 323 (3,026k, 10.7 per 100k)
2022: 308 (3,046k, 10.1 per 100k)
California:
2018: 1,739 (39,340k, 4.4 per 100k)
2019: 1,690 (39,440k, 4.3 per 100k)
2020: 2,203 (39,360k, 5.6 per 100k)
2021: 2,361 (39,240k, 6.0 per 100k) – highest rate since 2007
2022: 2,206 (39,030k, 5.7 per 100k)
Colorado:
1972: 196 (2,357k, 8.3 per 100k) – all time record
2018: 218 (5,697, 3.8 per 100k)
2019: 228 (5,758, 3.9 per 100k)
2020: 308 (5,808, 5.3 per 100k) – highest rate since 1995
2021: 369 (5,812k, 6.3 per 100k) – highest rate since 1986
2022: 382 (5,840k, 6.5 per 100k)
Connecticut:
2018: 86 (3,575k, 2.4 per 100k)
2019: 104 (3,566k, 2.9 per 100k)
2020: 140 (3,557k, 3.9 per 100k)
2021: 150 (3,606k, 4.2 per 100k) – highest rate since 1997
Delaware:
1974: 59 (573K, 10.3 per 100k) – former record for highest rate
2017: 53 (958k, 5.5 per 100k)
2018: 48 (967k, 4.7 per 100k)
2019: 52 (977k, 5.3 per 100k)
2020: 84 (987k, 8.5 per 100k) – highest homicide rate since 1972
2021: 107 (1,003k, 10.6k per 100k) – new record for highest rate
Note: Some homicide counts from the Delaware State police are slightly higher than the numbers used by the FBI. This is most likely because the homicide count continued to rise after an official number was submitted to the FBI. We see this kind of thing a lot.
Florida:
2019: 1,122 (21,490k, 5.2 per 100k)
2020: 1,293 (21,730k, 6.0 per 100k) – highest rate since 2008
2021: 1,110 (21,780k, 5.1 per 100k)
Georgia:
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is publishing homicide totals and rates that are blatantly missing large numbers of homicides. For example, homicides for the cities of Savanah and Augusta are included in the 2019 report and then completely missing in 2020 and 2021. Also, the number of Georgia police departments reporting data to the FBI plunged in 2020.
Some media have reported that Georgia had 946 homicides in 2020. The GBI claims there were only 618, which is completely inconsistent with CDC data. Based on CDC data, even 946 seems a bit low.
2020: 943 (10,710k, 8.8 per 100k) – highest rate since 1995
Idaho:
2018: 34 (1,752k, 1.9 per 100k)
2019: 35 (1,789k, 2.0 per 100k)
2020: 41 (1,827k, 2.3 per 100k)
2021: 49 (1,901k, 2.6 per 100k)
2022: 53 (1,993k, 2.7 per 100k)
Illinois:
Statewide:
2020: 1151 (12,590, 9.1 per 100k) – Highest homicide rate since 2001
CDC data suggests that homicides went even higher in 2021. Illinois police departments largely stopped reporting data to the FBI in 2021. A 2021 Illinois state crime report obfuscates the state total.
Cook County:
2019: 675 (5,145k, 13.1 per 100k)
2020: 986 (5,108k, 19.3 per 100k)
2021: 1,094 (5,173k, 21.1 per 100k) – Highest since 1994 (1991 is the record)
2022: 927 (5,173k, 17.9 per 100k)
Indiana:
2020: 505 (6,755k, 7.5 per 100k) – High rate since 1998
Iowa:
2018: 70 (3,150k, 2.2 per 100k)
2019: 60 (3,160k, 1.9 per 100k)
2020: 111 (3,164k, 3.5 per 100k) – New all time homicide rate record
Kansas:
2019: 130 (2,913k, 4.5 per 100k)
2020: 193 (2,914k, 6.6 per 100k) – Highest homicide rate since 1994
2021: 173 (2,935k, 5.9 per 100k)
2022: 163 (2,937k, 5.5 per 100k)
Kentucky:
2019: 221 (4,472k, 4.9 per 100k)
2020: 323 (4,477k, 7.2 per 100k) – highest rate since 1990
2021: 365+ (4,509k, 8.1 per 100k) – highest rate since 1983
Note: 2021 homicide total is incomplete and will probably rise.
Louisiana:
2019: 544 (4,645k, 11.7 per 100k)
2020: 734 (4,645k, 15.9 per 100k) – Highest rate since 1996
Maine:
2019: 20 (1346k, 1.5 per 100k)
2020: 20 (1350k, 1.5 per 100k)
2021: 19 (1372k, 1.4 per 100k)
2022: 29 (1372K, 2.1 per 100k) – highest rate since 2008
Maryland:
2013: 384 (5,925k, 6.5 per 100k) – lowest rate since 1965
2014: 362 (5.960k, 6.1 per 100k) – lowest rate since 1962
2015: 553 (5,989k, 9.2 per 100k) – highest rate since 2007
2016: 534 (6,007k, 8.9 per 100k)
2017: 569 (6,028k, 9.4 per 100k)
2018: 489 (6042, 8.1 per 100k)
2019: 543 (6,055k, 9.0 per 100k)
2020: 573 (6,056k, 9.5 per 100k)
Maryland experienced major BLM rioting in April of 2015. So their BLM-fueled homicide surge took place years before most of the rest of the country.
Michigan:
2017: 572 (9,977k, 5.7 per 100k)
2018: 559 (9,987k, 5.6 per 100k)
2019: 574 (9,985k, 5.7 per 100k)
2020: 760 (9,967k, 7.6 per 100k) – highest rate since 1998
2021: 757 (10,050k, 7.4 per 100k)
2022: 685 (10,034k, 6.8 per 100k)
Minnesota:
2019: 117 (5,640k, 2.1 per 100k)
2020: 190 (5,657k, 3.4 per 100k) – 4th highest in history
2021: 201 (5,707k, 3.5 per 100k) – 3rd highest in history
1995 was the record at 3.9 per 100k
Missouri:
2019: 578 (6,140k, 9.4 per 100k)
2020: 737 (6,152k, 12.0 per 100k) – highest rate in history
2021: 623 (6,168k, 10.1 per 100k)
2022: 634 (6,178k, 10.3 per 100k)
Nevada:
2019: 143 (3,091k, 4.6 per 100k)
2020: 185 (3,138k, 5.9 per 100k)
2021: 238 (3,144k, 7.6 per 100k) – Highest since 2017
In the late 70s and early 80s, Nevada had one of the highest homicide rates in the country. It peaked at 20.0 per 100k in 1980. The current rate is not that high relative to historical rates.
New Hampshire:
2017: 13 (1,350k, 1.0 per 100k)
2018: 21 (1,350k, 1.6 per 100k)
2019: 33 (1,355k, 2.4 per 100k) – highest homicide rate since 1991
2020: 12 (1,366k, 0.9 per 100k) – lowest homicide rate since 2002
2021: 13 (1,389k, 0.9 per 100k)
New Jersey:
2019: 262 (8,891k, 2.9 per 100k)
2020: 329 (8,882k, 3.7 per 100k) – highest rate since 2016
New Jersey has not published a new state crime report in years. In 2020, 100% of police departs sent data to the FBI. Then many large departments stopped in 2021.
North Carolina:
2019: 632 (10,630k, 5.9 per 100k)
2020: 852 (10,710, 8.0 per 100k)
2021: 960+ (10,550, 9.1+ per 100k) – highest rate since 1995
Michigan:
2017: 572 (9,977k, 5.7 per 100k)
2018: 559 (9,987k, 5.6 per 100k)
2019: 574 (9,985k, 5.7 per 100k)
2020: 760 (9,967k, 7.6 per 100k) – Highest rate since 1997
2021: 746 (10,050k, 7.4 per 100k)
2020: 685 (10,034k, 6.8 per 100k)
North Dakota:
2019: 24 (762k, 3.1 per 100k)
2020: 32 (765k, 4.2 per 100k) – highest rate in history
2021: 17 (774k, 2.2 per 100k)
2022: 30 (779k, 3.9 per 100k) – third highest ever
Oregon:
2019: 116 (4,216k, 2.8 per 100k)
2020: 125 (4,242k, 2.9 per 100k – Highest since 1998
2021: 188 (4,240k, 4.4 per 100k) – Highest rate since 1994
2022: 183 (4,240k, 4.3 per 100k)
Ohio:
2019: 538 (11,700k, 4.6 per 100k)
2020: 820 (11,690k, 7.0 per 100k) – Highest since 1991
Columbus, and Toledo had their highest homicides rates in history in 2021
Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Akron had their highest homicide rates in history in 2020.
Ohio law enforcement agencies reported more homicides to the FBI in 2021 than in 2020, even though fewer law enforcement agencies participated.
Based on partial data submitted to the FBI by Ohio law enforcement agencies, we anticipate the 2021 homicide rate to be the highest rate in Ohio since 1981.
Pennsylvania:
2019: 703 (12,800k, 5.4 per 100k)
2020: 922 (12,780k, 7.2 per 100k) – 2nd highest in history
2021: 1,029 (12,960k, 7.9 per 100k) – highest rate in history
Note: FBI reports different figures than PA State Police for 2019 and 2020. They report a lot less in 2019 and a lot more in 2020. The homicide rate for 2020 was still a new state record at the time no matter which numbers you use.
South Carolina:
2018: 409 (5092K, 8.0 per 100k)
2019: 454 (5158k, 8.8 per 100k)
2020: 561 (5218k, 10.8 per 100k)
2021: 566 (5191k, 10.9 per 100k) – Highest since 1991 (1972 is the all time record)
Tennessee:
2018: 518 (6,778k, 7.6 per 100k)
2019: 527 (6,880, 7.7 per 100k)
2020: 693 (6,887k, 10.1 per 100k) – Highest homicide rate since 1995
2021: 702 (6,975k, 10.1 per 100k)
Texas:
2018: 1324 (28,620k, 4.6 per 100k)
2019: 1407 (28,990k, 4.9 per 100k)
2020: 1927 (29,360k, 6.6 per 100k)
2021: 2064 (29,530k, 7.0 per 100k) – Highest rate since 1996
Vermont:
2018: 11 (625k, 1.8 per 100k)
2019: 12 (624k, 1.9 per 100k)
2020: 14 (623k, 2.2 per 100k)
2021: 8 (646k, 1.2 per 100k)
Virginia:
2019: 426 (8,557k, 5.0 per 100k)
2020: 524 (8,591k, 6.1 per 100k) – Highest rate since 1998
2021: 562 (8,642k, 6.5 per 100k)
2022: 621 (8684k, 7.2 per 100k) – Highest rate since 1997
Washington:
2019: 201 (7,614k, 2.6 per 100k)
2020: 301 (7,694k, 3.9 per 100k) – highest rate since 1998
2021: 325 (7,739k, 4.2 per 100k) – highest rate since 1997
2022: 394 (7,864k, 5.0 per 100k) – highest rate since 1995
The record is 1988.
Wisconsin:
1991: 239 (4,955k, 4.8 per 100k) former record for highest homicide rate
2019: 185 (5,825k, 3.2 per 100k)
2020: 308 (5,833k, 5.28 per 100k) new record for highest homicide rate
2021: 315 (5,896k, 5.34 per 100k) new record for highest homicide rate