California reported the largest number of homicides to the FBI in 2022, at 2,197 for the year. Texas recorded the second-highest number of murders, with 2,020 for the year.
Homicide victim demographics
There was a total of 21,156 reported homicide cases in the U.S. in 2022. When looking at murder victims by gender and ethnicity, the vast majority were male, while just over half of victims were African American. In addition, homicide victims in the United States were found most likely to be between the ages of 20 and 34 years old, with the majority of victims aged between 17 to 54 years old.
Are murders up?
In short, no – since the 1990s the number of murders in the U.S. has decreased significantly. In 1990, the murder rate per 100,000 people stood at 9.4; and stood at 6.3 in 2022. It should be noted though that number of homicides increased slightly from 2014 to 2017, although figures declined again in 2018 and 2019, before ticking up again in 2020 and 2021. Despite this decline, when viewed in international comparison the U.S. murder rate is still notably high. For example, the Canadian homicide rate stood at 2.06 in 2021, while the homicide rate in England and Wales was even lower.
FAQs
In 2022, the District of Columbia had the highest rate of murder and non-negligent manslaughter in the United States with a rate of 29.3 murders or non-negligent manslaughters per 100,000 inhabitants. Louisiana, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Alabama rounded out the top five states with the highest murder rates.
What state has the most murders in us? ›
Number of murders in the U.S. 2022, by state
California reported the largest number of homicides to the FBI in 2022, at 2,197 for the year. Texas recorded the second-highest number of murders, with 2,020 for the year.
How many murders in the US in 2022? ›
In 2022, there were 21,156 reported cases of murder or non-negligent manslaughter in the United States, a decrease from 22,536 cases reported in the previous year.
What state is #1 in crime? ›
In the United States, New Mexico is the most dangerous state, with a higher rate of violent crimes per capita than any other location.
Which US city has most murders? ›
Cook County, Illinois, home to Chicago and its metropolitan area, had 929 homicides in 2022 — the most in the nation. The second highest was Los Angeles County, California, whose 88 cities, including Los Angeles, had 713 homicides.
What's the worst state to live in? ›
Texas is the state with the worst quality of life, according to data from CNBC's America's Top States for Business report. As part of the study, CNBC considers states' quality of life as one of their 10 categories of competitiveness used to rank states.
What is the safest state in the US? ›
Data gathered by the World Population Review points to Vermont ranking as the safest state to live in due to its low rates of violent crime. The state also has strong health-care services, and there is a lower risk of natural disasters, such as earthquakes and hurricanes, compared to other states.
What state in the world has the most crime? ›
- Venezuela. Venezuela has a crime index of 83.76, the highest of any country in the world. ...
- Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea has a crime index of 80.79. ...
- South Africa. South Africa has the third-highest crime rate in the world. ...
- Afghanistan. ...
- Honduras. ...
- Trinidad and Tobago. ...
- Guyana. ...
- El Salvador.
Countries With Highest Murder Rates
The ten countries with the highest murder rates are El Salvador, Jamaica, Lesotho, Honduras, Belize, Venezuela, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Nigeria.
