Violent crime rates have declined in recent years after a pandemic surge, but several states have been slower than most to return to safety.
In a new ranking of US News Based on violent and property crimes nationwide, New Mexico emerged as the most dangerous of the 50 states.
The South and Midwest accounted for the bulk of the unenviable ranking, with Louisiana and Colorado rounding out the top three.
It comes after the United States saw a terrifying rise in robberies, assaults and homicides in 2022, which have since decreased according to new FBI data.
New Mexico has become the most dangerous state in the United States, with a violent crime rate of 780 cases per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 2,984 per 100,000 residents.
Louisiana is often ranked as one of the least safe places in the country and came in second in the new ranking thanks to a violent crime rate of 629 cases per 100,000 people.
Colorado, which also has one of the worst suicide rates in the country, came in third with a worse property crime rate than the top two states with 3,148 cases per 100,000 people.
According to the FBI, 2023 saw a 13 percent decrease in murders compared to the previous year, a six percent drop in violent crime reports, and a four percent decrease in property crimes.
These violent and property crime metrics were used to calculate the most dangerous state to live in today, as law breaking in New Mexico pushed it to the top.
The state has a violent crime rate of 780 cases per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 2,984 per 100,000 residents.
It was closely followed by Louisiana, routinely among the most dangerous places in the United States, with a violent crime rate of 629 per 100,000 residents.
Louisiana also has the second most dangerous city in the United States, Monroe, where residents have a staggering 1 in 38 chance of becoming victims of violent crime.
Monroe also has one of the highest homicide rates in the United States, according to analysis of reports to the FBI, and had been the most dangerous city for the past two years until it was overthrown by Bessemer, Alabama, this year.
Colorado ranked third in the latest rankings, although the state has a property crime rate worse than the top two states at 3,148 cases per 100,000 residents.
In a separate ranking, the top 100 crime cities were recently revealed, with Bessemer, Alabama, in first place.
Missouri also made the list of the top 10 most dangerous states thanks to having some of the loosest gun laws in the country.
Oregon ranked eighth on the list, with one of the worst property crime rates at 2,935 cases per 100,000 residents.
Although not counted in ranking metrics, the mountain state is also home to one of the worst suicide rates in the country and sits right in the heart of America’s “Suicide Belt.”
Although Arkansas’ 2,452 property crime cases are few for fourth place on the list, residents battle a higher number of violent crimes, 645 cases per 100,000 residents.
Washington and Tennessee ranked fourth and fifth, the latter recently making headlines after college student Riley Strain disappeared on a night out in Nashville while his family searched for answers.
Alaska, the third least populated state in the country, has a low property crime rate of just 1,789 cases per 100,000, but has the second highest violent crime rate in the country at 759 cases per 100,000.
Rounding out the top 10 were Oregon, California and Missouri, with crime in the Show Me state exacerbated by having some of the loosest gun laws in the United States.