Which is states has the lowest crime rate?

1. Primary answer: which states have the lowest crime rates right now

Multiple recent compilations of FBI‑based and composite safety metrics put Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire among the states with the lowest crime rates in 2025–2026, with Maine repeatedly shown as having the lowest violent‑crime rate and Idaho often credited with the lowest property‑crime rate in some analyses ^{[1] [2] [3]}. Other states that consistently make “top‑safe” lists include Massachusetts, Idaho, Wyoming and Connecticut depending on whether the ranking weights violent crime, property crime or wider public‑safety factors like road and financial safety ^{[6] [4] [3]}.

2. Why different sources list different leaders

Rankings vary because organizations use different definitions and weights: some list states by violent‑crime rate alone (U.S. News/ FBI data), others create composite “safest” indexes that include property crime, road safety, emergency preparedness, and economic indicators (World Population Review, WalletHub, Visual Capitalist) — and those methodological choices change who finishes first ^{[7] [1] [8] [6]}. For example, a state with exceptionally low violent crime but average property crime can top a violent‑crime list but rank lower on a composite index that penalizes property theft and traffic fatalities ^{[7] [2]}.

3. What the underlying data say about violent vs. property crime

FBI‑derived figures reported across these sources show Maine with the lowest violent‑crime rate in recent years, while Idaho, New Hampshire and Massachusetts often post among the lowest property‑crime rates; USAFacts and other compilers cite Maine’s bottom ranking for violent crime and Idaho’s low property‑crime numbers specifically ^{[2] [9]}. Nationwide trends also matter: several outlets note that U.S. crime has been declining since the pandemic highs, which affects state rankings and year‑to‑year shifts (Washington Post analysis) ^[10].

4. Structural explanations and alternative viewpoints

Analysts point to a combination of low population density, strong community ties, socioeconomic factors and policing/community programs to explain why small New England and Mountain states rank well on crime metrics, but the reports also caution that no single explanation fits every state and that economic, demographic and policing differences shape outcomes ^{[11] [8] [6]}. Some sources emphasize broader safety factors — job markets, healthcare coverage, neighborhood engagement — arguing that lower crime correlates with these strengths, while others stress that raw crime counts can mask local hot spots inside otherwise safe states ^{[8] [12]}.

5. Important caveats: measurement, reporting and local variation

Crime rankings depend heavily on FBI reporting systems and on how each analyst weights categories; some outlets combine non‑crime safety measures that can move a state up or down the list ^{[7] [1]}. Local variation is large: a state with the “lowest” rate can still contain cities or neighborhoods with relatively high crime, and differences in reporting practices, law definitions and data lag mean rankings should be treated as directional rather than definitive ^{[13] [10]}. Where a specific decision is being made — moving, investing, or policy planning — local police data and multi‑year trends matter more than a single state ranking ^[12].

6. Bottom line

For those asking which state has the lowest crime rate, the evidence across multiple recent compilations points to Maine (for violent crime) and a cluster of New England states — Vermont and New Hampshire — as the safest by common measures, with Idaho and Wyoming also appearing near the top depending on whether property crime or composite safety metrics are prioritized ^{[1] [2] [4]}. Readers should use the FBI‑based state figures as a starting point, then drill into local data and the specific crime categories that matter most to their concerns ^{[9] [13]}.