The FBI reported a decrease in the violent crime rate in the U.S. for two consecutive years after a spike in 2020, with homicides dropping by about 3% in 2022 compared to the pandemic’s first year.

However, property crime, including vehicle theft and burglary, increased in 2022 for the first time in two decades.

Some states still had crime rates above the national average per 100,000 residents.

These factors were considered in the 2024 Best States rankings, which assessed public safety to determine the safest and most dangerous states, U.S. News reported.

The bottom-ranking states for public safety, considered the most dangerous, are scattered across the West Coast and the South, mostly landing in the lower half of the overall Best States rankings.

The FBI acknowledges that various factors influence crime rates, such as population density, economic conditions, climate, and family cohesion.

Written by B.C. Begley