How Dangerous is Maine? Here’s Where It Ranks in the US for Violent Crime

Violent crime rates have been going up in a lot of states over the years.

It was nice to see that not only did Maine's violent crime rate go down, but according to News Center Maine, we have the least amount of violent crime in the nation, with the rate going from 112.9 in 2021 down to 103.3 in 2022.

Those numbers are based per 100,000 people, with these results put together based on information sent to the FBI from local law enforcement agencies.

News Center Maine also reported that the violent crime national average is currently a staggering 380.7.

Although this new data suggests that Mainers should be proud of our state and help us to feel more safe, we have more work to do.

News Center Maine also stated that hate crimes last year were at their second highest in a decade, and homicides also increased. Even with those stats from 2022, it appears our overall violent crime rate is still low compared to other states.

Let's give some love to our New England neighbors as well. According to The Hill, New Hampshire and Vermont are both in the top 5, with the rest of New England making the top 10.

1. Maine

2. New Hampshire

3. New Jersey

4. Vermont

5. Idaho

6. Rhode Island

7. Massachusetts

8. Virginia

9. Connecticut

10. Wyoming

You may be wondering, what constitutes as a violent crime? According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, it's made up of four offenses: murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.

As I mentioned earlier in the article, we are not perfect, and still have work to do. That said, it is nice to see that as a whole, New England ranks as the safest place to live, according to this data.