2020 was a tumultuous year in the United States. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment surged and gun sales spiked. The murder of George Floyd also rattled confidence in law enforcement and sparked nationwide protests. Amid the turmoil, homicide cases jumped by nearly 30%, the largest single-year increase on record.

With 21,570 murders reported in the United States in 2020, the most recent year of available data, the national homicide rate stands 6.5 incidents for every 100,000 people – the highest it has been in over a decade.

2020 was also the deadliest year in Louisiana in the last decade, based on FBI homicide rate data from 2011 through 2020. There were 734 homicides reported in the state in 2020, or 15.8 for every 100,000 people.

 

State Year with highest murder rate, 2011-2020 Murders per 100k people in deadliest year Total murders in deadliest year Year with lowest murder rate, 2011-2020 Murders per 100k people in least deadly year Total murders in least deadly year
Alabama 2020 9.6 471 2014 5.7 276
Alaska 2019 9.4 69 2012 4.1 30
Arizona 2020 6.9 513 2015 4.5 309
Arkansas 2020 10.6 321 2013 5.3 158
California 2020 5.6 2,203 2019 4.3 1,690
Colorado 2020 5.1 294 2014 2.8 150
Connecticut 2020 3.9 140 2016 2.2 79
Delaware 2020 7.4 73 2013 4.4 41
Florida 2020 5.9 1,290 2014 4.9 982
Georgia 2020 8.8 943 2011 5.6 549
Hawaii 2020 2.9 41 2015 1.3 19
Idaho 2016 2.9 49 2019 1.6 28
Illinois 2020 9.1 1,151 2014 5.4 690
Indiana 2020 7.5 505 2012 4.7 307
Iowa 2020 3.5 111 2013 1.3 41
Kansas 2017 4.6 134 2012 2.9 85
Kentucky 2020 7.2 323 2011 3.5 151
Louisiana 2020 15.8 734 2014 10.2 476
Maine 2012 2.0 26 2016 1.5 20
Maryland 2017 9.3 558 2014 6.1 362
Massachusetts 2011 2.8 184 2012 1.8 121
Michigan 2020 7.6 754 2014 5.5 544
Minnesota 2020 3.4 190 2011 1.4 75
Mississippi 2020 10.6 315 2017 6.4 190
Missouri 2020 11.8 723 2011 6.1 366
Montana 2020 5.0 54 2013 2.3 23
Nebraska 2011 3.7 68 2017 2.2 42
Nevada 2017 8.9 266 2012 4.5 124
New Hampshire 2019 2.4 33 2020 0.9 12
New Jersey 2013 4.5 404 2019 3.0 263
New Mexico 2019 8.8 185 2014 4.8 101
New York 2020 4.2 808 2017 2.8 550
North Carolina 2020 8.0 852 2013 4.7 463
North Dakota 2020 4.2 32 2017 1.3 10
Ohio 2020 7.0 820 2014 4.0 464
Oklahoma 2020 7.4 296 2014 4.6 180
Oregon 2020 2.9 125 2018 2.1 86
Pennsylvania 2020 7.9 1,009 2014 4.8 610
Rhode Island 2020 3.0 32 2018 1.5 16
South Carolina 2020 10.5 549 2013 6.4 305
South Dakota 2020 4.5 40 2018 1.4 12
Tennessee 2020 9.6 663 2013 5.2 335
Texas 2020 6.6 1,931 2013 4.3 1,140
Utah 2020 3.1 102 2013 1.8 51
Vermont 2017 2.7 17 2012 1.3 8
Virginia 2020 6.1 524 2011 3.8 304
Washington 2020 3.9 301 2011 2.4 163
West Virginia 2020 6.6 117 2013 3.3 62
Wisconsin 2020 5.3 308 2011 2.4 138
Wyoming 2016 3.4 20 2019 2.2 13