States Where Violent Crime Rose, 2015-2025

What this chart shows. The 8 US states where the violent crime rate was higher in 2025 than in 2015, and by how much, in the FBI's estimates. Vermont had the largest rise, 79.7 per cent, from 119.3 to 214.4 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, followed by Colorado at 32.4 per cent and Montana at 18.6 per cent. In the other 43 places the rate fell, and nationally it fell 12.3 per cent, from 373.7 to 327.6.

How the data is collected. Each value compares a state's violent crime rate in 2025 with its rate in 2015, both from the FBI's estimated crime file. Violent crime is the sum of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

Background. The states that rose are Vermont, Colorado, Montana, Oregon, Kansas, Virginia, California and Arkansas. In all eight, aggravated assault, the largest part of violent crime, accounted for more than half of the increase; nationally aggravated assault was almost unchanged over the decade while robbery more than halved.

Limits. Vermont starts from a low base: even after its rise its rate, 214.4, is below the national 327.6. The FBI's estimates for both years are revised figures, so they can differ from the ones first published at the time.