Violent crime ticked up in 2012, but America is still a lot safer than it used to be, according to the
Business Insider mapped the results, revealing a snapshot of crime in the United
You can see these and others trends in the
The most violent state was Tennessee, which reported 644 violent crimes per 100,000, followed by Nevada, Alaska, and New Mexico. The safest state was Maine with only 123 violent crimes reported per 100,000.
The highest murder rate was in Louisiana, with 10.8 murders reported per 100,000 people. The Deep South state is notoriously pro-gun rights. The state is also really poor. Louisiana has the third-lowest median household income in America ahead of Arkansas and Mississippi, according to recent Census data.
The lowest reported murder rate was in New Hampshire, with only 1.1 murders per 100,000 people.
Alaska had the highest reported rape rate at 79.7 per 100,000 people. The state has had a reputation for having a big problem with rape for a while. A poll of nearly 900 Alaskan women in 2010 found 37% had experienced sexual violence. Experts say the isolation of Alaska's villages may make women particularly vulnerable to assault. Another rural state, South Dakota, has the second-highest rate of rape reports.
The lowest reported rape rate was in New Jersey, with only 11.7 per 100,000 people.
Rape often goes unreported, so these statistics may be less reliable than other crime numbers.
The highest rate of aggravated assaults is in Tennessee, with 480 reported per 100,000 people. There are a few good theories about why Southerners like to fight.
The lowest reported rate was in Maine, with 61 per 100,000 people.
Nevada had the highest reported robbery rate at 178 per 100,000 people. Also a particularly dangerous state, Nevada was hit hard by the recession, has a sky-high foreclosure rate, and suffers an unemployment rate higher than the national average.
Wyoming had the lowest reported robbery rate at 11 per 100,000 people.
The FBI defines robbery as stealing anything by using violence or threats.
South Carolina led the nation in property crimes with 3,822 reported per 100,000 people.
New York reported the fewest property crimes at 1,922 per 100,000 people.
The FBI's property crime count includes burglary, motor-vehicle theft, larceny, and arson. The South isn't just America's most violent region. There's a lot of theft there, too.
California leads the way for car thefts with 443 reported per 100,000 people. That could be because California is so close to Mexico, where many stolen cars are found, Forbes has pointed out.
Your car is least likely to get stolen in Vermont, with 69 reported thefts per 100,000, followed closely by Maine and New Hampshire. This is not surprising when you see how cars look after a New England winter.
South Carolina leads the nation in larceny with 2,588 reported thefts per 100,000.
New Jersey brought up the rear with 1,384 reported thefts per 100,000.
The FBI defines larceny as the theft of any property like bicycles, parts of motor vehicles, or even wallets.
Arkansas leads the nation in burglary with 1,081 reported incidents per 100,000. Burglars in the state have reportedly been reading obituaries recently so they can break into people's houses when they're at their loved ones' funerals.
New York had the lowest reported burglary rate at 330 per 100,000.
The FBI defines burglary as illegally entering a place to steal something.