Most Dangerous States 2023

According to the Global Peace Index, the United States is the 128th-safest country in the world out of 163 countries. With frequent headlines of hate crimes, mass shootings, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks, the United States is statistically considered to be potentially dangerous for both citizens and visitors alike.

Some areas are more dangerous than others, but determining the most dangerous states in 2023 is easier said than done.

There are multiple factors that can determine a state to be “dangerous.” These can include:

• Personal and Residential Safety
• Financial Safety
• Road Safety
• Workplace Safety
• Emergency Preparedness

Other factors to consider can also include:

• Number of Vehicular Fatalities
• Number of Law-Enforcement Employees per Capita
• Number of Assaults per Capita
• Bullying Incidence Rate
• Unemployment Rate
• Share of Uninsured Population
• Percentage of Adults With Rainy-Day Funds
• Total Loss Amount From Climate Disasters per Capita
• Number of Fatal Occupational Injuries per Total Workers

Considering all the above-mentioned factors, Wallethub determined the following rankings for the most dangerous states in 2023, starting with the most dangerous.

1. Louisiana

Louisiana is the most dangerous state in the U.S., ranking 47th for financial safety and 49th for emergency preparedness. Louisiana has one of the highest unemployment rates, sitting at 8.3% as of November 2020. Louisiana also has the third-highest bullying incident rate, one of the highest rates of fatalities per 100 million miles traveled, and the highest homicide rate in the U.S. with 14.4 murders per 100,000 people.

2. Mississippi

Mississippi is the second-most dangerous state in the U.S. and ranks last for both road safety and emergency preparedness and 49th for financial safety. Mississippi has the second-highest fatalities per 100 million miles traveled, and the southern state also has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Before COVID-19, the unemployment rate sat around 5.5% and currently sits around 6.4%.

3. Texas

Texas is the third-most dangerous state in the country. With a total score of 34.78, Texas ranked 48th for emergency preparedness and 43rd for personal and residential safety. Texas has the highest share of uninsured people, with 18.4% of the population without health insurance.

4. Arkansas

Arkansas has a total score of 37.05, making it the fourth-least safe state in the country. Arkansas ranks 48th for personal and residential safety and 48th for financial safety, but it performs slightly better in the other categories. However, Arkansas has the third-highest number of assaults per capita, the fifth-highest bullying incidence rate, and the fifth-highest murder rate in the U.S. with 8.6 murders per 100,000 people.

5. Oklahoma

Oklahoma is the fifth-least safe state. Oklahoma ranked 45th for financial safety, 47th for workplace safety, and 44th for emergency preparedness. The Sooner State also has the third-highest share of uninsured people, with 14.3% of residents not having health insurance. Oklahoma's overall crime rate is 3,277.08 per 100,000 people.

6. Montana

Montana ranks 47th for personal and residential safety and 42nd for workplace safety. Surprisingly, however, Montana holds a high financial safety ranking of 15th place.

7. Alabama

Alabama comes in at seventh for the most dangerous U.S. state in 2023. It ranks 46th for emergency preparedness, has the fifth-highest number of assaults per capita, and has the seventh-highest homicide rate of 8.3 per 100,000 people. Alabama's overall crime rate is 3,185.26 per 100,000 people.

8. Florida

As the eighth-most dangerous state, Florida ranks 47th for road safety and 43rd for both emergency preparedness and workplace safety. Florida has one of the highest shares of uninsured people at 13.2% of its population, and its unemployment is around 6.4%.

9. Missouri

Missouri ranks 40th for emergency preparedness, with about 10% of residents missing health insurance. While Missouri ranks 39th for personal and residential safety, it has the second-highest homicide rate in the country of 9.8 murders per 100,000 people.

10. Tennessee

Finishing out the top ten with an overall score of 42.60 is Tennessee. The state ranks 50th for personal and residential safety. In 2020, the state had 11.5 murders per 100,000, the eighth-highest homicide rate in the country.

According to recent statistics, the safest states in the U.S. are Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, and Minnesota. While these states scored higher on the above-mentioned criteria, no place is accident-free. It is always wise to practice safety and proper precautions, regardless of your location.

Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the number of homicides increased by 50% between the years 2019 and 2020. Although the factors influencing high levels of violence from one state to another may vary, they are often linked to drug abuse, poverty levels, inadequate access to mental health services, and gun control laws.

Violent crimes can be common in areas with higher populations, lack of education, or higher poverty levels—likely due to a significant lack of economic opportunity. The availability of guns can also play a significant role in homicide rates.

The states with the highest number of homicides include California, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, New York, Michigan, and Louisiana.

There are a number of ways you may be injured in one of the most dangerous states, and it may require legal action on your part. These can include:

• Car accidents.
• Premises liability, slip and fall injuries.
• Defective products and product liability.
• Nursing home injuries.
• Construction site accidents and third party liability.
• Serious dog bites.
• Pedestrian accidents.
• Playground injuries.
• Violent crimes.

If someone else’s negligence, actions, or inaction caused you to get injured or to suffer damages, you may be entitled to compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. Even in a criminal case, faulty or negligent security may be partly to blame, which may require a personal injury lawsuit. The good news is that you don’t have to go through the legal process alone. A qualified attorney, like those at Morgan & Morgan, can help you handle the difficult and challenging parts of your case and can help to fight for your full and fair compensation.

You have a much better chance of getting the money you’re entitled to when a lawyer is representing you. This money may be your only means to move forward with your life after a tragic accident occurs, so it isn’t something that should be taken lightly.

A Morgan & Morgan personal injury lawyer can provide you with experience and guidance on how to get all the funds you should be entitled to, including money to cover medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and potential future loss of earnings. With the right strategy and the use of evidence and experts, a lawyer can help guide you through the legal process and fight to make sure you’re awarded the compensation you need and deserve.

If you or someone you loved experienced injuries or suffered damages due to another party, don’t hesitate to contact Morgan & Morgan, America’s largest personal injury law firm. We have the size and reputation that you could need to help win your case. With offices all over the country, we even have attorneys ready to fight in the most dangerous states in 2023.

Don’t wait. Get a free, no-obligation case evaluation today to learn more about your options.