Kentucky Crime Rate & Safety

Of Kentucky's total crime rate, 14.1% is violent crime and 85.9% is property crime. Nationally, violent crime makes up 17.2% of all crime, meaning Kentucky has a lower-than-average share of violent offenses.

Kentucky's murder rate is 11.4 per 100K, which is 1.8x the national rate of 6.2. Murder is the least common but most serious violent crime, and even small differences in rate can reflect meaningful differences in public safety.

These statistics are compiled from 41 cities across the state that report to the FBI's UCR program. Coverage varies by state — so these numbers represent the best available estimate, not a perfect census. For details, see our methodology page.

Property crime accounts for the bulk of Kentucky's total rate at 2,469 per 100K. This includes burglary, larceny-theft (the most common crime nationwide), motor vehicle theft, and arson. While property crime is less immediately dangerous than violent crime, high rates can affect quality of life, insurance costs, and economic investment in affected areas.

Over the 6-year period from 2019 to 2024, Kentucky's total crime rate decreased by 22.8%, moving from 3,720 to 2,873 per 100,000 residents. This long-term trajectory provides important context beyond any single year's snapshot.

In the most recent year-over-year comparison, Kentucky's crime rate decreased by 10%, with violent crime specifically declining 6.5%. Short-term changes don't always indicate a lasting trend, but consecutive years of movement in the same direction are worth noting.

Many factors can influence year-over-year changes, including shifts in policing strategies, economic conditions, population growth, and changes in how agencies report data to the FBI. For the most reliable picture, focus on the multi-year trend rather than any single year's change.

Kentucky is safer than 3 of its 7 neighboring states based on total crime rate. Nationally, it ranks #31 out of 50 states (ranked safest first), placing it in the higher-crime half of all US states.

Regional comparisons are valuable because neighboring states often share economic conditions, climate, and demographic patterns. If Kentucky differs significantly from its neighbors, it may point to state-specific factors such as policing policy, drug legislation, or economic programs. Visit individual state pages above for detailed comparisons.