Violent Crime Rate Comparison
Safety

Arkansas vs Kentucky: Violent Crime Rate

Kentucky has a lower violent crime rate than Arkansas.

Arkansas flag
Arkansas
AR • South
556.3
Violent crime incidents per 100,000 residents (FBI UCR 2022).
Kentucky flag
Kentucky
KY • South
Winner
218.6
Violent crime incidents per 100,000 residents (FBI UCR 2022).

Visual Comparison

Arkansas 556.3
Kentucky 218.6

Difference: 337.7 per 100k — Kentucky leads.

National Rankings

Where They Rank Nationally

See where both states fall among all 50 states for violent crime rate.

Arkansas #46 · 556.3
Kentucky #9 · 218.6
Best Worst

10 Best States — Violent Crime Rate

Lower is better
#1 Maine flag Maine
109.8
#2 New Hampshire flag New Hampshire
164.4
#3 Connecticut flag Connecticut
178.0
#4 Vermont flag Vermont
187.6
#5 New Jersey flag New Jersey
188.9
#6 Virginia flag Virginia
195.2
#7 Rhode Island flag Rhode Island
215.5
#8 Wyoming flag Wyoming
216.5
#9 Kentucky flag Kentucky
218.6
#10 Idaho flag Idaho
224.7
Selected states
#46 Arkansas flag Arkansas
556.3

Arkansas ranks 46th and Kentucky ranks 9th nationally for violent crime rate.

Safety Context

Economic and demographic factors behind the violent crime rate difference.

Safety
Violent Crime

Kentucky has 154% less violent crime

Kentucky records 218.6 violent incidents per 100k residents versus 556.3 in Arkansas (FBI UCR 2022).

Poverty

Arkansas has a lower poverty rate

Economic stress and crime are closely tied. Arkansas's poverty rate is 15.7%, compared with 16.4% in Kentucky.

View detailed comparison
Income

Kentucky has higher household income

States with stronger median incomes tend to have lower crime rates. Kentucky leads at $58,218 vs $52,123 in Arkansas.

View detailed comparison
Population Density

Kentucky is more densely populated

Urban density often correlates with higher crime rates. Kentucky is more densely populated at 111.5 per sq mi vs 56.6 in Arkansas.

View detailed comparison

Safety Snapshot

Arkansas flag
Arkansas
Safety
Violent crime rate / 100k
556.3
Contributing factors
Poverty rate
15.7%
Median household income
$52,123
Population density
56.6 / sq mi
Unemployment rate
4.2%
Kentucky flag
Kentucky
Safety
Violent crime rate / 100k
218.6
Contributing factors
Poverty rate
16.4%
Median household income
$58,218
Population density
111.5 / sq mi
Unemployment rate
4.5%

What Stands Out

  • Kentucky has the lower violent crime rate at 218.6 per 100k.
  • Arkansas has the lower poverty rate.
  • Kentucky has the higher median household income.

What This Means

Arkansas vs Kentucky: Violent Crime Rate in context

Kentucky has a violent crime rate of 218.6, compared with 556.3 in Arkansas. Violent crime incidents per 100,000 residents (FBI UCR 2022).

Arkansas
556.3
Kentucky
218.6
Difference
337.7 per 100k

People Also Ask

Arkansas vs Kentucky Violent Crime Rate — Common Questions

Q What is Arkansas's violent crime rate?

Arkansas's violent crime rate is 556.3.

Q What is Kentucky's violent crime rate?

Kentucky's violent crime rate is 218.6.

Q Which state has a lower violent crime rate — Arkansas or Kentucky?

Kentucky has a lower violent crime rate than Arkansas.

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.