Motor vehicle theft is a growing problem in the United States. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, or NICB, an anti-crime and insurance fraud nonprofit organization, 932,329 vehicles were reported stolen to law enforcement in 2021 – up 6% from the previous year and up 17% from 2019.
The trend is likely due to several factors. First, during the COVID-19 pandemic, vehicles were more likely to be left sitting unattended and unused for longer than usual. Additionally, newer vehicles that use keyless entry and push-button ignitions can be more susceptible to theft, as criminals can use a tool to amplify a key fob’s signal. This can allow thieves to unlock and start a vehicle without having the key fob on their person. (Here is a look at the least reliable cars in America.)
While motorists nationwide now face a greater risk of vehicle theft than they have in many years, in some parts of the country, car owners are far more likely to be victims of car theft than in others.
Of the three metropolitan areas in North Dakota with available data, Fargo ranks as having the highest motor vehicle theft rate. A total of 796 cars, trucks, and SUVs were reported stolen in the metro area in 2021, or about 315.7 for every 100,000 people.
For comparison, the statewide vehicle theft rate was 223.9 per 100,000 people the same year, the 21st lowest rate among states.
All data in this story is from National Insurance Crime Bureau’s 2021 Hot Spots Vehicle Theft Report.
| State | Metro area with the most vehicle thefts | Metro area vehicle theft rate, 2021 | Total metro area vehicle thefts, 2021 | State vehicle theft rate, 2021 | Total vehicle thefts in state, 2021 | Metro areas in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Birmingham-Hoover | 292.2 | 3,256 | 225.9 | 11,384 | 12 |
| Alaska | Anchorage | 330.7 | 1,319 | 239.7 | 1,756 | 2 |
| Arizona | Tucson | 313.7 | 3,300 | 283.6 | 20,637 | 7 |
| Arkansas | Pine Bluff | 444.4 | 384 | 301.0 | 9,108 | 6 |
| California | Bakersfield | 1023.7 | 9,394 | 511.1 | 200,524 | 26 |
| Colorado | Denver-Aurora-Lakewood | 964.9 | 28,683 | 661.2 | 38,430 | 7 |
| Connecticut | New Haven-Milford | 311.8 | 2,693 | 215.5 | 7,771 | 4 |
| Delaware | Dover | 141.7 | 261 | 186.6 | 1,872 | 1 |
| Florida | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach | 278.8 | 16,984 | 196.5 | 42,808 | 22 |
| Georgia | Columbus | 400.0 | 1,310 | 240.9 | 26,017 | 14 |
| Hawaii | Honolulu | 330.8 | 3,311 | 229.8 | 3,313 | 2 |
| Idaho | Pocatello | 229.7 | 221 | 96.7 | 1,839 | 6 |
| Illinois | Springfield | 282.3 | 584 | 225.4 | 28,559 | 10 |
| Indiana | Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson | 360.2 | 7,660 | 236.3 | 16,081 | 12 |
| Iowa | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | 319.2 | 1,218 | 185.2 | 5,913 | 8 |
| Kansas | Wichita | 479.1 | 3,104 | 311.8 | 9,151 | 4 |
| Kentucky | Louisville/Jefferson County | 456.9 | 5,869 | 237.4 | 10,707 | 5 |
| Louisiana | New Orleans-Metairie | 404.7 | 5,106 | 281.4 | 13,010 | 9 |
| Maine | Bangor | 95.6 | 146 | 60.7 | 833 | 3 |
| Maryland | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | 238.2 | 6,760 | 223.1 | 13,756 | 5 |
| Massachusetts | Springfield | 145.1 | 1,009 | 100.1 | 6,989 | 5 |
| Michigan | Kalamazoo-Portage | 485.2 | 1,267 | 211.8 | 21,283 | 14 |
| Minnesota | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | 380.4 | 14,039 | 297.3 | 16,968 | 5 |
| Mississippi | Jackson | 295.1 | 1,733 | 216.8 | 6,396 | 3 |
| Missouri | Kansas City | 529.8 | 11,653 | 428.1 | 26,408 | 8 |
| Montana | Billings | 611.1 | 1,143 | 264.3 | 2,919 | 3 |
| Nebraska | Omaha-Council Bluffs | 393.6 | 3,824 | 237.2 | 4,657 | 3 |
| Nevada | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise | 475.7 | 10,906 | 426.8 | 13,417 | 3 |
| New Hampshire | Manchester-Nashua | 82.3 | 349 | 61.8 | 858 | 1 |
| New Jersey | Trenton-Princeton | 178.5 | 689 | 159.9 | 14,818 | 4 |
| New Mexico | Albuquerque | 710.6 | 6,525 | 475.5 | 10,061 | 4 |
| New York | Buffalo-Cheektowaga | 220.1 | 2,558 | 115.5 | 22,913 | 13 |
| North Carolina | Greensboro-High Point | 268.6 | 2,092 | 213.1 | 22,487 | 15 |
| North Dakota | Fargo | 315.7 | 796 | 223.9 | 1,735 | 3 |
| Ohio | Columbus | 368.3 | 7,922 | 236.2 | 27,824 | 11 |
| Oklahoma | Tulsa | 522.6 | 5,351 | 359.3 | 14,325 | 4 |
| Oregon | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | 680.2 | 17,084 | 471.2 | 20,006 | 8 |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | 247.5 | 15,414 | 139.2 | 18,044 | 18 |
| Rhode Island | Providence-Warwick | 135.1 | 2,264 | 156.3 | 1,712 | 1 |
| South Carolina | Florence | 398.0 | 793 | 312.3 | 16,209 | 8 |
| South Dakota | Sioux Falls | 428.1 | 1,207 | 263.9 | 2,363 | 2 |
| Tennessee | Memphis | 512.3 | 6,845 | 297.1 | 20,722 | 10 |
| Texas | Odessa | 483.0 | 778 | 320.0 | 94,500 | 25 |
| Utah | Salt Lake City | 468.9 | 5,922 | 255.8 | 8,538 | 5 |
| Vermont | Burlington-South Burlington | 131.1 | 297 | 96.2 | 621 | 1 |
| Virginia | Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News | 217.9 | 3,930 | 142.6 | 12,320 | 9 |
| Washington | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | 582.5 | 23,366 | 461.9 | 35,746 | 11 |
| West Virginia | Charleston | 234.1 | 597 | 128.8 | 2,297 | 7 |
| Wisconsin | Milwaukee-Waukesha | 597.8 | 9,365 | 236.7 | 13,957 | 12 |
| Wyoming | Cheyenne | 407.5 | 411 | 161.9 | 937 | 2 |
