These Are The States With The Most Car Thefts In The US

For many people, one of the biggest deciding factors when choosing where to live is how safe the area is. This not only applies to ourselves, our families, and our homes, but also to our cars. Depending on where you live, your vehicle and its contents might be at greater risk for theft. Elements such as population density, common models found within the area, and economic factors can all be contributors to how prone your city or state is to car theft. 

The good news is that a combination of sophisticated data tracking technology, increased efforts by law enforcement and car manufacturers, and knowledge of how to prevent car theft from occurring being more widespread have contributed to the lowest car theft rates in decades. In fact, the U.S. saw a steep decline in just one year, dropping from a peak of 1,020,729 in 2023 to 850,708 in 2024 according to stats from the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Even though every top-ranking car theft state has seen a crime decline, it doesn't change the fact that they are still higher risk areas than other parts of the country. Whether you're looking to visit one of these states, have been considering moving to one entirely, or are curious if your hometown makes the list, it pays to know what risks your ride faces. 

Kicking things off is none other than the Silver State itself, Nevada. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Nevada had a car theft rate of 394.42 per 100,000 people in 2024. While that's certainly not a statistic to sneeze at, Nevada has actually seen the most significant drop in car robberies of all the states on this list. Between 2023 and 2024, it went a rate of 572.70 to 394.42, a 31% decrease, second only to Washington state's slightly higher 32% drop. 

As with much of the country, Nevada saw a major uptick in car theft rates after the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, Las Vegas alone saw a nearly 40% increase in car thefts within a two-year stretch between 2020 and 2022. These stats have been attributed to aspects such as the state's high population density and the viral Kia challenge on TikTok that resulted in widespread Kia theft in recent years. Despite not being as high as on the list as other states, Nevada sports higher annual insurance costs than anywhere else in the country with an average of $3,439 spent annually. Hopefully the state's theft rates will continue to decline and act as a positive indicator that such costs will go down alongside them. 

The Southwestern state once ranked at the top of theft rates in the country, with 661.21 thefts for every 100,000 citizens reported in 2021. But Colorado is yet another state that has been moving in the right direction as far as car thefts go. As of this writing, that's thankfully gone down to a rate of 430.04 with a 26% decline in thefts between 2023 and 2024 alone.

Many of the top stolen cars within Colorado have been average commercial vehicles and light trucks such as Chevrolet Silverados, Kia Optimas, Honda Accords, and Hyundai Elantra. As a result, many Colorado authorities have attributed these crimes to thieves intending to use the car for other purposes rather than finding value in the vehicle itself. Speaking with Fox 21 in April 2024, Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority Public Outreach Coordinator Cale Gould stated, "Auto theft is not as much these days about, you know, stealing a car because the car's cool ... You don't see that 'Gone in 60 Seconds' model anymore. People don't steal cars because they want the car. They [steal cars] very literally to commit other crimes like drive-by shootings." 

Regardless of the reason, significant efforts have been made to cut down on car crimes, with positive results. Units such as Arapahoe County's Special Response Team and Denver's Auto Theft Team have employed advanced tactics and technology to aid in catching perpetrators and even recover stolen vehicles. 

We're sticking in the Southwest for the next state on our list, New Mexico. Even though New Mexico's car theft rates have been going down, it hasn't yet fixed the problem enough. Whereas Nevada and Colorado have moved down on the 2024 list, New Mexico jumped from fourth to third place between 2021 and 2024 respectively. It currently possesses a theft rate of 458.24 for every 100,000 people. 

Many of the common car theft causes we've gone over also apply to much of New Mexico. However, some stolen cars have also been used to travel across the Mexican border, either for reselling the vehicle and its parts or for transporting contraband. Once again, average consumer cars such as the Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Altima, and Kia Optima are among the most targeted models according to reports.  

Although New Mexico authorities have taken steps to reduce the number of car thefts, they have yet to see the same aggressive stateside level of action that others have. The city of Albuquerque has perhaps seen the most substantial progress given its historically high theft rates. Officials have kept tighter tabs on arrested thieves and repeat offenders, with technology such as license readers and cameras being heavily employed for such purposes. 

It's perhaps unsurprising to see California be near the top of such a list. Many of the state's major metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Riverside rank among the most likely cities to experience car theft. It's another location that has moved up a spot in the overall ranking in recent years, with 463.21 thefts per 100,000 being recorded in 2024.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure what makes California such a hotspot for car thieves. Along with many of the same problems we've discussed before, the immense population density of certain cities and less secure parking options such as street parking being common across the state can also be seen as contributors to the problem. Given the expense of living in California, car theft can also be attributed to socioeconomic conditions as purchasing a car may be impractical for some. 

The severity of the problem seems to vary between different cities and counties, with San Jose authorities putting out a warning in April 2025 that criminals have begun to adopt technology that can override keyless ignition systems. Thankfully, it appears that things are taking a turn for the best as the California Highway Patrol announced that the state had seen a 13% decrease in car theft in 2024, with 85% of vehicles successfully recovered.

With a staggering car theft rate of 842.40 per 100,000 people in 2024, our nation's capital takes the cake for the most car thefts in the U.S., as if a high number of terrible drivers wasn't bad enough. While this most recent statistic is certainly an improvement over its 2023 rate of 1,149.71, it's still hard to ignore the disproportionate difference it presents when compared to any other state.  

In many ways, D.C.'s infrastructure makes it all too easy for thieves. Similar to many California cities, D.C.'s lack of secure parking lots means that residents and visitors are often forced to resort to street parking, leaving their vehicles prone to theft attempts. The city's layout also provides easy access to major highways which can allow criminals to more easily make a getaway. Combined with a general lack of ability to catch thieves on the city's part and increasingly sophisticated tactics to override anti-theft systems, it is easy to see how D.C. has become a hotspot for such chaos. 

The city has taken some unique steps to helping its citizens. Among these has been the distribution of Apple AirTags and sharing the MyFind information with law enforcement officials. The move has seen some controversy, as some see it as a step in the right direction while others worry if the use of AirTags will entice victims to take action in their own hands and track down thieves themselves, which could lead to even greater trouble.