Table 3

Crime in the United States
Offense and Population Percent Distribution by Region, 2006

Region	Population	Violent crime	Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter	Forcible rape	Robbery	Aggravated assault	Property crime	Burglary	Larceny-theft	Motor vehicle theft
United States Total¹	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Northeast	18.3	15.1	14.4	12.2	18.5	13.7	12.4	10.8	13.4	10.2
Midwest	22.1	19.6	19.4	25.3	19.5	19.0	21.7	21.0	22.5	18.5
South	36.4	42.1	43.2	38.6	38.3	44.5	41.3	45.1	41.3	34.6
West	23.2	23.2	22.9	23.9	23.6	22.8	24.6	23.1	22.8	36.8

¹ Because of rounding, the percentages may not add to 100.0.
NOTE: Although arson data are included in the trend and clearance tables, sufficient data are not available to estimate totals for this offense. Therefore, no arson data are published in this table.

Data Declaration

Provides the methodology used in constructing this table and other pertinent information about this table.

In 2006, the Nation’s most populous region, the South, had 36.4 percent of the population. More than 23 percent (23.2) of the Nation’s population resided in the West, 22.1 percent in the Midwest, and 18.3 percent in the Northeast.
In 2006, 42.1 percent of violent crimes occurred in the South; 23.2 percent took place in the West; 19.6 percent were in the Midwest, and 15.1 percent of violent crimes were in the Northeast.
The most murders occurred in the South, which had 43.2 percent of the estimated number for the Nation. The West had nearly 23 percent (22.9) of murders, followed by the Midwest, with 19.4 percent, and the Northeast, with 14.4 percent.
More than 41 percent (41.3) of the Nation’s estimated property crime offenses occurred in the South, with 24.6 percent in the West, 21.7 percent in the Midwest, and 12.4 percent in the Northeast.
The highest percentages of all individual property crime offenses with the exception of motor vehicle theft occurred in the South. The West had the highest percentage (36.8 percent) of motor vehicle thefts in the Nation.