The Top 10 States With The Most Car Thefts

December 18, 2024 | Jesse Singer

The Top 10 States With The Most Car Thefts

The State Of Car Thefts In America

For this one, we'll be looking at two numbers: The total car thefts by state and the states with the highest percentage increase in thefts from the previous year.

Stolen Car States L

10: Total Thefts

Missouri: 27,279

Just to note: The numbers presented are for the year 2023—as 2024 hasn't ended yet and the compilation of those stats will take some time once it is.

Busch Stadium Parking in St. Louis Jeramey Jannene, Flickr

10: Percentage Increase

Louisiana, North Carolina, & Tennessee: 10%

And this would be the increase from 2022 to 2023.

Overview of Newfound Gap parking lot daveynin, Flickr

9: Total Thefts

Georgia: 28,171

Traffic Jam in Atlanta, Georgia Matt Lemmon, Flickr

9: Percentage Increase

Nebraska: 12%

N. 27th Street located in Nebraska, USA Hanyou23, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

8: Total Thefts

Ohio: 31,647

Short North Arts District in Columbus, Ohio Jsjessee, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

8: Percentage Increase

Pennsylvania: 13%

Buckingham Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania Dough4872, Wikimedia Commons

7: Total Thefts

New York: 32,715

Cars on the streets of New York City Vlada Karpovich, Pexels

7: Percentage Increase

New York: 15%

People and Cars in New York City, USA Mikołaj Kołodziejczyk, Pexels

6: Total Thefts

Colorado: 34,068

Colorado is also second on the list of "thefts per 100,000 people": 583.25

Colfax Avenue located in Aurora, Colorado Ken Lund, Flickr

6: Percentage Increase

Delaware: 15%

Wilmington Skyline from I-95 North in Delaware formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

5: Total Thefts

Illinois: 41,528

Busy Jackson Boulevard located in Chicago, Illinois Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

5: Percentage Increase

Massachusetts: 16%

Aerial view of Boston cityscape, Massachusetts Bert Kaufmann, Flickr

4: Total Thefts

Washington: 43,160

Thefts Per 100,000 People: 554.44

The city of Seattle, Washington in the fall Wonderlane, Flickr

4: Percentage Increase

Nevada: 18%

Thefts Per 100,000 People: 572.70

A View of the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas Łukasz Kondracki, Pexels

3: Total Thefts

Florida: 46,213

Downtown Miami Street Scene Алексей Васильев, Pexels

3: Percentage Increase

Connecticut: 33%

Looking Down Pratt Street Toward Main Street Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

2: Total Thefts

Texas: 115,013

Thefts Per 100,000 People: 383.00

Evening Traffic in Houston, Texas Caribb, Flickr

2: Percentage Increase

Maryland: 63%

Thefts Per 100,000 People: 27.99

Baltimore, Maryland Downtown Kimberlyshorter, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

1: Total Thefts

California: 208,668

Thefts Per 100,000 People: 534.49

Los Angeles Freeway Traffic 4X4 Blazer 1776, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

1: Percentage Increase

District of Columbia: 64%

The DoC also placed first on the list of Thefts Per 100,000 People: 1,149.71

Monumental Core, Washington, District of Columbia Phil Roeder, Flickr

ICONIC CARS

Cars That Looked Boring In The 1990s, But Became Secret Enthusiast Favorites

The 1990s produced plenty of sports cars that announced themselves with spoilers, scoops, and bright paint. But some of the decade’s most interesting performance machines looked like ordinary family sedans, sensible wagons, or cars your accountant might have driven to work. Years later, enthusiasts have learned that some remarkably entertaining hardware was hiding beneath all that beige-era restraint.

September 2, 2026 Sammy Tran

CAR TIPS

My car dealer says I only get the advertised price if I finance through them. Is it actually legal to refuse a cash buyer?

You found the car online, liked the price, and walked into the dealership ready to buy. Then you mentioned that you planned to pay cash, and suddenly the advertised price disappeared. The salesperson says you only get that deal if you finance through them. It sounds shady, but is it actually illegal?

September 2, 2026 Bobby Popovic

AI-generated image of a man sitting in a blue truck

CAR HISTORY

Drivers Still Miss Front Bench Seats, So Why Did Automakers Abandon Them?

Discover why automakers abandoned front bench seats as bucket seats, center consoles, safety requirements, changing family vehicles, and buyer preferences transformed American car interiors despite drivers’ enduring nostalgia for them.

September 2, 2026 Alex Summers

CAR TIPS

My mechanic says my turbo engine needs premium oil and shorter service intervals. Did I buy a high-maintenance car by accident?

Does a turbocharged engine really need premium synthetic oil and shorter oil-change intervals? Learn why turbo engines can be harder on oil, what your owner's manual actually requires, and how to avoid unnecessary maintenance costs.

September 2, 2026 Jack Hawkins

CAR HISTORY

Classic Car Features From The 1980s That We're Glad Disappeared For Good

From pop-up headlights and automatic seatbelts to cassette decks, carburetors, giant bumpers, and talking dashboards, explore classic 1980s car features that disappeared—and the surprisingly good reasons automakers left them behind.

September 2, 2026 Jack Hawkins

CAR TIPS

My husband wants to buy a car with a rebuilt title because the discount is huge. Is he being smart or reckless?

A rebuilt-title car can look like a steal at first glance. The discount is often thousands of dollars below a similar clean-title vehicle, which is exactly why so many buyers pause and think, maybe this is the smart play. But that low price is not free money, and the real question is whether the savings survive the risks.

September 2, 2026 Miles Brucker

HOME > GUIDES

December 18, 2024

AUTHOR

Jesse Singer

Jesse Singer is a writer from Montreal who grew up obsessed with movies—and so it only makes sense that he graduated from McGill University with a degree in Political Science. He then put that degree to good use with a job at a video store (remember those?). He followed that up with months backpacking around Europe (a continent he’s returned to many times). And for the last couple decades he’s been writing online, and in print, for a number of different sites and publications covering everything from film & TV to website reviews, dating & culture, history, news, and sports. He’s worn many hats—which is ironic, because he loves wearing hats and has a rather sizable collection.

TRENDING

WEEKLY UPDATE

Incredible car content, automotive deals, and driving tips delivered right to your inbox

TRENDING

My neighbor plugs his EV into our shared garage outlet without asking. Who pays for the electricity?

The Top 10 States With The Most Car Thefts

The Top 10 States With The Most Car Thefts

The State Of Car Thefts In America

10: Total Thefts

10: Percentage Increase

9: Total Thefts

9: Percentage Increase

8: Total Thefts

8: Percentage Increase

7: Total Thefts

7: Percentage Increase

6: Total Thefts

6: Percentage Increase

5: Total Thefts

5: Percentage Increase

4: Total Thefts

4: Percentage Increase

3: Total Thefts

3: Percentage Increase

2: Total Thefts

2: Percentage Increase

1: Total Thefts

1: Percentage Increase

READ MORE

Cars That Looked Boring In The 1990s, But Became Secret Enthusiast Favorites

My car dealer says I only get the advertised price if I finance through them. Is it actually legal to refuse a cash buyer?

Drivers Still Miss Front Bench Seats, So Why Did Automakers Abandon Them?

My mechanic says my turbo engine needs premium oil and shorter service intervals. Did I buy a high-maintenance car by accident?

Classic Car Features From The 1980s That We're Glad Disappeared For Good

My husband wants to buy a car with a rebuilt title because the discount is huge. Is he being smart or reckless?

Want to read more?