These 8 States Have the Worst Auto Theft Rates (Is Yours on the List?)

Looking for some good news? The number of motor thefts that occur per year has decreased significantly in the last two decades. In 2003, there were 434 reported car thefts per 100,000 people. In 2023, that number was 305 per 100,000.

The news isn't all rosy, though. Depending on where you live, thefts could still be very high. We took a close look at the numbers to create the following list of eight states with the worst auto theft rates. Is taking extra precautions to protect your vehicle a smart move for car owners? The statistics will help you decide.

Editor's note: Statistics are sourced from an autoinsurance.com study that used data from the FBI and National Insurance Crime Bureau.

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Maryland reports 428 motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 inhabitants, making it 40% higher than the national rate of theft.

Densely populated cities like Baltimore probably make the theft rate high. Baltimore wasn't listed in the top 10 motor vehicle theft rates in the U.S., but the city has a reputation for crime. Luckily, violent crime has fallen to a 50-year low. That's always welcome to hear.

Missouri reports 442 motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 inhabitants. That puts it 45% above average.

This is in large part due to Kansas City (which is located partially in Missouri and partially in Kansas), which reports 573 motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 inhabitants. This is 88% higher than the national average.

Not listed in the report is the other major metro area of the state, St. Louis, which often appears in other lists for a high reported number of car thefts.

In New Mexico, there are 490 auto thefts per 100,000 residents per year, which is 61% higher than the national average.

It doesn't help that Albuquerque has one of the country's highest rates of motor vehicle theft. It reports 795 thefts per 100,000 people, 161% over the national average.

Albuquerque has about 560,000 residents, so it accounts for more than a quarter of the state's population. Since it has a high rate of theft, the state follows that trend.

In California, people are 75% more likely to experience motor vehicle theft than the national average. Data shows that 534 cars per 100,000 residents are stolen per year.

Two cities in particular fuel those statistics. Bakersfield reports 1,072 thefts per 100,000 residents. The San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley area reports 699 per 100,000 residents.

Bakersfield has the second-highest motor vehicle theft rate in the country.

Washington experiences 554 car thefts per 100,000 residents, putting it 82% higher than the national average.

The Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area's high rate (149% above the national average) has a big influence on the state's rate. The area has about 4 million residents. That means about half of the state's population lives in the metro area. Since the city has a high rate, the whole state's rate skyrockets.

Nevada reports 573 motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 inhabitants, making it 88% higher than the national average.

What's driving the high number of thefts? It could be the high number of visitors the city gets each year. In 2022 (the year when the theft data was collected), about 38.8 million people visited Las Vegas. Even if only half of those people drive into the city or rent cars, that's a serious temptation for criminals.

Colorado experiences 583 motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents. Compared to the national average, people in Colorado are 91% more likely to experience car thefts.

Why is the rate so high in Colorado? Mostly because a few metropolitan areas increase the state's average. In Pueblo, the theft rate is 256% higher than the country's average. In the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood area, the rate is 249% higher. In Greeley, it's 93% higher.

While not technically a state, we're going to include Washington, D.C., because it's a major metropolitan area with more than 6 million residents. Also, it has an eye-popping motor vehicle theft rate that we can't ignore.

At 1,150 thefts per 100,000 inhabitants, D.C.'s rate is 277% higher than the national average.

To some extent, D.C. has a high rate due to its high population density — there aren't any low-population rural areas to bring this theft statistic down. But D.C. also has higher-than-average rates of violent and property crime. It isn't the most dangerous city in the nation, but you should stay vigilant when you're there.

Your location influences the risk of someone stealing your car. But it isn't the only factor.

Some cars are more appealing to thieves than others. The most-stolen vehicles include Chevrolet and Ford full-sized pickups, the Honda Civic and Accord, and the Hyundai Sonata and Elantra. No matter what you drive or where you live, it's always a good idea to ensure you have adequate insurance coverage to make sure you're protected just in case.