Although the risk of deadly shootings appears to have escalated, violence in the United States is trending downward. In 1995, there were 685 violent incidents per 100,000 people nationwide. By 2014, the national violent crime rate had fallen to 366 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The United States is far from the most peaceful place on earth, however, and some states remain far more violent than others. 
 
 24/7 Wall St. generated an index to rank the peacefulness of each U.S. state. States with high violent crime and homicide rates, as well as high estimated small arms ownership and high incarceration rates were identified as less peaceful, while states with lower incidences of these factors were more peaceful. According to our index, Maine is the most peaceful state, while Louisiana is the least peaceful. 
 
 In an interview with 24/7 Wall St., Dr. Nancy La Vigne, director of the Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center, made clear that states are not simply violent, or peaceful. Rather, they fall onto a continuum. This is partially due to the fact that the concentration of violence varies so much geographically, even within states. 
 
 Click here to see America’s most violent (and peaceful) states. 
 
 Click here to read our methodology. 
 
 “Even within cities that tend to have higher crime rates and even within neighborhoods that are well known to have lots of violent crime, there are pockets of peaceful streets and pockets of violent ones,” La Vigne said. 
 
 A slew of factors contribute to violence in a community. La Vigne noted that many factors are involved and anything from low incomes and the presence of 15 to 25 year old men to a combination of environmental conditions can help explain unrest in an area. “Vacant housing, burned out streetlights, [and] signs of disorder … can predict where crime might be more concentrated,” she said. 
 
 In the vast majority of the nation’s more peaceful states, households earn higher incomes, while incomes tended to be much lower in more violent states. Of the 25 states on the top end of the peacefulness ranking, only five have poverty rates higher than the national rate of 15.5%. Of the more violent half of states, poverty rates tend to be higher. 
 
 A perfectly peaceful community would have no need for weapons or law enforcement workers. Of course, some number of police officers are needed to keep the peace even in the least violent areas. Past a certain threshold, however, large enforcement operations are features of less peaceful states. The ratio of law enforcement employees to state residents exceeded the national proportion of 282 law enforcement workers per 100,000 Americans in eight of the 10 least peaceful states. On the other hand, all but two of the 10 most peaceful states had proportionately smaller police forces. 
 
 The connection between law enforcement and peaceful society is not yet completely understood. Crime continued to drop in the United States during the most recent economic downturn, even as police spending dramatically fell. Also, whether more policing equals greater peace largely depends on what police are doing. La Vigne gave the example of aggressive stop-and-frisk tactics, which frequently alienate law-abiding citizens who might otherwise have aided in crime prevention. 

 50. Maine 
 
 > Violent crime rate: 127.8 per 100,000 (2nd lowest) 
 
 > Murder and non-negligent manslaughter rate: 1.6 per 100,000 (4th lowest) 
 
 > Median household income: $49,462 (19th lowest) 
 
 > June unemployment rate: 3.7% (10th lowest) 
 
 Based on a range of social and economic measures, Maine is the most peaceful state in the country. There are 127.8 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in a year, the second lowest rate of all states. With such low crime levels, fewer resources are needed by the state to contain violence. For every 100,000 Mainers, there are 169 prisoners of state correctional facilities, also the second lowest incarceration level of all states. 
 
 Maine is part of New England, where lower population densities and relative economic prosperity are likely contributing to less violence. Like most of New England, Maine’s unemployment rate of 3.7% and its poverty rate of 14.1% are each lower than the national rates. However, of the 10 most peaceful states, Maine is the only state where the typical household does not earn more than the national median household income of $53,657. 
 
 49. Vermont 
 
 > Violent crime rate: 99.3 per 100,000 (the lowest) 
 
 > Murder and non-negligent manslaughter rate: 1.6 per 100,000 (4th lowest) 
 
 > Median household income: $54,166 (20th highest) 
 
 > June unemployment rate: 3.2% (5th lowest) 
 
 The most peaceful states tend to have relatively small populations, especially states in the Northeast. With a population of 626,562, Vermont is no exception. At 99 reported incidents per 100,000 people, Vermont has the lowest violent crime rate in the country. Property crimes such as larceny, and theft are also less common in Vermont than in any other state. 
 
 A person who is either employed or actively seeking work is less likely to commit a violent crime than someone who is completely disengaged. In Vermont, 67.2% of the population participates in the labor force, one of the largest shares of any state in the country. A highly educated population also tends to be more peaceful. In Vermont, 34.9% of the population has a bachelor’s degree, a higher share than in all but a handful other states. 
 
 48. New Hampshire 
 
 > Violent crime rate: 196.1 per 100,000 (4th lowest) 
 
 > Murder and non-negligent manslaughter rate: 0.9 per 100,000 (the lowest) 
 
 > Median household income: $66,532 (7th highest) 
 
 > June unemployment rate: 2.8% (2nd lowest) 
 
 Nationwide, the incidence of violent crime is trending downwards. New Hampshire’s violent crime rate of just under 200 incidents per 100,000 people is well below the national rate of 366 per 100,000 Americans. However, like just 12 other states, crime in the state has risen since 2010. Still, New Hampshire residents live in one of the most peaceful states in the country. Economic prosperity certainly helps keep the peace. Just 9.2% of people live in poverty, and only 2.8% of the workforce is unemployed — the lowest and second-lowest proportions of all states. 
 
 High levels of education in a community are strongly associated with peacefulness — and New Hampshire residents tend to be very well educated. The percentages of adults with at least a high school diploma or a bachelor’s degree — at 92.0% and 35%, respectively — are each among the highest educational attainment rates of all states. 
 
 47. Minnesota 
 
 > Violent crime rate: 229.1 per 100,000 (10th lowest) 
 
 > Murder and non-negligent manslaughter rate: 1.6 per 100,000 (4th lowest) 
 
 > Median household income: $61,481 (10th highest) 
 
 > June unemployment rate: 3.8% (13th lowest) 
 
 States bear much of the cost of violence by paying for enforcement and correctional efforts. People living in violent communities are burdened making ends meet without the aid of family members who may be incarcerated or victimized by violence, or by enduring stress from fear of crime. At the same time, peacefulness can arise from economic prosperity. 
 
 Minnesota, one of the most peaceful states in the nation, has a relatively strong economy. The percentage of residents working or looking for work in Minnesota, at 70.5%, is the highest of all states and a strong indication that the economy is doing well. By contrast, the national labor force participation rate is 62.7%. Minnesota residents are also relatively well-off financially. The typical household earns $61,481 annually, the 10th highest median household income nationwide. 
 
 46. Utah 
 
 > Violent crime rate: 215.6 per 100,000 (8th lowest) 
 
 > Murder and non-negligent manslaughter rate: 2.3 per 100,000 (11th lowest) 
 
 > Median household income: $60,922 (13th highest) 
 
 > June unemployment rate: 4.0% (15th lowest) 
 
 Utah is the most peaceful state in the Western United States and one of the most peaceful in the country. Economic stability is a major driver of peace, and Utah residents are, by many measures, relatively prosperous. Only 11.7% of Utah’s population lives in poverty, a considerably lower share than the 15.5% national poverty rate. Furthermore, people in Utah are more likely to be actively engaged in the workforce than most Americans. The state’s labor force participation rate of 68.4% is the eighth highest in the country. 
 
 With a lower poverty rate than the national rate and greater labor force engagement, violent crime is relatively rare in Utah. There are 216 violent crimes for every 100,000 residents each year in Utah, far fewer than the 366 incidents per 100,000 national violent crime rate.
– Looking for a safer neighborhood? Consider a move to Maine. The state is the least violent in the country, according to a 24/7 Wall St. ranking that took into account the number of police officers per 100,000 residents, estimated small-arms ownership, and the rates of violent crime, murder, and incarceration. The top 10: Maine Vermont New Hampshire Minnesota Utah Massachusetts Rhode Island Washington Hawaii Iowa Click for the full list or see America's most violent states.