In a new ranking from US News based on both violent and property crimes across the nation, New Mexico emerged as the most dangerous of all 50 states. 

The South and Midwest hosted the majority of the unenviable ranking, with Louisiana and Colorado rounding out the top three.

It comes after the US saw a terrifying spike in robberies, assaults and homicides in 2022, which have since declined according to new data by the FBI. 

According to the FBI, 2023 saw a 13 percent decline in murders compared to the previous year, a six percent drop in violent crime reports, and a four percent decline in property crime. 

These metrics on violent and property crime were used to calculate the most dangerous state to currently live in, as New Mexico's lawbreaking saw it come out on top. 

The state owns a violent crime rate of 780 cases per 100,000 people, and a property crime rate of 2,984 per 100,000 people. 

This was closely followed by Louisiana - which routinely ranks among the most dangerous places in America - which has a violent crime rate of 629 per 100,000 people. 

Louisiana also owns the second most dangerous city in America, Monroe, where residents have a shocking 1 in 38 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime. 

Monroe also has one of the highest murder rates in the United States, according to analysis of reports to the FBI, and had been the most dangerous city for the last two years until it was toppled by Bessemer, Alabama this year. 

Colorado came in third in the latest rankings, although the state owns a worse property crime rate than the top two states at 3,148 cases per 100,000 people.