PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island has the highest murder rate in New England.
That’s according to new FBI crime statistics that found there were 29 murders in Rhode Island in 2016. Despite a slight decline from 2015, the state still had a murder rate of 2.7 per 100,000.
That gave Rhode Island the highest murder rate in the region.
Massachusetts had the most murders in New England last year with 134 killings, but a rate of 2 per 100,000.
The biggest drop in murders and non-negligent manslaughters in New England came in Connecticut, which saw its rate drop from 3.2 per 100,000 to 2.2 per 100,000.
Maine had a murder rate of 1.5 per 100.000 compared to Vermont (2.2) and New Hampshire (1.3).
The national murder rate last year was 5.3 per 100.000.
