How often it happens
Crime in New Hampshire
How rare it is
Violent crime is rare here. The FBI’s 2024 estimate is 110.1 violent crimes per 100,000 people. That’s about one violent crime per 900 residents in a year.
The U.S. rate was 359.1. New Hampshire was second-lowest of the 50 states. Only Maine was lower (100.1). In this count, violent crime is murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.
Murder was about 1 per 100,000. Property crime — burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft — was 918 per 100,000, also second-lowest of the 50 states. The U.S. property rate was 1,760. Idaho was the one state lower on property.
Compared with other states
Same FBI year, same per-100,000 scale. Bars run low to high. Maine is the only state under New Hampshire. Wyoming, Idaho, and Florida are here because people ask. Massachusetts is a common from-state. Tennessee is a common “what about there” state. The U.S. bar is the national estimate, not a state.
FBI 2024 · violent crime per 100,000
Punishment
Low crime is not the same as a high-prison state. At yearend 2023, New Hampshire held 151 sentenced prisoners per 100,000 residents. The U.S. rate was 360. The death penalty was repealed in 2019. Capital murder is life without parole.
How classes work
Felonies and misdemeanors are crimes. A violation is not. These are the default ceilings for a person. A specific crime can set its own sentence.
- Class A felony: up to 15 years. Fine up to $4,000.
- Class B felony: up to 7 years. Fine up to $4,000.
- Class A misdemeanor: up to 1 year in jail. Fine up to $2,000.
- Class B misdemeanor: no jail. Fine up to $1,200.
- Violation: not a crime. No jail. Fine up to $1,000.
RSA 625:9 is how offenses are classed. RSA 651:2 is the default ceiling.
Serious crimes
- Capital murder: life without parole. RSA 630:1.
- First-degree murder: life, no parole. RSA 630:1-a.
- Second-degree murder: life, or a term the court sets. RSA 630:1-b.
- Manslaughter: up to 30 years. RSA 630:2.
- First-degree assault: class A felony. RSA 631:1.
- Robbery: class B felony. Class A if armed, if it looked armed to the victim, or if death or serious injury is inflicted or attempted. A firearm as that weapon can raise the max to 20 years. RSA 636:1, RSA 651:2 II-g.
- Armed career criminal — three or more listed felonies, then possess a firearm: felony, mandatory 10 years, up to 40, fine up to $25,000. The 10 years do not run with another sentence, and they do not get suspended. RSA 159:3-a. Same rule on gun laws.
- A second or later felonious use of a firearm adds a mandatory 3 years on top of the underlying felony. That extra time does not run with another sentence, and it does not get suspended. RSA 650-A:1, RSA 651:2 II-b.
Speeding
RSA 265:60 sets the fine by miles over. The amount on the ticket is that fine plus a penalty assessment — $2 or 24 percent, whichever is greater (RSA 106-L:10).
| mph over | fine |
|---|---|
| Ordinary roads | |
| 1–10 | $50 |
| 11–15 | $75 |
| 16–20 | $100 |
| 21–25 | $200 |
| 26+ | $350 |
| 65 mph interstates and turnpikes | |
| 1–5 | $65 |
| 6–10 | $100 |
| 11–15 | $150 |
| 16–20 | $250 |
| 21+ | $350 |
| 70 mph on I-93 (mile 45 to Vermont) | |
| 1–5 | $65 |
| 6–10 | $100 |
| 11–15 | $200 |
| 16–20 | $300 |
| 21+ | $400 |
Speeding in a manned construction or maintenance zone on a state or interstate highway is $250 to $500. RSA 265:6-a.
- FBI Crime Data Explorer — Documents & Downloads — Crime in the United States, 2024 Table 4. State violent and property rates, including Maine, New Hampshire, Idaho, Wyoming, Florida, and the U.S. estimate.
- FBI — 2024 reported crimes in the nation
- NH Department of Safety — TOPS — official crime reports by town.
- BJS — Prisoners in 2023, Statistical Tables (NCJ 310197). Table 7: imprisonment rates, yearend 2023. PDF: p23st.pdf.
- RSA 625:9 — classification of crimes. A violation is not a crime.
- RSA 651:2 — default sentence ceilings for an individual (II, III, III-a, IV(a)). II-b is the 3-year mandatory add-on for a second or later felonious use of a firearm. II-g is the 20-year firearm-weapon maximum.
- RSA 630:1 — capital murder. Paragraph III is life without parole (2019, 42:1, effective May 30, 2019). RSA 630:1-a — first-degree murder (life, no parole). RSA 630:1-b — second-degree murder (life or a term the court sets). RSA 630:2 — manslaughter (up to 30 years).
- RSA 631:1 — first-degree assault (class A felony). RSA 636:1 — robbery (class B, or class A if armed / appeared armed / serious injury).
- RSA 159:3-a — armed career criminal (mandatory 10 years, up to 40, fine up to $25,000). RSA 650-A:1 — felonious use of firearms.
- RSA 265:60 — speeding. Paragraph V is the ordinary-road table. Paragraph VI is the 65 mph and 70 mph tables. Both say plus penalty assessment. RSA 106-L:10 — penalty assessment of $2 or 24 percent, whichever is greater. RSA 265:6-a — construction-zone speeding, $250 to $500.