Sex Offender Registry Statistics: 2024 Data for All 50 States

Total Number of Registered Offenders Continues to Climb

According to our analysis, 795,066 people are currently listed on sex offender registries across the U.S. (as of August 2024). This is about 8,000 more offenders than in 2023.

Of course, these numbers fluctuate throughout the year as people are added to and removed from registries. Since we began this research in 2019, this is the highest number of individuals listed on states’ registries; generally, at least 750,000 people are on the registries at any time.

Explore the map below and our data appendix at the end of this article to discover each state's total number of registrants and population-adjusted rates.

Sexual Assault Rates

Many types of sexual misconduct, such as indecent exposure, possessing explicit images of minors, or human trafficking, can land a person on a state’s offender registry. While the rules vary nationwide, rape and sexual assault are typically among the offenses that lead to registration as a sex offender in every state. Though rape rates declined nationwide between 2021 and 2022, they varied greatly by state.

States with the highest rates of reported rapes

Per 100,000 residents

The most recently published state-level data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is from 2022, which means we can’t perfectly compare the latest sex offender registry data with the FBI information.

However, we can note that some states with the highest rates of sex offenders also have the highest population-adjusted rates of rape: Alaska, Arkansas, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Michigan.

Child Maltreatment Rates

The FBI does not report statistics on sexual abuse of children specifically, but it is another offense that typically leads to sex offender registration. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reports annual statistics regarding the mistreatment of children, including sexual abuse.

Nationally, nearly 11 percent of all victims of child maltreatment, the official term HHS uses, were victims of sexual abuse. That makes child sex abuse the third most common type of child abuse, behind neglect and physical abuse.

Across all states and Puerto Rico, more than 59,000 children were reported sex abuse victims in 2022 (the most recent available year), which is very similar to the number reported in 2021. Accordingly, the population-adjusted rate of child sex abuse did not change between 2021 and 2022, hovering at 82 victims per 100,000 children nationwide.

States with the highest rates of minor sexual abuse victims

Per 100,000 children under 18

Child sex abuse was reported in Arkansas at a rate of 267 per 100,000 children in 2022, the highest rate in the nation. This figure is more than three times the overall national rate. North Dakota had the lowest rate, and 30 other states also had rates lower than the national average.

When looking at all three lists in this report, only Arkansas ranked in the top 10 for the highest rates of sexual offenders, rape, and child sexual abuse. This indicates that this state, in particular, has significant challenges with sexual violence and the rehabilitation of offenders.

Conclusion

The increasing number of registered sex offenders and the perpetuation of violent sexual crimes highlight the ongoing need for vigilance in our communities. Sex offender registries, when used responsibly, can be a valuable tool for enhancing neighborhood and home safety. You can search for offenders in your area at the National Sex Offender Public Website.

While sex offender registries provide valuable information, creating truly safe communities requires a multifaceted approach involving education, prevention, and support for survivors. By staying informed and taking proactive steps, we can work towards reducing sexual crimes and building safer neighborhoods for everyone.

If you or a loved one has experienced sexual assault or abuse and needs support, visit Rainn.org to find resources in your area.

Methodology

We individually searched each state’s online sex offender registry to calculate the number of people listed as of August 2024. In several states, the number of registrants was unavailable on state registry websites. In these cases, we contacted law enforcement public information officers and other state officials who provided us with the most updated numbers for their states by email or phone. Updated figures from New Jersey were unavailable at the time of our 2024 report, so our report uses figures from 2023.

The child sex abuse data referenced in our report was from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 2022 Child Maltreatment Report. To determine the number of cases per 100,000 residents under 18, we compared the data with population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The rape data was collected from Table 5 of the 2022 Crime in the U.S. Report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. To determine the number of cases per 100,000 residents, we compared the data with the 2022 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Limitations

Please note these are not lists of every person who has ever committed, been arrested for, or convicted of a sex offense.

These figures change on an ongoing basis as states have varying requirements regarding who has to register and how long their names must remain on the registry. Illinois, Minnesota, and Montana’s public registries contain sex offenders and others convicted of violent and/or drug-related crimes. For Kansas and Montana, our figures only include sex offenders. In Minnesota, the count includes individuals who are considered predatory offenders.

It’s also important to note that each state decides which offenders are listed on its public registries based on the severity of their crimes and their risks for re-offending. Due to the sensitive nature of these crimes, many go unreported, and the actual figures could be much higher.

Each state has unique requirements for sex offender registration and different policies regarding which types of offenders are listed on their public registries. Similarly, states have various requirements for the length of time offenders must be listed publicly.

Data appendix