New Study Ranks Washington State Sixth in U.S. for Hate Crimes

A recent study has placed Washington State sixth in the nation for the highest rates of reported hate crimes.

Washington State Ranks Sixth in U.S. for Hate Crimes, New Study Shows

Recently released data from 2022, showed that Washington averages 6.86 hate crime incidents per 100,000 residents, adding up to a total of 530 reported crimes. The study, conducted by High Rise Financial, took data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Data Explorer and compared hate crime reports to each state's population size. Washington ranked 6th worst in the country after the numbers were crunched.

In Washington, the most common type of hate crime is anti-Black or African American, accounting for 143 of the 530 incidents. Washington also stands out for having a high number of anti-Asian hate crimes as well, with 50 reported cases. This makes Washington one of the only states where Anti-Asian crimes are the second most frequent, showing a troubling national trend of rising violence against Asian American communities.

When it comes to the states with the highest rates of hate crimes, New York leads with 20.38 incidents per 100,000 residents, followed by New Jersey at 19.56. Despite having the most hate crimes overall (2,088), California ranks third with a rate of 10.21 per 100,000 people. Vermont and Oregon round out the top five, with 7.57 and 7.11 incidents per 100,000.

Washington’s hate crime reports are part of a broader pattern these numbers are showing in the U.S., where minority groups, especially Black and Asian communities, continue to face discrimination and violence. While Anti-Black hate crimes top the list, the increase in hate against Asian Americans is another concerning issue that Washington shares with other states.

The study shows how states with fewer recognized hate crime categories, like South Carolina and Arkansas, also report lower numbers of hate crimes. This might be due to underreporting or difficulty for victims to identify and report these crimes.

If you’re a victim of a hate crime, there are support programs available through the Office for Victims of Crime. Victims may also be able to receive compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other costs related to the crime. The study was released by highriselegalfunding.com.