The Best and Worst U.S. States for Data Privacy in 2025 | #cybercrime | #infosec

Montana surges into the Top 3. Michigan tumbles 28 spots. And Alaska ranks dead last. Again.

Just six months after the last edition, the 2025 Data Security Index reveals dramatic shifts in how U.S. states protect (or fail to protect) their residents’ personal data.

This report ranks states by how safe your personal information is, using real-world metrics that impact millions:

• Cybercrime per capita: How often residents fall victim to digital crimes like identity theft and online fraud
• Data breaches per capita: How frequently personal data is leaked, stolen, or exposed through hacks or mishandled records
• Data privacy laws: Whether a state has passed meaningful protections for how your data is collected, stored, and shared

These factors are compiled into a Data Safety Score out of 100, which determines each state’s position.

And this year, the changes are anything but subtle.

Key Findings

• Kentucky defends its title as the #1 safest state for your data, with the lowest cybercrime rate and strong laws.
• Montana jumped from #9 to #2, after cutting its breach rate by more than half.
• Maine fell from #43 to #49, now with the highest data breach rate in the country (1.07 per 100K residents).
• Alaska now ranks dead last (#50), with the highest cybercrime rate (914.7 per 100K).
• Only 16 states score a full 6/6 for privacy laws. Nearly 20 states still have virtually no legal protections (1/6).

Top 10 States for Data Privacy in 2025

Where you’re safest online — and how these states earned their spot.

Rank (2025)	State	Score	Rank (2024)	Change
1	Kentucky	98.20	1	Same
2	Montana	97.26	9	▲ 7
3	Tennessee	97.04	3	Same
4	New Jersey	96.72	13	▲ 9
5	Utah	96.54	7	▲ 2
6	Iowa	96.48	4	▼ 2
7	Texas	96.47	10	▲ 3
8	Minnesota	96.18	11	▲ 3
9	Virginia	95.52	5	▼ 4
10	Connecticut	95.31	19	▲ 9

1. Kentucky

2024 Rank: 1 → 2025 Rank: 1 (Same)

Kentucky defends its crown for the second year straight, and it’s no fluke. The Bluegrass State has the lowest cybercrime rate in the country (134.4 per 100K residents), barely any reported data breaches (just 0.07 per 100K), and a perfect 6 out of 6 privacy law score. It’s the rare case of a state doing everything right — from enforcement to legislation — making it the safest place in America for your personal data.

2. Montana

2024 Rank: 9 → 2025 Rank: 2 (▲7)

Montana made a massive leap into the top 3 this year. What changed? It slashed its breach rate from 0.35 down to just 0.09 per 100K, one of the lowest in the U.S. And with a strong privacy law score of 6, this frontier state is proving that you don’t need to be coastal or high-tech to lead on data protection. A huge turnaround — and a wake-up call for other rural states.

3. Tennessee

2024 Rank: 3 → 2025 Rank: 3 (Same)

Tennessee holds firm in third place by staying the course. The state cut its breach rate nearly in half — from 0.20 to 0.11 — while keeping a 6/6 privacy law score. Cybercrime rose a bit to 157.9, but remains well below the national average. All in all, a strong year for digital safety in the Volunteer State.

4. New Jersey

2024 Rank: 13 → 2025 Rank: 4 (▲9)

New Jersey was one of the year’s biggest climbers. Last year, its high breach rate (0.43) kept it out of the top 10. This year, that number fell to just 0.12 — a major improvement. Combine that with a solid cybercrime rate (165.3) and full legal protections, and you get a state that made privacy a priority — and saw real results.

5. Utah

2024 Rank: 7 → 2025 Rank: 5 (▲2)

Utah climbed two spots thanks to stable data practices. It kept its breach rate impressively low at 0.09, while maintaining a strong privacy law score of 6. Cybercrime did rise to 196.3 per 100K, but Utah still compares favorably with other tech-driven states. The result: a quietly powerful performance.

6. Iowa

2024 Rank: 4 → 2025 Rank: 6 (▼2)

Iowa actually improved in one key area — its breach rate dropped to 0.06 per 100K, the lowest in the country. So why the slip? A rise in cybercrime reports to 221.9 pulled its overall score down slightly. Still, with strong laws and the best breach control in the U.S., Iowa remains a digital safety leader.

7. Texas

2024 Rank: 10 → 2025 Rank: 7 (▲3)

Texas made measurable gains by cutting its breach rate from 0.26 last year to just 0.09 — a notable improvement for a state of 30 million people. While cybercrime sits at 199.3 per 100K, Texas maintains a full legal framework (6/6), keeping it competitive with other large states like California and Florida.

8. Minnesota

2024 Rank: 11 → 2025 Rank: 8 (▲3)

Minnesota quietly worked its way into the top 10 by keeping things stable and secure. With a cybercrime rate of 159.9 and a breach rate of 0.16, it sits right in the “low risk” zone — and backs it up with a perfect 6/6 privacy law score. It’s not flashy, but it’s effective.

9. Virginia

2024 Rank: 5 → 2025 Rank: 9 (▼4)

Virginia slid four spots this year. The main issue? A steady breach rate (0.15) and rising cybercrime — up to 198.2 per 100K. It still maintains strong laws and better performance than many states, but didn’t improve fast enough to hold its ground as others surged ahead.

10. Connecticut

2024 Rank: 19 → 2025 Rank: 10 (▲9)

Connecticut makes one of the most impressive climbs into the top 10. It lowered its breach rate significantly — from a sky-high 0.69 to 0.22 — and cybercrime stayed relatively contained at 155 per 100K. Add a full set of privacy protections, and this Northeast state has turned things around in just half a year.

This is the second year DesignRush has published this ranking. View the 2024 Data Security Index here to see how states have improved (or worsened) since last year.

10 Worst States for Data Privacy in 2025

The places where your personal information is most vulnerable — and why it matters

Rank (2025)	State	Score	Rank (2024)	Change
50	Alaska	63.08	49	▼ 1
49	Maine	69.47	43	▼ 6
48	Wyoming	79.41	35	▼ 13
47	Arizona	80.05	47	Same
46	Florida	80.46	46	Same
45	South Dakota	80.62	50	▲ 5
44	Wisconsin	80.99	41	▼ 3
43	Kansas	80.99	28	▼ 15
42	Michigan	81.49	14	▼ 28
41	Massachusetts	81.58	48	▲ 7

1. Alaska

2024 Rank: 49 → 2025 Rank: 50 (▼1)

Alaska now ranks dead last for data privacy in the U.S. — and it’s not even close. The state’s cybercrime rate skyrocketed to 914.7 per 100K residents, by far the worst in the nation. Even though its breach rate is moderate, Alaska continues to offer minimal legal protection (scoring just 1 out of 6). With no legislative progress and rising criminal activity, it’s the most dangerous state for your digital life.

2. Maine

2024 Rank: 43 → 2025 Rank: 49 (▼6)

Maine has the highest rate of data breaches in the country at 1.07 per 100K — a sharp increase from last year. While cybercrime levels are around average, the combination of widespread leaks and only basic legal safeguards (2 out of 6) leaves residents dangerously exposed. The state is in urgent need of modern privacy legislation.

3. Wyoming

2024 Rank: 35 → 2025 Rank: 48 (▼13)

Wyoming took one of the steepest dives this year, dropping 13 spots. Its cybercrime rate jumped to 234.3, and privacy laws remain stagnant at the lowest possible score. With no serious updates to its legal framework and growing threat levels, Wyoming is quickly becoming one of the riskiest states to live online.

4. Arizona

2024 Rank: 47 → 2025 Rank: 47 (Same)

Arizona remains stuck at the bottom. It still has one of the highest cybercrime rates in the nation (265.1 per 100K), and while its breach rate is relatively low (0.09), the state has made no progress on legislation — holding steady at 1 out of 6. Until that changes, Arizonans remain largely unprotected

5. Florida

2024 Rank: 46 → 2025 Rank: 46 (Same)

Despite its booming tech economy, Florida continues to underperform on data safety. Cybercrime remains high (223.3 per 100K), and the state has not strengthened its privacy protections at all. With only basic enforcement and a legal score of 1, Florida offers little peace of mind when it comes to personal information.

6. South Dakota

2024 Rank: 50 → 2025 Rank: 45 (▲5)

South Dakota made modest progress this year — its data breach rate dropped from 0.98 to 0.22. But that alone wasn’t enough to move it out of the bottom 10. It still lacks modern privacy legislation and remains vulnerable due to rising cybercrime (140.4 per 100K). Improvement is there, but the foundation is still weak.

7. Wisconsin

2024 Rank: 41 → 2025 Rank: 44 (▼3)

Wisconsin continues its slow slide down the rankings. Its data breach rate is now 0.17, and cybercrime is holding steady around 161. Still, with no meaningful privacy laws in place, the state has little to protect its residents from data misuse. It’s falling behind the national curve.

8. Kansas

2024 Rank: 28 → 2025 Rank: 43 (▼15)

Kansas suffered a sharp drop this year. Both cybercrime and breach rates ticked up (now at 161.5 and 0.17 respectively), and its privacy law score is still at rock bottom. With no legislative action and increasing digital threats, Kansas went from mid-tier to red-flag territory in just six months.

9. Michigan

2024 Rank: 14 → 2025 Rank: 42 (▼28)

Michigan had the biggest collapse in this year’s rankings. The state dropped a staggering 28 spots after its privacy law score was reduced from 5 to just 1 — a massive policy backslide. While its cybercrime and breach rates didn’t worsen dramatically, the lack of legal support erased earlier gains, leaving residents far more vulnerable than a year ago.

10. Massachusetts

2024 Rank: 48 → 2025 Rank: 41 (▲7)

Massachusetts managed to climb a few spots, thanks mostly to slightly improved enforcement. But its breach rate remains very high (0.45), and while it has better laws than most bottom-tier states (3 out of 6), they haven’t been enough to reverse course. The state is showing signs of momentum — but it’s still far from secure.

Methodology: What We Measured (and Why)

To make this ranking meaningful and transparent, we weighted and normalized the data using trusted public sources:

Factor	Weight	Source
Cybercrime per capita	35%	FBI Internet Crime Report 2024
Data breaches per capita	35%	ITGovernanceUSA, Maine.gov
Privacy law score	30%	IAPP U.S. Privacy Tracker

For comparison, we also included last year’s 2024 scores, so you can see which states are improving, stagnating, or falling behind.

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