These U.S. States Have the Highest Concentration of Hate Groups

Hate groups remain active in the United States, despite decades of progress in civil rights. While many communities are safe, others continue to experience higher levels of hate-related activity tied to organized extremist groups.

These groups target a range of communities and are often linked to broader patterns of discrimination, violence, and anti-government extremism. Their presence varies significantly across the country, with some states reporting far higher concentrations than others.

This article examines the states with the highest number of hate groups using data from the Southern Poverty Law Center's Year in Hate and Extremism report, along with population data from the U.S. Census Bureau. By looking at where these groups are most concentrated, it offers a clearer picture of how hate group activity is distributed across the United States today.

Here are the U.S. states with the highest concentration of hate groups:

• Hate groups in 2022: 1.5 per million people (7 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 10. most, with 3.2 per million people (15 total)
• Population: 4,624,047
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (3), Neo-Confederate (1)
• State demographic makeup: 56.9% white; 31.0% Black; 4.3% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 1.6 per million people (11 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 34. most, with 2.0 per million people (14 total)
• Population: 6,984,723
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (6), Anti-LGBTQ (2), White Nationalist (1)
• State demographic makeup: 67.5% white; 6.3% Black; 17.6% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 2 per million people (6 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 46. most, with 1.4 per million people (4 total)
• Population: 2,934,582
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (3), White Nationalist (1)
• State demographic makeup: 73.4% white; 5.1% Black; 6.9% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 2 per million people (9 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 35. most, with 2.0 per million people (9 total)
• Population: 4,509,394
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (3), General Hate (2), Neo-Völkisch (1)
• State demographic makeup: 82.7% white; 7.1% Black; 4.0% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 2.2 per million people (24 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 31. most, with 2.2 per million people (24 total)
• Population: 10,799,566
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (13), White Nationalist (3), Anti-LGBTQ (2)
• State demographic makeup: 50.2% white; 30.4% Black; 10.0% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 2.4 per million people (72 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 41. most, with 1.8 per million people (52 total)
• Population: 29,527,941
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (39), General Hate (10), Anti-LGBTQ (5)
• State demographic makeup: 39.4% white; 11.6% Black; 17.2% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 2.4 per million people (7 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 21. most, with 2.7 per million people (8 total)
• Population: 2,949,965
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (4), White Nationalist (1)
• State demographic makeup: 55.4% white; 36.0% Black; 2.1% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 2.4 per million people (22 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 47. most, with 1.3 per million people (12 total)
• Population: 9,267,130
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (16), White Nationalist (2), Anti-Immigrant (1)
• State demographic makeup: 52.1% white; 12.3% Black; 23.0% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 2.4 per million people (5 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 50. most, with 0.5 per million people (1 total)
• Population: 2,115,877
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (4), White Nationalist (1)
• State demographic makeup: 34.9% white; 1.7% Black; 9.1% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 2.6 per million people (103 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 43. most, with 1.7 per million people (65 total)
• Population: 39,237,836
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (57), General Hate (15), Anti-Muslim (8)
• State demographic makeup: 34.3% white; 5.3% Black; 26.6% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 2.6 per million people (13 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 24. most, with 2.6 per million people (13 total)
• Population: 5,039,877
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (8), Neo-Confederate (2)
• State demographic makeup: 64.2% white; 25.8% Black; 3.5% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 2.7 per million people (53 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 40. most, with 1.8 per million people (35 total)
• Population: 19,835,913
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (25), General Hate (12), White Nationalist (4)
• State demographic makeup: 53.5% white; 13.4% Black; 22.3% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 2.8 per million people (35 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 37. most, with 1.8 per million people (23 total)
• Population: 12,671,469
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (17), Anti-LGBTQ (4)
• State demographic makeup: 58.9% white; 13.4% Black; 14.2% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 2.9 per million people (29 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 38. most, with 1.8 per million people (18 total)
• Population: 10,050,811
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (19), White Nationalist (3)
• State demographic makeup: 72.9% white; 13.2% Black; 6.8% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 3.1 per million people (11 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 36. most, with 1.9 per million people (7 total)
• Population: 3,605,597
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (7), White Nationalist (1)
• State demographic makeup: 62.7% white; 9.9% Black; 15.2% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 3.3 per million people (13 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 30. most, with 2.3 per million people (9 total)
• Population: 3,986,639
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (9), Neo-Völkisch (1)
• State demographic makeup: 62.8% white; 6.7% Black; 5.8% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 3.3 per million people (19 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 44. most, with 1.6 per million people (9 total)
• Population: 5,707,390
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (11), Neo-Völkisch (2)
• State demographic makeup: 76.9% white; 6.7% Black; 8.5% foreign-born

Aerial view of Madison city downtown at sunset, Wisconsin

• Hate groups in 2022: 3.6 per million people (21 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 33. most, with 2.0 per million people (12 total)
• Population: 5,895,908
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (13), Neo-Völkisch (2)
• State demographic makeup: 79.0% white; 6.1% Black; 5.1% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 3.6 per million people (22 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 19. most, with 2.8 per million people (17 total)
• Population: 6,168,187
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (12), General Hate (4), White Nationalist (2)
• State demographic makeup: 76.6% white; 10.7% Black; 4.1% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 3.7 per million people (29 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 25. most, with 2.5 per million people (19 total)
• Population: 7,738,692
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (13), Anti-LGBTQ (3)
• State demographic makeup: 64.3% white; 3.9% Black; 14.8% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 3.8 per million people (12 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 17. most, with 2.9 per million people (9 total)
• Population: 3,143,991
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (6), General Hate (2), Neo-Völkisch (1)
• State demographic makeup: 45.2% white; 8.7% Black; 18.4% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 3.8 per million people (12 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 48. most, with 0.6 per million people (2 total)
• Population: 3,193,079
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (10), White Nationalist (1)
• State demographic makeup: 83.0% white; 3.5% Black; 5.4% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 4.1 per million people (89 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 26. most, with 2.4 per million people (53 total)
• Population: 21,781,128
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (54), General Hate (11), Anti-LGBTQ (6)
• State demographic makeup: 51.1% white; 14.6% Black; 21.2% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 4.1 per million people (43 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 22. most, with 2.7 per million people (28 total)
• Population: 10,551,162
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (27), General Hate (5), Neo-Confederate (3)
• State demographic makeup: 60.9% white; 19.9% Black; 8.2% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 4.1 per million people (25 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 39. most, with 1.8 per million people (11 total)
• Population: 6,165,129
• Most common ideologies: Anti Government Movement (15), General Hate (4), Neo-Confederate (1)
• State demographic makeup: 47.8% white; 29.0% Black; 15.9% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 4.3 per million people (29 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 32. most, with 2.1 per million people (14 total)
• Population: 6,805,985
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (16), White Nationalist (3), Neo-Völkisch (2)
• State demographic makeup: 76.6% white; 8.7% Black; 5.6% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 4.6 per million people (3 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 12. most, with 3.1 per million people (2 total)
• Population: 645,570
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (2), White Nationalist (1), Neo-Völkisch(0)
• State demographic makeup: 90.6% white; 1.0% Black; 4.2% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 4.7 per million people (55 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 42. most, with 1.7 per million people (20 total)
• Population: 11,780,017
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (35), Anti-LGBTQ (4)
• State demographic makeup: 76.6% white; 11.8% Black; 5.0% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 4.7 per million people (33 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 4. most, with 4.0 per million people (28 total)
• Population: 6,975,218
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (12), White Nationalist (4), Neo-Nazi (3)
• State demographic makeup: 72.1% white; 15.4% Black; 5.3% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 5 per million people (43 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 28. most, with 2.3 per million people (20 total)
• Population: 8,642,274
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (28), White Nationalist (5), General Hate (3)
• State demographic makeup: 59.2% white; 18.0% Black; 12.4% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 5 per million people (9 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 8. most, with 3.4 per million people (6 total)
• Population: 1,782,959
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (3), Anti-Government Movement (3), Neo-Völkisch (1)
• State demographic makeup: 90.4% white; 2.8% Black; 1.6% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 5.3 per million people (31 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 13. most, with 3.1 per million people (18 total)
• Population: 5,812,069
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (17), Anti-LGBTQ (4)
• State demographic makeup: 65.2% white; 3.7% Black; 9.8% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 5.3 per million people (16 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 15. most, with 3.0 per million people (9 total)
• Population: 3,025,891
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (9), White Nationalist (3), Neo-Völkisch (1)
• State demographic makeup: 68.2% white; 14.7% Black; 4.7% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 5.4 per million people (39 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 14. most, with 3.0 per million people (22 total)
• Population: 7,276,316
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (21), Anti-LGBTQ (5), White Nationalist (4)
• State demographic makeup: 52.0% white; 4.3% Black; 12.6% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 5.4 per million people (18 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 49. most, with 0.6 per million people (2 total)
• Population: 3,337,975
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (16), White Nationalist (1)
• State demographic makeup: 76.0% white; 1.0% Black; 8.3% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 5.5 per million people (4 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 45. most, with 1.4 per million people (1 total)
• Population: 732,673
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (3), Neo-Völkisch (1)
• State demographic makeup: 57.9% white; 2.9% Black; 8.1% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 5.5 per million people (8 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 18. most, with 2.8 per million people (4 total)
• Population: 1,441,553
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (6), Neo-Nazi (1), State demographic makeup: 20.8% white; 1.8% Black; 18.8% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 5.6 per million people (72 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 29. most, with 2.3 per million people (30 total)
• Population: 12,964,056
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (51), White Nationalist (7), Neo-Nazi (3)
• State demographic makeup: 73.6% white; 10.2% Black; 7.2% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 5.7 per million people (24 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 27. most, with 2.4 per million people (10 total)
• Population: 4,246,155
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (14), General Hate (4), White Nationalist (3)
• State demographic makeup: 72.0% white; 1.8% Black; 9.7% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 5.8 per million people (30 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 9. most, with 3.3 per million people (17 total)
• Population: 5,190,705
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (18), White Nationalist (5), Neo-Völkisch (2)
• State demographic makeup: 62.6% white; 24.9% Black; 5.2% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 6.1 per million people (12 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 1. most, with 4.6 per million people (9 total)
• Population: 1,963,692
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (4), Neo-Nazi (3), White Nationalist (1)
• State demographic makeup: 76.4% white; 4.6% Black; 7.4% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 6.4 per million people (7 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 20. most, with 2.7 per million people (3 total)
• Population: 1,095,610
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (4), White Nationalist (1)
• State demographic makeup: 68.9% white; 4.5% Black; 14.5% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 6.6 per million people (9 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 16. most, with 2.9 per million people (4 total)
• Population: 1,372,247
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (4), White Nationalist (2), Neo-Völkisch (1)
• State demographic makeup: 90.0% white; 1.5% Black; 4.1% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 7 per million people (7 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 5. most, with 4.0 per million people (4 total)
• Population: 1,003,384
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (5), White Nationalist (1)
• State demographic makeup: 59.3% white; 20.5% Black; 10.1% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 8.9 per million people (8 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 2. most, with 4.5 per million people (4 total)
• Population: 895,376
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (4), White Nationalist (2), Neo-Nazi (1)
• State demographic makeup: 80.0% white; 1.9% Black; 3.5% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 10.3 per million people (8 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 23. most, with 2.6 per million people (2 total)

• Population: 774,948
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (3), Neo-Völkisch (2), White Nationalist (1)
• State demographic makeup: 82.3% white; 2.9% Black; 4.4% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 10.8 per million people (15 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 3. most, with 4.3 per million people (6 total)

• Population: 1,388,992
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (8), White Nationalist (2)
• State demographic makeup: 87.3% white; 1.3% Black; 5.9% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 10.9 per million people (12 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 6. most, with 3.6 per million people (4 total)

• Population: 1,104,271
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (6), White Nationalist (2)
• State demographic makeup: 83.8% white; 0.5% Black; 2.2% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 11 per million people (21 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 11. most, with 3.2 per million people (6 total)

• Population: 1,900,923
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (12), General Hate (2), Neo-Völkisch (1)
• State demographic makeup: 78.7% white; 0.7% Black; 6.1% foreign-born

• Hate groups in 2022: 15.5 per million people (9 total)
• Hate groups in 2021: 7. most, with 3.5 per million people (2 total)

• Population: 578,803
• Most common ideologies: Anti-Government Movement (6), White Nationalist (1)
• State demographic makeup: 81.5% white; 1.0% Black; 3.4% foreign-born