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What are the incest rates by state?
In this article, you’ll learn about:
Let’s dig in.
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These are the recorded incest rates by state.
They are the percentage of marriages involving second cousins or family members.
Incest laws are such that incest marriages are illegal in the US.
So, this is the best-recorded data we have on incest rates by state.
| State | Incest Rates By State |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 0.30% |
| Alaska | 0.10% |
| Arizona | 0.10% |
| Arkansas | 0.20% |
| California | 0.20% |
| Colorado | 0.20% |
| Connecticut | 0.10% |
| Delaware | 0.10% |
| Florida | 0.10% |
| Georgia | 0.30% |
| Hawaii | 0.10% |
| Idaho | 0.20% |
| Illinois | 0.20% |
| Indiana | 0.20% |
| Iowa | 0.20% |
| Kansas | 0.20% |
| Kentucky | 0.30% |
| Louisiana | 0.30% |
| Maine | 0.10% |
| Maryland | 0.10% |
| Massachusetts | 0.10% |
| Michigan | 0.20% |
| Minnesota | 0.20% |
| Mississippi | 0.30% |
| Missouri | 0.20% |
| Montana | 0.20% |
| Nebraska | 0.20% |
| Nevada | 0.20% |
| New Hampshire | 0.10% |
| New Jersey | 0.10% |
| New Mexico | 0.20% |
| New York | 0.10% |
| North Carolina | 0.30% |
| North Dakota | 0.20% |
| Ohio | 0.20% |
| Oklahoma | 0.20% |
| Oregon | 0.10% |
| Pennsylvania | 0.20% |
| Rhode Island | 0.10% |
| South Carolina | 0.30% |
| South Dakota | 0.20% |
| Tennessee | 0.30% |
| Texas | 0.20% |
| Utah | 0.10% |
| Vermont | 0.10% |
| Virginia | 0.20% |
| Washington | 0.10% |
| West Virginia | 0.20% |
| Wisconsin | 0.20% |
| Wyoming | 0.20% |
Incest is sexual activity between family members or two closely related people.
It is taboo in most cultures and is illegal in all 50 states.
It is a form of child abuse and is punishable by law.
Incest can cause physical and psychological harm to:
There are many psychological and social implications of incest, such as:
It is important to recognize incest and provide support to those affected by it.
Yes, incest is a criminal offense in all 50 states.
Depending on the state and its criminal code, incest is either:
Some examples of penalties for the crime of incest are:
The state law and penalties for having incest relationships can vary.
Generally, incest is considered a severe crime and is punishable with:
It is also illegal to marry someone who is closely related to you, even if it is consensual.
For marriages that are incest:
Incest is a crime that gets taken seriously in the US.
And it can carry severe consequences if one gets convicted.
The states that allow incest relationships are:
They do not allow incestual marriages.
But they are relaxed about incest relationships.
And these relationships are not criminal offenses.
The rules for these incest relationships are:
Being related by blood or marriage includes:
Inbred families can include kids with a parental figure.
There is not a single state that has the most reported cases of incest activity.
This is because incest rates are not tracked.
Studies show that states with higher poverty levels have higher rates of incest.
These are the top 10 most inbred states:
The southeast region of the US has the highest inbreeding levels with close relatives.
The most inbred states have higher rates of poverty.
This leads to their higher occurrences of incest.
Poverty is a major factor in the prevalence of incest.
Poverty can lead to financial strain.
And this can then lead to a breakdown in family bonds and trust.
This can make it easier for family members to:
Additionally, poverty can lead to a lack of education and resources.
This makes it difficult for victims of incest to seek help.
This can also lead to higher rates of incest as victims may:
The highest incest rate happens in the more rural states and desolate areas.
African Americans have the most inbreeding of any racial group in America.
African Americans have the highest rate of intermarriage within their own race.
African Americans likely have the highest inbreeding rate because:
Slavery contributed to this as they are unable to know their family trees.
And they can more easily have common ancestors.
And, 22.0 percent of African Americans are living in poverty.
This gets compared to 9.1 percent of non-Hispanic Whites living in poverty.
Living in poverty makes it 5x less likely to marry outside of your race.
Here are some more questions that we came across on our research for incest rates by state.
The most inbred state in America is West Virginia.
This is according to a study by the University of Washington.
West Virginia had the highest rate of inbreeding in the United States.
Approximately 4.1% of all births in West Virginia were the result of inbreeding.
This is much higher than the national average of 1.2%.
The inbreeding rate of West Virginia is largely due to its:
The state is isolated and has a large rural population.
As a result, many West Virginians are related to each other.
This can lead to an increased risk of certain genetic disorders.
Yes, incest is a crime in Alabama that is punishable by law.
In Alabama, incest is a felony offense and carries with it harsh penalties.
If convicted, one can face:
Additionally, the court may order the offender to register as a sex offender.
Yes, incest is a crime in Florida that is punishable by law.
In Florida, incest is a felony offense and carries with it harsh penalties.
If convicted, one can face:
Additionally, the court may order the offender to register as a sex offender.
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