Which US state executes the most people?

Which States Have Carried Out the Most Executions? Texas has been responsible for the most executions over recent years by far, with 593 since 1977 as of mid-February 2025. The states with the next-highest totals are Oklahoma (127), Virginia (113), Florida (107) and Missouri (101). Then-Democratic Gov.


What state has executed the most people?

Find more fact sheets and resources on the death penalty in Texas here. The State of Texas has executed 596 people since 1982, more than any other state by far. Of these executions, 279 occurred during the administration of Texas Governor Rick Perry (2001-2014), more than any other governor in U.S. history.

What are the top 5 states in terms of execution?

Executions per 100,000 Residents
  • Oklahoma. 4,095,393. 127. 101.
  • Texas. 31,290,831. 591. 889.
  • Missouri. 6,245,466. 101. 617.
  • Delaware* 1,051,917. 521.
  • Alabama. 5,157,699. 512.
  • Virginia* 8,811,195. 113. 282.
  • Arkansas. 3,088,354. 003.
  • South Carolina. 5,478,831. 821.


Why does Texas execute so many people?

Texas executes so many people due to its streamlined death penalty procedures, strict time limits on appeals, politically elected officials who often favor tough stances, and a strong cultural pro-death penalty sentiment, allowing fewer legal delays compared to other states that struggle with appeals processes, while also facing criticism for flawed trials and lack of clemency. 

Which state has the most offenders on death row?

From that survey, the current death row population across the country is 3,263. California continues to have the highest death row population with 669 inmates.


What Death Row Looks Like Around the World



Who is the longest serving death row inmate in the US?

The longest-serving death row inmate was Raymond Riles of Texas, who spent over 45 years on death row before being resentenced to life in prison in 2021 due to mental incompetency, while Richard Jordan of Mississippi served nearly 50 years before his execution in 2025, making him one of the longest-serving individuals to face execution. Gary Alvord of Florida also held records for time on death row before his death in 2013, notes the Death Penalty Information Center. 

What state in the US has the largest death row population?

United States Capital Punishment:

California, Florida, Texas, and Alabama have the largest death row populations. As of December 31, 2022, 2,270 inmates were under sentence of death in the United States.

What states do not believe in the death penalty?

Since 2009, seven states — Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Virginia — have legislatively abolished the death penalty, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.


Do death row inmates get a last meal in Texas?

No, Texas ended its tradition of allowing death row inmates to choose special last meals in 2011, after an inmate ordered a large feast but refused to eat any of it; now, inmates receive the standard meal served in the prison cafeteria that day, the same as other inmates.
 

What is the average age of death row inmates?

U.S. capital punishment - prisoners under sentence of death 2021, by age. In 2021, around 12.2 percent of prisoners on death row in the United States were between 40 and 44 years of age. Most prisoners on death row, at 17.6 percent, were between the ages of 50 and 54 years old.

What states do not allow execution?

In recent years, New Mexico (2009), Illinois (2011), Connecticut (2012), Maryland (2013), New Hampshire (2019), Colorado (2020) and Virginia (2021) have legislatively abolished the death penalty, replacing it with a sentence of life imprisonment with no possibility for parole.


What is the average cost of a US execution?

Nationally, the death penalty costs taxpayers an average of $1 million than a life without parole sentence, making it the most expensive part of our criminal justice system on a per offender basis.

What states still use the electric chair?

As of 2024, the only jurisdictions that still have the electric chair as an option for execution are the U.S. states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, South Carolina and Tennessee. Electrocution is also authorized in Florida if lethal injection is found unconstitutional.

What race is executed the most?

Race of Defendants Executed in the U.S. Since 1976
  • Other. 0.2%
  • Asian. 0.4%
  • Native American or Alaskan Native. 1.3%
  • Latino/a. 8%
  • Black. 34%
  • White. 56%


What state has the most murders?

The states with the highest murder rates in 2023 were Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, New Mexico, and Tennessee.

When was the last execution in the US?

The last U.S. execution was by the federal government, with Dustin Higgs executed on January 16, 2021, but there have been numerous state executions since, with the most recent being Willard "Rocky" Rambo in Texas on November 15, 2025, making it the latest overall. 

What is the craziest last meal request from death row?

Weirdest death row last meals often involve bizarre combinations, excessive quantities, or spiteful refusals, like Thomas J. Graasso's huge seafood/fast food mix ending with a complaint about getting spaghetti instead of SpaghettiOs, or Lawrence Russell Brewer ordering a massive feast only to refuse to eat any of it, leading to the ban of special last meals in Texas. Other oddities include James Edward Smith requesting a lump of dirt (denied) and Adolf Eichmann requesting Israeli wine, notes Wikipedia and The Macon Newsroom.
 


How long does $100 last in jail?

$100 in jail can last anywhere from a few days to a couple of months, depending heavily on the facility's commissary prices, the inmate's needs (food, hygiene, entertainment), and if they're paying for expensive phone calls or tablets, though basic needs like food and shelter are covered, so the money buys extras like snacks, stamps, or entertainment. Some inmates might spend it all quickly on initial supplies like toiletries, socks, and snacks, while others might stretch it for weeks by only buying necessities like soap and postage. 

What is the shortest time on death row?

The shortest time on death row is often cited as Joe Gonzales in Texas, executed just 10 months after conviction in 1996 by waiving appeals, but the record for the shortest time between sentencing and execution in modern U.S. history belongs to Gary Gilmore, executed in 1977 after 3 months and 10 days, thanks to his voluntary waiver of appeals and expedited process, highlighting that delays usually stem from complex legal appeals. 

What states still hang people on death row?

Currently, only New Hampshire has a law specifying hanging as an available secondary method of execution, now only applicable to one person, who was sentenced to capital punishment by the state prior to its repeal in 2019.


Do death row inmates get whatever they want for a last meal?

No, death row inmates don't automatically get anything they want; rules vary by state, with many imposing cost limits (like $25-$40 in Oklahoma or Florida) or restricting choices to items available in the prison kitchen, and some states, like Texas, have banned the tradition entirely after misuse. While some states allow broad requests, others limit them to regular cafeteria fare or require local purchasing, and alcohol/tobacco are usually denied. 

What countries have no death penalty?

PORTUGAL abolished the death penalty for all crimes. DENMARK abolished the death penalty for all crimes. LUXEMBOURG, NICARAGUA, and NORWAY abolished the death penalty for all crimes. BRAZIL, FIJI, and PERU abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes.

Who is the longest death row inmate in the United States?

The longest-serving death row inmate was Raymond Riles of Texas, who spent over 45 years on death row before being resentenced to life in prison in 2021 due to mental incompetency, while Richard Jordan of Mississippi served nearly 50 years before his execution in 2025, making him one of the longest-serving individuals to face execution. Gary Alvord of Florida also held records for time on death row before his death in 2013, notes the Death Penalty Information Center. 


When did Texas stop using electric chairs?

Texas stopped using the electric chair in 1977, replacing it with lethal injection as the primary method of execution, though the last electrocution occurred earlier, on July 30, 1964, before a temporary halt in capital punishment. The electric chair was officially used from 1924 to 1964, with lethal injection becoming the legal standard in 1977 after the death penalty was reinstated. 

What do death row inmates do all day?

Death row inmates spend most of their day (around 22-23 hours) in solitary confinement, in small cells, with limited human interaction, engaging in activities like reading, writing, watching TV/radio (if available), showering (infrequently), and minimal exercise in isolated yards, all while awaiting appeals and potential execution, with constant security checks and monitored visits. Their days are highly regimented and monotonous, focusing on appeals, legal work, and surviving isolation.