Probability of Your Home Being Burglarized (Annual)
1 in 228 (0.44%)
Annual probability in US
The annual probability of experiencing a home burglary is approximately 0.44% (1 in 228 households) in the US, a rate that has declined significantly.
The rate of home burglary in the United States has been declining steadily for decades. According to FBI UCR data and the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there were approximately 580,000 burglaries in 2022, resulting in an annual probability of about 0.44% (1 in 228 households). This is less than half the rate from just a decade ago.
Most burglaries occur during daytime hours when residents are at work or school. Risk factors include visible signs of vacancy (uncollected mail, no cars), lack of security systems, unlocked doors and windows, poor exterior lighting, and hidden entry points obscured by landscaping. Apartments on the ground floor and single-family homes in less dense neighborhoods face higher risk.
Effective prevention includes installing a monitored security system (homes without security are up to 300% more likely to be burglarized), using deadbolt locks, installing motion-sensor lighting, keeping shrubs trimmed near windows, using timers on lights when away, not advertising vacations on social media, and getting to know your neighbors. Smart home cameras and video doorbells have also proven effective deterrents.
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