Probability of Home Burglary While Occupants Are Home

While about 900,000 burglaries occur annually in the US (down significantly from peak levels), approximately 27% occur when a household member is present. This translates to roughly 250,000 incidents per year where residents are home during a burglary. Of these, about 7% (approximately 17,500) result in some form of violence against the occupant.

The risk of being home during a burglary has changed with work-from-home trends. Before the pandemic, most burglaries occurred during daytime hours (10 AM - 3 PM) when homes were more likely to be empty. The shift toward remote work has led some researchers to observe changes in burglary patterns, though overall burglary rates have continued their long-term decline.

Factors that reduce burglary risk include home security systems (homes without security systems are 300% more likely to be burglarized), visible cameras, motion-activated lighting, good neighborhood watch programs, secured entry points, and not advertising absence on social media. Most burglars are opportunistic and will avoid homes that appear occupied or well-secured. Dog ownership is also considered a significant deterrent. If you encounter a burglar, experts recommend avoiding confrontation and focusing on safely exiting and calling police.