Home Safety and Security Stats and Facts

Safety and security risks are part of everyday life, but there’s a lot we can do to minimize the odds. We’ve got the facts behind the fears to help you learn how likely things like fires and burglaries really are.

Plus, we’ve got tips, resources, and advice to help make your life—at home or on the road—safer.

Property crime encompasses burglary, motor vehicle theft, and larceny-theft. Arson is counted as both a property crime and a violent crime.

You are more likely to be a victim of property crime than any other type of crime. Prevention is the key to reducing your risk of victimization.

• Property crime makes up over 83% of all crime in the US as of 2024.¹
• There were nearly 6 million property crimes reported to the FBI in 2024.²
• Given the US population was about 340 million in 2024, there were approximately 18 property crimes reported per 1,000 people that year.²
• 27% of Americans reported a personal experience with property crime in 2024, and 54% think a property crime could happen to them.³
• In 2024, property crime decreased nationwide by 8.1% compared to 2023 and by nearly 50% compared to 2005.²
• The Midwest saw the most dramatic decrease in property crime from 2023 to 2024 (17%), followed by the West (15%).⁴
• Shoplifting accounts for an increasing percentage of larceny-theft offenses over the last five years.² 
• Motor vehicle thefts plummeted 18.6% across the nation and fell by 26.9% in cities with populations greater than 1 million.² 
• Arrests were made in less than 16% of property crime incidents in 2024.²
• People under the age of 18 made up 9% of all people arrested for property crime in 2024.²

Burglary isn’t the most common property crime in the US, but it made up 13% of all property crimes in 2024. 

• Nearly 2,046 burglaries happen in the US every day—or almost 747,000 annually.⁵
• A burglar strikes once every 43 seconds in the US—but 2024 saw 8.6% fewer burglaries year over year.²
• The highest rate of burglaries committed with a household member present occur in homes occupied by single females with children.⁶

• About 80% of all burglaries reported in 2024 were on residential property.⁷
• Historically, the risk of burglary is higher for rental properties than occupant-owned properties.⁶
  • Consider the advantages of a wireless security system for renters.
• The rate of household burglaries tends to be highest in summer and lowest in winter or spring.⁸
• In 2024, 55% of all residential burglaries (in which a time was reported) occurred during the daytime.⁷
  • Install interior and exterior motion-activated home security cameras so you can see what’s going on in and around your home when you’re away.
• Being the victim of a home burglary can increase the risk of future victimization for burglary, as offenders often target the same residence more than once.

• Most burglars (56%) gain access to a property via forcible entry. Another 6% try to force their way in but fail.⁴
• Damaging, removing, or destroying a door is the most common type of entry used in burglaries.⁶
  • Install a SafeWise-recommended high-security door to make your home less penetrable.
• Burglars gain entry via open or unlocked doors or windows in more than half of all residential break-ins involving unlawful entry but not forcible entry.⁶
  • Add a smart lock to your home automation and home security system to control your door locks remotely.

According to the 2025 State of Safety report, 77% of Americans use some kind of security measure to protect their home.

• Security cameras are the most common form of home security used, followed by dogs, firearms, and security systems.³
• More than 1 in 4 Americans use a home security system to protect their home and property.³
• Nearly 25% of US residents don’t use any kind of security measures to protect their home.³

• Dog ownership has been found to reduce the likelihood of burglary and other property crime.
• About 60% of convicted burglars say the presence of an alarm would steer them to a different home to burglarize.⁹
• ADT has more than 6 million customers, which is more than any other US home security company.¹⁰
• Some homeowners insurance providers offer discounts up to 20% when homeowners install home security systems.

Violent crimes include aggravated assault, rape, murder, and arson.

People tend to fear violent crimes the most, but you’re far less likely to fall victim to a violent crime like assault than a property crime like theft.

• The number of violent crimes reported in 2024 is 4.5% lower than the number reported in 2023.²
• Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter incidents decreased by 15%, the most significant year-over-year decline of all violent crimes.²
• 3.4 violent crimes were reported per 1,000 Americans in 2024.¹
• 14% of Americans reported a personal experience with violent crime in 2024.³
• 57% of Americans think a violent crime could happen to them.³
• In 2024, a violent crime—including aggravated assault, murder, rape, and robbery—occurred every 26 seconds.¹
• A robbery occurs every 2.6 minutes in the United States.¹
• Aggravated assault with a firearm decreased by about 9% from 2023 to 2024, while the use of other weapons stayed roughly the same.²
• Most robberies don't involve a weapon and are known as strong-arm robberies. When a weapon is used, it's usually a firearm.²
• The Northeast region saw the greatest declines in murder and robbery charges, while the Midwest saw the largest reductions in rape charges.⁴

• Between 2003 and 2007, a household member was present in roughly one million burglaries and became a victim of violence about 26% of the time.⁶
• In 2024, half of all murder victims knew the perpetrator.²
• Last year, more than 7 in 10 assault victims and nearly 8 in 10 sex offense victims knew the perpetrator.²
• Robberies are more likely to be committed by strangers to the victim than any other violent crime.²
• In 2024, rapes (68%), aggravated assaults (53%), and homicides (46%) occurred most often in residences.⁵
• Robbery is the only violent crime more likely to take place on a street, alley, or sidewalk (32%) than in a home (17%).⁵

Local fire departments responded to over 1.3 million fire calls in 2023.¹¹ Protect your home and loved ones with our complete Home Fire Safety Guide.

• In 2023, 24% of all reported fires occur in residential homes.¹¹
• On average, over 900 house fires happen every day in the US.¹²
  • We recommend installing a smart smoke alarm as part of your home security system so emergency personnel are alerted to a potential fire even if you’re not home.
• In 2023, an estimated $11 billion in property was damaged in US house fires.¹¹
  • Store valuable and irreplaceable items in a fire-resistant safe to help protect them from damage.
• In the 43-year period between 1980 and 2023, home fires have decreased by 54%, resulting in about 2,000 fewer deaths.¹²
• Communities with populations fewer than 2,500 experience an average of 10.4 fires for every 1,000 people—a rate that's double the national average of 4.1.¹¹
• Apartments and multifamily homes see fewer fires than single family homes and duplexes.¹¹
• Cooking is the leading cause of house fires, accounting for 49% of all residential fires, 41% of injuries, and 20% of deaths.¹²
• Cooking-related fires peak on holidays with most occurring around Thanksgiving and Christmas.¹³
• People 65 and older are most likely to die in home cooking fires.¹³

• 59% of deaths caused by home fires occur on properties with no—or inoperable—smoke alarms.¹⁴
  • Learn how to properly install and maintain your home’s smoke detectors. 
• The risk of dying in a home fire is 60% lower in homes with working smoke alarms.¹⁴
• Hardwired smoke alarms worked correctly in 94% of home fires where they were present. Battery-powered smoke alarms worked in 85% of home fires.¹⁴
• People are significantly more likely to die in house fires where there's a battery-powered smoke alarm vs. a hardwired smoke alarm.¹⁴
• The majority of smoke alarm failures—74%—are caused by missing, disconnected, or dead batteries.¹⁴
• About 5 million US homes don’t have a smoke alarm, despite being required by most localities across the country.¹⁴

CO poisoning is the second-most common type of poisoning death in the US that’s not related to medication.

• According to the CDC's cause of death statistics, more than 500 people died of accidental CO poisoning not related to a fire in 2023.¹⁵
  • Learn the dangers of CO and consider enhancing your monitored home security system with a CO detector to reduce the risk of poisoning.
• About 40% of all non-fire CO poisoning deaths occur due to the misuse of a product, typically a generator.¹⁶
• Between 2011 and 2021, 858 people died from CO incidents involving portable generators.¹⁶
• Men are significantly more likely to die from CO poisoning than women.¹⁶
• People 85 years and older die from CO poisoning at two to three times the rate of younger people.¹⁵
• Due to the dangers of CO, 29 states require homes to have CO detectors, either via state statute or building code.¹⁷

It’s hard to think about children suffering injuries that can lead to death. But we have more than statistics. We’ve also got a full suite of resources to keep little ones safe, including our list of child safety tips broken out by age groups and peppered with plenty more stats to help you focus on the biggest threats to your child's safety.

• Around 283,000 children visit the emergency room (ER) each year for traumatic brain injuries. 45% of those visits are due to contact sport injuries.¹⁸
• Approximately 91,600 ATV-related injuries are treated in ERs in the United States each year. 1 in 4 of these injuries involved children younger than 16 years of age.¹⁹
• There were an estimated 67,000 accidental pediatric poisonings treated in ERs in 2023—that’s a 7% increase compared to 2021.²⁰
• Accidental pediatric poisoning deaths have decreased 58% in the 51-year period between 1972 and 2023.²⁰
• In 2023, 72% of all accidental poisonings in kids happened at home.²⁰
• The number of children who died from accidental narcotic or psychedelic poisoning doubled from 2021 to 2023.²⁰

• Unintentional suffocation is the most frequent cause of injury deaths for children up to 1 year of age.²¹
• Unintentional drowning is the leading cause of injury deaths for children 1 to 4 years old.²¹
• Sadly, 2 children die every day from drowning.²¹
• Annually, nearly 90 children drown inside the home, with about 65% of these deaths occurring in bathtubs.²²

The number of Americans aged 65 or higher has grown rapidly as Baby Boomers continue to reach this milestone. Baby Boomers tend to be healthier and more active than previous generations, but it’s still smart to pay attention to the tools and resources available to help us stay safe as we age.

• 1 in 4 people 65 or older fall each year.²³
  • Make your loved one’s home safer by installing grab bars, securing rugs, and illuminating dark areas.
• Falls are the number one cause of unintentional injury death for people 75 years and older, leading to nearly 35,000 deaths annually.²¹
• Falling is the second leading cause of death for people ages 65-74, resulting in more than 6,000 annual deaths.²¹

• The highest prescription painkiller overdose rate occurs among middle-aged adults.²⁴
• In 2023, people age 65 and older were more likely to die from a drug overdose than people age 15-24.²⁴
  • Home safety devices like automated pill dispensers can help prevent accidental overdoses.
• Synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, are responsible for the vast majority of drug overdose deaths.²⁴
• People aged 45 to 64 have some of the highest rates of suicide, accounting for 40% of all reported suicides.²¹
• Suicide is not among the top 10 causes of death for people 65 and older.²¹
• In 2022, over 270,000 adults aged 65 and higher were treated in the ER for car crash injuries, which is an 8% increase over a 4-year period.²⁵
• More than 9,100 people aged 65 and older died from car crash injuries in 2022, a nearly 13% increase from 2019.²⁵
• Every day, around 740 older adults are injured in a car crash, and around 25 die from their injuries.²⁵

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for people ages 5 to 24.²¹

• Each day in the United States, about 9 people are killed—and more than 1,000 are injured—in crashes reported to involve a distracted driver.²⁶
• In 2019, almost 40% of high school students admitted texting or emailing at least once while driving in the past 30 days.²⁶
• Texting and emailing during driving is more common in older teens, jumping from 31% for 16-year-olds to 60% for 18-year-olds.²⁶

• Sadly, 32 people in the US die every day in car crashes involving a drunk driver.²⁷
• Alcohol-involved crashes made up 30% of all traffic-related deaths in the US in 2020, including 21% of such deaths among children under 14.²⁷
• In 2020, over 1 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.²⁷
• In 2019, 14.1 million people reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs or marijuana. That's 12% more than the previous year.²⁷

• In 2022, 599 children under the age of 12 died in a motor vehicle accident, and 35% of these children weren’t restrained in any way.²⁸
• Properly installed car seats can reduce deadly injuries by 67% for infants and toddlers.²⁹
• Montana has the highest rate of child-car-crash fatalities. Rhode Island has the fewest.³⁰

• More than 70% of roads in the US are located in snowy regions, and 70% of the US population lives in these regions.³¹
• Each year, nearly 117,000 people are injured in snow- and ice-related accidents, and more than 1,300 are killed.³¹
• 24% of all weather-related car crashes happen on slushy, icy, or snowy pavement, and 15% occur during snowfall or sleet conditions.³¹

• State of Safety in America
• Safest Cities in America
• Safest Small Towns in America
• Safest College Towns in the US
• Most Dangerous Metro Cities in the US

1. FBI, Crime Data Explorer, "Data Discovery Tool." Accessed August 8, 2025.
2. FBI, "UCR Summary of Reported Crimes in the Nation, 2024," August 2025. Accessed August 8, 2025.
3. SafeWise, "The State of Safety in America 2025," July 2025. Accessed August 8, 2025.
4. FBI, Crime Data Explorer, “Quarterly Uniform Crime Percent Change Reports By Offense,” September 2024. Accessed August 8, 2025. 
5. FBI, Crime Data Explorer, “Crime Trends.” Accessed August 8, 2025.
6. Shannan Catalano, US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Victimization During Household Burglary," September 2010. Accessed August 8, 2025.
7. FBI, Crime Data Explorer, “Expanded Property.” Accessed August 8, 2025.
8. Janet L. Lauritsen, Nicole White, US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Seasonal Patterns in Criminal Victimization Trends," June 2014. Accessed August 8, 2025.
9. Joseph B. Kuhns, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, "Understanding Decisions to Burglarize from the Offender's Perspective," December 2012. Accessed August 8, 2025.
10. ADT, "About ADT," Accessed August 8, 2025.
11. Shelby Hall, National Fire Protection Association, "Fire Loss in the United States," November 2024. Accessed August 8, 2025.
12. Shelby Hall, National Fire Protection Association, "Home Structure Fires," April 2023. Accessed August 8, 2025.
13. National Fire Protection Association, "Home Cooking Fires," September 2025. Accessed August 8, 2025.
14. Tucker McGee, ​​National Fire Protection Association, "Smoke Alarms in US Home Fires," June 2024. Accessed August 8, 2025.
15. CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, “Multiple Cause of Death Data on CDC WONDER,” July 2025. Accessed August 8, 2025.
16. Josh Topping, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, "Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Deaths Associated with the Use of Consumer Products, 2021 Annual Estimates," February 2025. Accessed August 8, 2025.
17. National Conference of State Legislatures, "Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements, Laws, and Regulations," July 2025. Accessed August 8, 2025.
18. Kelly Sarmiento, Karen E. Thomas, Jill Daugherty, et al, CDC,  "Emergency Department Visits for Sports- and Recreation-Related Traumatic Brain Injuries Among Children—United States, 2010–2016," March 15, 2019. Accessed August 8, 2025.
19. Chao Zhang, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, "2024 Report of Deaths and Injuries Involving Off-Highway Vehicles with More than Two Wheels," May 2025. Accessed August 8, 2025.
20. Stephanie Bragg, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, "Annual Report on Pediatric Poisoning Fatalities and Injuries," March 2025. Accessed August 8, 2025.
21. CDC, WISQARS, "Leading Causes of Death Reports." Accessed August 8, 2025.
22. US Consumer Product Safety Commission, "In-Home Drowning Information Center."  Accessed August 8, 2025.
23. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Facts about Falls," May 2024. Accessed August 8, 2025.
24. CDC, "Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States, 2003-2023," December 2024. Accessed August 8, 2025.
25. CDC, "Older Adult Drivers," January 2025. Accessed August 8, 2025.
26. CDC, "Distracted Driving," May 2024. Accessed August 8, 2025.
27. CDC, "Impaired Driving: Get the Facts," May 2024. Accessed August 8, 2025.
28. CDC, "Child Passenger Safety: Get the Facts," September 2024. Accessed August 8, 2025.
29. Thomas M. Rice, Craig L. Anderson, American Journal of Public Health, "Effectiveness of Child Restraint Systems for Children Aged 3 Years or Younger During Motor Vehicle Collisions: 1996–2005," February 2009. Accessed August 8, 2025.
30. Cathy Habas, SafeWise, "Car Crash Stats: How Effective Are Car Seats?," September 2022. Accessed August 8, 2025.
31. Federal Highway Administration, "Road Weather Management Program, Snow and Ice," September 2024. Accessed August 8, 2025.