17+ Worrying Burglary Statistics That You Need To Know in 2023

Home invasions in the US remain one of the top property crimes concerns among citizens. Luckily, those have been on the decline for the last few years. But that doesn’t mean you should let your guard down.

We’ve prepared some burglary statistics, to keep you in the loop, so you can be prepared.

Alarming Burglary Statistics  

Here are our top picks of the most alarming burglary stats and figures from the list. 

• Less than 1 in 5 homes have a security system in place.
• Annually, on average, 2.5 million housebreaking incidents happen in the United States.
• More burglaries happen during the day than at night.
• The average amount lost due to an act of burglary is $2 661.
• Home invasion cases tend to rise by roughly 10% between June and August.
• Homes without a security system are 300% more likely to be robbed.
• 95% of home invasions are forceful entries.
• Poor households are much more likely to be burglarized.
• New Mexico has the highest rate of burglaries in the US.

General Burglary Statistics 

Even though burglaries are not on the rise, currently, they’re still surprisingly common.

1. On average, 2.5 million burglaries annually take place within the United States.

(Source: Alarms.org)

Roughly 2.5 million robberies happen every year in the United States. 66% of them are break-ins, as shown by burglary statistics. This translates to around 6850 cases of housebreaking a day or nearly 10 for a minute. 

Even more shockingly, 87% of the reported cases actually never get solved either because of a lack of witnesses or physical evidence.   

2. More burglaries happen during the day than at night.

(Source: Alarms.org)

According to burglary crime statistics, nearly 1.49 million burglaries happened during the day. 1.32 million happened during the night. 

While the cover of darkness brings a degree of security to criminals, most still prefer the daytime when people are more likely to be out of the house.

3. February is the month with the lowest home invasion cases.

(Source: Alarms.org)

Generally, there are fewer housebreaking cases during the winter. Likely snow and cold temperatures act as a deterrent. Since February tends to be the coldest month in most parts of the country, it comes as no surprise that it is also the month with the lowest housebreaking rates.

4. The average amount lost due to an act of burglary is $2,661.

(Source: FBI)

As per the latest United States burglary statistics, victims have lost  $3 billion. Per offense, that amounts to $2,661 lost on average.  

5. You are most likely to be violently burglarized by a person you already know.

(Source: U.S Bureau of Justice)

Based on home robbery statistics, the majority of victims (65.5%) of violent housebreaking stated that the offender was someone they already knew. In contrast, in non-violent burglaries, only 30% of victims knew the identity of the offender.

House Burglary Statistics

Anyone can become a victim of a theft, but some are more at risk. We have some burglary statistics to give you an idea if you’re in any danger:

6. Homes without a security system are 300% more likely to be burglarized.

(Source: Alarms.org)

A house without a security system is nearly 3 times more at risk of being burglarized, home invasion statistics show.  Criminals will seek out and target unprotected homes as there is far less risk of them being caught during or after the crime.

7. Less than 1 in 5 homes have a security system in place.

(Source: Alarms.org)

Despite the clear evidence showing that having a security system greatly reduces the chances of home invasions, the majority of American homes still don’t have one. Only 17% of households have such a system installed.

So, how about getting a reliable home security system?

8. 95% of home invasions are forceful entries.

 (Source: Alarms.org)               

Locking your house does little to protect your property from a home invasion, burglary statistics show. Most home invasions feature some form of forceful entry, be it breaking through a window, picking a lock, or forcing a door open by brute force. The majority of thieves use very common tools for break-ins such as pliers, screwdrivers, hammers, and pry bars – effective yet also easily concealable and hard to trace.

9. Single parents are most at risk of a home invasion.

(Source: U.S Bureau of Justice)

Single parents seem to be the most targeted group by criminals. Both male and female single parents reported the highest home invasion rate when they were not in the house - 58.7% and 54.1% out of 1000 households. respectively. 

When the household member was present, women were much more at risk compared to their male counterparts - 22.2% vs.13.7%.

10. Poor households are much more likely to be robbed.

(Source: U.S Bureau of Justice)

Contrary to the popular misconception that burglars tend to go for rich homes for their financial gains, poor households are targeted much more. Home invasion statistics show that households with an annual income of less than $7,500 were 3 times more likely to be burglarized than those earning more.     

11. You are almost twice as likely to be robbed if you rent rather than own a home.

(Source: U.S Bureau of Justice)

The latest burglary statistics show that renters are at much more risk than homeowners. However, in recent years, the gap has been closing, likely a result of renting becoming much more common.

12. It takes less than one minute for a thief to break into your home.

(Source: API Alarms)

On average, a burglar would be able to break into a home in less than a minute. They usually target backdoors - fewer witnesses to be encountered. Once in, it takes them around 8 to 12 minutes to sweep through the house and make their escape.  

13. Apartments are at less risk of burglary compared to single-family houses.

(Source: Brinks Home Security)

On average, apartments seem to be much safer than single-family homes when it comes to burglaries. Apartments tend to have fewer access points. In addition, a single-family house may be perceived as a more valuable target. 

Home Invasion Statistics by State

Wonder which is the safest state to live in? Here’s what stats say:

14. New Mexico has the highest rate of burglaries in the US.

(Source: Statista)

With the staggering 697 burglaries per 100,000 inhabitants, New Mexico easily tops the chart. In fact, the state holds the unenvious title of being the most crime-ridden one in general, having a total of 3,945 crimes per 100,000 inhabitants annually. 

Meanwhile, the state with the lowest rate of housebreaking is New Hampshire at 126.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. That’s 5.5 times less than that of New Mexico, according to home invasion statistics.

15. Rural states see more burglaries than their more urbanized counterparts.

(Source: USDA)

One would expect high-density metropolitan hubs such as New York and California to suffer from higher home invasion rates. 

However, United States burglary statistics actually show the most ruralized states generally have more victims. There aren’t many people living in apartments and a scattered low-density populace means that response time from law enforcement agencies is slow.  

Home Invasion Gun Statistics

Does having a gun at home make you safe? Stats show that:

16. Guns at home are more likely to intimidate family members than to thwart crime.

(Source: Harvard University)

Rather than protect loved ones, guns at homes tend to intimidate them. In the case of home invasions, other weapons types were more likely to be used against intruders, home robbery statistics gathered by the Harvard Injury Control Research center show.  

In another study, it was found that using a gun for self-defense had little impact in reducing the likelihood of preventing injury or property loss when compared to other forms of protective actions.

Car Burglary Statistics

Cars are a highly attractive target for thieves. See below:

17. Car owners lose about $7.4 billion annually due to car theft.       

(Source: TheStreet)

The latest car burglary statistics report that the average cost per stolen car in the US is $9,166.

That translates to almost $7.4 billion collectively each year. 

Many vehicle thefts happen due to driver carelessness, though, e.g., leaving the key in the ignition, the doors unlocked, or the windows opened.

18. Honda Civic is the most frequently stolen car in the United States.

(Source: Insurance Information Institute)

With 35,426 ones missing last recorded year, the Honda Civic was the most commonly stolen vehicle in the country, according to burglary statistics. This was followed by the Honda Accord, at 36,815. 

Honda cars are most likely targeted because of their excellent resale value and the large market for their parts. 

Wrap Up

Anyone from any background can become a victim of burglary. However, you’re not entirely helpless. You can get a good home security system, purchase home insurance, and even get the best possible locks. Be mindful of neighborhoods or states with a higher crime rate. And, as our parents used to teach us - don’t trust strangers.

Burglary statistics show a decline in that sort of crime, but better safe than sorry.