A burglary occurs every 51 seconds in the United States, so if you think you are safe, think again. According to the FBI, there were 841,942 burglaries in 2023.
And shockingly, a jaw-dropping 75% of all houses in the U.S. will be burglarized in the next 20 years.
While these numbers might be scary, with security systems becoming increasingly available and affordable, protecting your home is easier than ever.
The Michael & Associates research team analyzed national data and compiled the following report. Using federal databases, we examined burglary trends and analyzed the likelihood of becoming a victim.
Key Findings
- In the United States, a burglary occurs every 51 seconds
- There were 841,942 burglary incidents reported in 2023, a decline of 6.7% from the 899,203 burglaries in 2022
- The police have solved only 11% of the cases, whereas the victimization reported reached 41.5%
- In the next 20 years, a jaw-dropping 75% of all houses will be burglarized
- When a report is made, 98.5% of victims state they know their thief
- In 2023, 55.7% of burglaries involved a forceful entry into the home, 37.8% were unlawful entries, and 6.5% were attempted forcible entries
General U.S. Burglary Statistics
- 75% of houses still lack a home security system, making them 300% more likely to be burglarized
- The police have solved only 11% of the cases
- 41.5% of homes have been burgled
- 51% of homes get burglarized again within four weeks of the original incident
- 55.7% of burglaries involved forcing entry into a property
- 7.8% of burglaries were unlawful entries into a home
- 6.5% of would-be burglars attempted forcible entry
- Burglaries of residential properties accounted for 62.8% of all burglary offenses
While reports show that home burglaries are decreasing, the police have solved only 11% of the cases, whereas the victimization reported reached 41.5%. This allows 51% of homes to be burglarized again within four weeks of the original incident. For canny burglars, four weeks is commonly the period to successfully file an insurance claim and replace some of the homeowner’s stolen items.
Burglary is the second most common type of property crime after robbery — with approximately 1,700 burglaries happening daily in the United States.
Additionally, predictive analytics determined that in the next 20 years, a jaw-dropping 75% of all houses in the country will be burglarized, regardless of the neighborhood. However, homeowners can always take steps (which we will talk about later on) to secure their homes and minimize the risk.
Burglary is Declining Steadily
With people working from home during the pandemic, burglary numbers significantly decreased. The steady declines have continued, with 2023 burglaries down 7.6% over 2022. This burglary decline aligns with the overall reduction in property crimes, which fell by 2.4% in 2023.
| Year | Number of incidents |
| 2011 | 1,964,808 |
| 2012 | 1,914,134 |
| 2013 | 1,770,030 |
| 2014 | 1,590,373 |
| 2015 | 1,447,743 |
| 2016 | 1,394,893 |
| 2017 | 1,276,140 |
| 2018 | 1,116,574 |
| 2019 | 1,008,879 |
| 2020 | 903,627 |
| 2021 | 899,700 |
| 2022 | 847,522 |
| 2023 | 839,563 |
Burglaries by Time and Location
Over half (53%) of burglaries occur in the afternoon, with the most popular hours being 12 pm to 1 pm and 5 pm to 6 pm. As temperatures increase during the summer, burglary cases increase by 11% compared to the winter.
Mapped areas of burglaries have determined that most burglars have been found to strike homes within a few miles of their residence, as 64.1% of burglaries affect residential properties. Nonetheless, both residential and nonresidential burglary victims lose an estimated $13.3 billion in personal property each year. Out of that, only 29% are recovered.
Surprisingly, 75% of houses still lack a home security system. Homes without an alarm system are 300% more likely to be burglarized.
By Location
| Location | Percentage of total burglaries |
| Residences/homes | 64.1% |
| Rental storage facilities | 6.2% |
| Commercial/office buildings | 6.1% |
Burglary by State
In the U.S., rural states experience more burglaries than those with big urban hubs. While New York and California are expected to have more burglaries per capita, they’re actually near the bottom of the list. Let’s see which states have the highest burglary rates.
This table organizes the states in descending order based on burglary rates per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023.
| Rank | State | Burglary Rate (per 100,000 residents) |
| 1 | New Mexico | 517.9 |
| 2 | Washington | 481.0 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 458.5 |
| 4 | Louisiana | 447.0 |
| 5 | Arkansas | 408.1 |
| 6 | Nevada | 400.6 |
| 7 | Colorado | 358.6 |
| 8 | North Carolina | 355.3 |
| 9 | California | 347.4 |
| 10 | Oregon | 339.8 |
| 11 | South Carolina | 321.3 |
| 12 | North Dakota | 320.1 |
| 13 | Mississippi | 304.3 |
| 14 | Texas | 303.9 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 296.7 |
| 16 | Kansas | 293.2 |
| 17 | Alabama | 254.7 |
| 18 | Missouri | 251.2 |
| 19 | Alaska | 249.5 |
| 20 | District of Columbia | 245.7 |
| 21 | Arizona | 235.0 |
| 22 | Ohio | 233.5 |
| 23 | Kentucky | 232.4 |
| 24 | Illinois | 231.8 |
| 25 | Georgia | 223.3 |
| 26 | South Dakota | 222.1 |
| 27 | Iowa | 218.6 |
| 28 | Indiana | 218.3 |
| 29 | Michigan | 205.2 |
| 30 | Wyoming | 202.9 |
| 31 | Maryland | 185.9 |
| 32 | Minnesota | 183.4 |
| 33 | West Virginia | 178.3 |
| 34 | Delaware | 176.7 |
| 35 | Hawaii | 175.9 |
| 36 | Montana | 170.3 |
| 37 | Utah | 169.6 |
| 38 | Nebraska | 169.5 |
| 39 | Florida | 163.1 |
| 40 | New Jersey | 154.8 |
| 41 | New York | 152.8 |
| 42 | Idaho | 140.8 |
| 43 | Vermont | 138.7 |
| 44 | Pennsylvania | 138.1 |
| 45 | Massachusetts | 131.8 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | 128.9 |
| 47 | Connecticut | 127.8 |
| 48 | Virginia | 122.4 |
| 49 | Rhode Island | 118.3 |
| 50 | Maine | 110.2 |
| 51 | New Hampshire | 55.6 |
| United States (avg.) | 250.7 |
Global Statistics
Unfortunately, burglary can happen anywhere in the world. However, this phenomenon occurs more frequently in some countries than in others. Below are the countries with the highest burglary rates worldwide per 100,000 residents:
Burglary rates per 100,000 residents vary significantly across countries, influenced by factors such as economic conditions, law enforcement effectiveness, and social structures. Below are the burglary rates for the specified countries, according to the World Population Review’s 2025 burglary report:
| Country | Burglary Rate (per 100,000 residents) |
| Bermuda | 1,188 |
| New Zealand | 1,150 |
| Cape Verde | 856 |
| Sweden | 783 |
| South Africa | 562 |
| Australia | 447 |
| United Kingdom | 422 |
| Belgium | 327 |
| France | 257 |
| Canada | 233 |
Victims by Gender
- Men are 15.5% more likely to be victims of burglary
- Women are 80.26% more likely to get robbed than to rob
- Adults (30-39) are the age group who experienced the most burglary.
How and Where Burglaries Happen
In 2019, 55.7% of burglaries involved forcefully entering the home, which means physical damage to personal property. Moreover, 37.8% were unlawful entries into the home, and 6.4% were attempted forcible entries.
Most frequent access points include:
- 9% – the garage door
- 22% – the back door
- 2% – the second floor
- 81% – the first floor
- 9% – the basement
- 23% – the window
Burglary vs. Robbery
While these two terms may appear similar, they have distinct differences.
- Burglary involves unlawful entry into a building, whether or not anything is stolen. It is considered a crime against a structure, however odd that sounds.
- Robbery is a crime against a person that involves taking belongings from a person with the threat or use of force.
READ MORE: Burglary vs. Robbery
What are the Most Commonly Stolen Items?
When someone breaks into your home, they will take practically anything. If something is valuable enough to have on hand, it makes sense for them to steal it. Only when an item’s resale value is lower than the risk of being busted does it it become off-limits for others to steal.
Property Stolen by Value
| Item | Value | By percentage recovered |
| Motor vehicles | $5,752,240,315 | 56.1% |
| Misc. | $3,502,095,818 | 12.9% |
| Currency/cash | $1,423,559,757 | 2.6% |
| Jewelry and precious metals | $1,057,763,740 | 3.5% |
| Office equipment | $420,417,080 | 5.5% |
| Clothing and furs | $383,191,187 | 8.1% |
| TVs, radios, stereos | $323,393,740 | 4.3% |
| Household goods | $186,264,170 | 4.4% |
| Consumable goods | $160,368,125 | 8.3% |
| Firearms | $116,159,390 | 11.6% |
| Livestock | $14,350,714 | 10.9% |
The Profile of an Average Burglar
When you imagine a typical burglar, what comes to mind? Do you think of the masked bandit popularized in the media or someone closer to home?
According to data, when a report is made, 98.5% of victims state they know their thief. This means there’s a perfect chance your neighbor or acquaintance could attempt to rob you.
Moreover, the modern burglar adapts to technology, circumstance, and opportunity, so it’s important to be watchful in your neighborhood and surroundings.
By Gender
- Male 80.30%
- Female 19.70%
By Age
Regarding the burglar’s age, data shows that the age groups 20-29 and 30-39 have the highest percentage of offenders, comprising 29.2% and 30.82%, respectively.
The following highest percentage of offenders is observed in the age group 10-19, which constitutes 13.3%.
As the age increases, the percentage of offenders decreases significantly. The age group 50-59 and above has the lowest rate of offenders, with 8.53% and below. These findings suggest that the 20-39 age group is more likely to engage in criminal activity than any other age group.
| Age | Percentage |
| 0-9 | .46% |
| 10-19 | 13.3% |
| 20-29 | 29.2% |
| 30-39 | 30.82% |
| 40-49 | 14.91% |
| 50-59 | 8.53% |
| 60-69 | 1.83% |
| 70-79 | .3% |
| 80-89 | .07% |
| 90+ | .57% |
By Race
| Race | Percentage |
| Caucasian | 73.9% |
| Black | 22.27% |
| Native American | .96% |
| Asian | 2.87% |
How to Prevent a Burglary
If burglars see a structure as a potential target, they will most likely case it. This means they observe and learn your work and sleep schedule to break in at the perfect time and take your possessions.
While most citizens take adequate measures to protect their homes, many underestimate their safety requirements; it is vital to have a solid understanding of how these incidents happen in your area so that you and your belongings stay safe.
- Don’t post your plans on social media
- Get insurance
- Maintain your lawn and garden
- Upgrade your locks
- Install a home security system
- Purchase a safe and keep your valuables there
- Keep a TV or radio on when you leave the house
- Get a dog (or hang a sign that says “Beware of dog”)
- Examine your home periodically for security vulnerabilities
Most burglars mark targets before breaking in. Marking a home happens when a thief places a mark or symbol (commonly in chalk but also on flyers) onto surfaces around your property — like the side of your garage, a mailbox post, a garden shed, or even the home itself. Be on the lookout for these markings and remove them promptly if found.
The Bottom Line
You may not be aware, but burglary is a risk to everybody, no matter where they live or what their house looks like, so taking as many steps as possible to lower that risk is essential. Consider looking into a home security system or a security camera to avoid getting broken into.
The above statistics and figures may sound scary. Still, awareness is crucial to moving forward with a strategy. So, whether you apply one or all of the things you have learned today, doing so can save you a lot of hassle and despair. Stay safe!
Sources
Federal Bureau of Investigation Crime Data Explorer (CDE)
Bureau of Justice Statistics National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)
Alarms
ADT
SafeWise
Legaljobs
Reolink
Insurance
Budget Direct
Statista
