Gitnux/Report 2026

Arson Statistics

Arson costs add up fast, including $2.1 billion in property damage in 2021, $1.5 billion in average annual insurance payouts from 2018 to 2022, and a $30B total societal bill that reaches far beyond the flames. If the page feels sobering, wait until you see the contrast between detection and fallout, such as a national clearance rate of 18.7% in 2022, arson vehicle losses of about $20K per case, and prevention tools that can cut juvenile arson by 25%, alongside coverage of who is most affected and why cases keep spreading.
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June 21, 2026Updated
Arson Statistics
Helena KowalczykWritten by Helena Kowalczyk·Edited by Emilia Santos·Fact-checked by Rajesh Patel
Published ·Updated
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Arson causes 2.1 billion dollars in property damage each year. The FBI records 8,520 incidents nationwide. Data on offender demographics, motivations, and conviction rates show consistent patterns in how these fires start and who they affect.

Key Takeaways

  • Arson economic cost: $2.1 billion in property damage 2021
  • Average arson claim: $45,000 per incident per III 2022
  • Wildfire arsons: $10 billion in CA 2020 alone
  • Federal average sentence for arson: 7.2 years
  • Arson conviction rate: 65% of arrests prosecuted
  • Mandatory min 5 years for federal arson
  • Arson motivations: 30% vandalism per NFPA
  • Profit motive: 20% of arsons for insurance fraud
  • Revenge/extortion: 25% of investigated arsons FBI 2021
  • In 2022, the FBI reported 8,520 arsons nationwide, a 5% decrease from 2021
  • NFPA data shows arson caused 17.5% of all structure fires with known causes in 2021
  • US Fire Administration reported 3,400 civilian fire deaths from arson in 2020
  • Males commit 85% of arsons per FBI 2021
  • Victims under 5 years: 12% of arson fatalities, NFPA 2020
  • African American perpetrators: 30% of arrests despite 13% population

Arson costs the US about $30 billion yearly, driving major losses and higher insurance premiums.

Related reading

01 · Category

Economic Costs19 stats

01
Arson economic cost: $2.1 billion in property damage 2021
02
Average arson claim: $45,000 per incident per III 2022
03
Wildfire arsons: $10 billion in CA 2020 alone
04
Insurance payouts for arson: $1.5B annually avg 2018-2022
05
Business arsons cost $500M/year in lost revenue
06
Residential arson rebuild avg $150K per home
07
Federal arson suppression: $300M/year firefighting
08
Vehicle arson avg loss $20K per case 2021
09
Arson fraud schemes: $800M detected 2020-2022
10
Public sector arson cleanup: $400M annually
11
Crop arson losses: $100M in Midwest 2021
12
Tourism impact from arson wildfires: $2B in CA 2022
13
Medical costs from arson injuries: $1.2B/year
14
Insurance premium hikes: 10% avg due to arson rise
15
Church arsons post-2020: $50M damage nationwide
16
School arsons: $200M repairs 2019-2022
17
Total societal cost of arson: $30B including indirect
18
Vandalism arsons: 60% of commercial losses $300M
19
Revenge arsons: avg $75K damage per incident
Interpretation

Economic Costs Interpretation

Arson is less a burst of flame than a voracious, multi-billion-dollar parasite that feeds on property, premiums, and public trust, leaving a charred economic crater far larger than the original fire.

03 · Category

Motivations and Causes17 stats

01
Arson motivations: 30% vandalism per NFPA
02
Profit motive: 20% of arsons for insurance fraud
03
Revenge/extortion: 25% of investigated arsons FBI 2021
04
Mental illness/psychotic: 15% per ATF reports
05
Juveniles: curiosity/vandalism 52%
06
Domestic disputes: 12% residential arsons
07
Extremism/political: 5% rise post-2020
08
Drug-related arsons: 8% in urban areas
09
Cover-up crimes: 10% of arsons hide murders/burglaries
10
Pyromania diagnosed in 3% of offenders
11
Gang-related arsons: 7% in high-crime cities
12
Unemployment correlates with 20% arson spike
13
Alcohol intoxication: 45% of arson starts
14
Racial motives: 2% but high profile
15
Business failure: 18% profit arsons
16
Serial arsonists: 1% but 25% of fires
17
Video game influence claimed in 5% juvenile cases
Interpretation

Motivations and Causes Interpretation

While the statistics paint a picture of arson as a crime of profit, revenge, and vandalism, the sobering truth is that it's often a desperate or destructive act fueled by everything from insurance fraud and gang disputes to sheer boredom, mental illness, and the tragic fact that nearly half of all arsons are started by someone under the influence of alcohol.

05 · Category

Victim and Demographic Statistics19 stats

01
Males commit 85% of arsons per FBI 2021
02
Victims under 5 years: 12% of arson fatalities, NFPA 2020
03
African American perpetrators: 30% of arrests despite 13% population
04
Elderly victims (>65): 22% more likely in residential arsons
05
Juvenile males 10-17: 40% of arson offenders
06
Females: 15% of arson arrests, up from 10% in 2000
07
Low-income areas: 3x arson victimization rate
08
Children under 10: 8% of arson victims injured
09
White perpetrators: 52% of arson arrests 2022
10
Homeless individuals: 25% of urban arson victims
11
Males 18-24: peak age for arson perpetration at 28%
12
Hispanic victims: 18% of residential arson deaths
13
Mental health issues in 40% of arsonists
14
Repeat offenders: 30% of arrested arsonists have priors
15
Urban black males under 30: 22% of offenders
16
Female victims over 50: 35% of fatalities in homes
17
Alcohol involved in 50% juvenile arsons
18
Immigrants: lower arson perpetration rate at 5%
19
Military vets: 12% of arson offenders with PTSD
Interpretation

Victim and Demographic Statistics Interpretation

While the face of arson is overwhelmingly young and male, its flames disproportionately lick at the vulnerable—the poor, the elderly, and the very young—painting a grim picture where societal neglect often provides the kindling.
Reference

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APA
Helena Kowalczyk. (2026, February 27). Arson Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/arson-statistics
MLA
Helena Kowalczyk. "Arson Statistics." Gitnux, 27 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/arson-statistics.
Chicago
Helena Kowalczyk. 2026. "Arson Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/arson-statistics.

Sources & references

41 sources cited across this report

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  2. nfpa.org
  3. usfa.fema.gov
  4. ucr.fbi.gov
  5. openjustice.doj.ca.gov
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  26. coalitionagainstinsurancefraud.org
  27. gao.gov
  28. fb.org
  29. ucdavis.edu
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  31. nces.ed.gov
  32. rand.org
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  36. ncjrs.gov
  37. bls.gov
  38. ussc.gov
  39. ncsl.org
  40. nij.ojp.gov
  41. fireengineering.com