While it's encouraging that home burglaries have fallen by a staggering 77% since 1993, the sobering reality is that over a quarter of a million families still faced the traumatic invasion of an unlawful entry into their homes last year.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, there were 899,293 reported burglaries in the United States, marking a 6.2% decrease from 2021 according to FBI data
- Burglary rates dropped by 8.7% nationally from 2019 to 2022, with a total of over 1.2 million incidents in 2019 falling to under 900,000 by 2022 per FBI Uniform Crime Reporting
- Between 1993 and 2022, residential burglaries declined by 77%, from approximately 1.9 million to 431,000 victimizations annually based on NCVS trends
- California reported 89,123 burglaries in 2022, highest in the nation at 22.5% of national total per FBI state data
- Texas saw 76,450 home break-ins in 2022, with a rate of 251 per 100,000 residents FBI UCR
- Florida's burglary rate was 193 per 100,000 in 2022, totaling 43,200 incidents per state police reports
- Households with incomes under $25,000 had burglary victimization rate of 4.5 per 1,000 in 2022 per NCVS
- Rental households experienced 3.8 per 1,000 burglary rate vs 2.2 for owners in 2022 BJS data
- Urban households had 4.1 victimization rate per 1,000 for burglaries in 2022 vs rural 1.8 NCVS
- 73% of offenders in residential burglaries were male, aged 18-24 per 2022 NCVS offender perceptions
- 65% of burglars acted alone in home invasions 2022, 35% in groups of 2+ per victim reports BJS
- 52% of burglaries used forcible entry via doors in 2022 FBI method breakdown UCR data
- Average burglary loss $2,500 property only, $10,000+ with sentimentals in 2022 NCVS estimates
- Home insurance claims for burglary averaged $5,200 payout in 2022 per III national data
- Total US burglary economic cost estimated $8 billion including uninsured losses 2022 FBI/NCVS combined
While burglary rates are at historic lows, protecting your home remains essential.
Economic Impact and Prevention
- Average burglary loss $2,500 property only, $10,000+ with sentimentals in 2022 NCVS estimates
- Home insurance claims for burglary averaged $5,200 payout in 2022 per III national data
- Total US burglary economic cost estimated $8 billion including uninsured losses 2022 FBI/NCVS combined
- Homes with alarms 300% less likely burglarized per 2022 security industry UL study
- Burglary prevention via dogs reduced risk by 83% in surveyed homes 2022 ADT report
- Visible cameras deterred 60% of potential burglars per 2022 offender interviews UNC study
- Neighborhood watch programs cut burglary rates 26% in participating areas 2022 CAP index
- Motion lights reduced incidents by 55% in lit vs unlit homes 2022 Ring security data
- 87% of burglarized homes lacked security systems in 2022 per insurance claim analysis III
- Trulia analysis shows homes with "beware of dog" signs 82% less likely broken into 2022 real estate stats
- Locked doors prevented 38% of potential unlawful entries in 2022 NCVS prevention factors
- Smart locks reduced unauthorized access claims by 45% in insured homes 2022 August security report
- Burglary insurance deductibles averaged $1,000 delaying 22% of claims in 2022 III data
- Prevention ROI: $1 alarm investment saves $7 in losses per 2022 NACOSS cost-benefit study
- 31% of burglaries preventable with basic measures like trimming bushes per 2022 police audits
- Homes with deadbolts 3x less victimized than single-cylinder locks only 2022 locksmith association
- Community policing reduced repeat burglaries 40% in pilot cities 2022 DOJ evaluation
- 65% of economic loss from burglaries uninsured averaging $1,600 per case 2022 NCVS follow-up
- Property crime insurance premiums rose 9% due to burglary claims in 2022 per NAIC reports
- Break-in repairs cost avg $3,200 doors/windows in 2022 HomeAdvisor data
- 76% of prevented burglaries via occupant presence "best free alarm" 2022 victim surveys NCVS
- GPS tracking recovered 27% of stolen goods post-burglary in 2022 tech recovery stats
- Fencing homes reduced access burglaries 72% in suburban studies 2022 landscape security
- 41% of Americans live in high-burglary zip codes costing $2.1B extra insurance 2022 Trulia
- Video doorbells cut porch piracy (burglary subset) 53% in 2022 Blink stats
Economic Impact and Prevention Interpretation
The data paints a clear, cost-effective picture: your home is far less likely to be burglarized and far cheaper to insure if you simply lock the door, turn on a light, get a dog sign, and perhaps stop leaving a thousand dollars in cash on the coffee table for the deductible.
National Incidence and Trends
- In 2022, there were 899,293 reported burglaries in the United States, marking a 6.2% decrease from 2021 according to FBI data
- Burglary rates dropped by 8.7% nationally from 2019 to 2022, with a total of over 1.2 million incidents in 2019 falling to under 900,000 by 2022 per FBI Uniform Crime Reporting
- Between 1993 and 2022, residential burglaries declined by 77%, from approximately 1.9 million to 431,000 victimizations annually based on NCVS trends
- In 2021, burglaries accounted for 15% of all property crimes reported to police in the US, totaling 1,016,425 incidents per FBI statistics
- The burglary victimization rate reached a low of 2.6 per 1,000 households in 2022, down from 3.0 in 2021 according to Bureau of Justice Statistics NCVS
- From 2018 to 2022, forcible entry burglaries decreased by 12%, comprising 55% of all residential burglaries in 2022 per FBI data
- Unlawful entry without force accounted for 32% of burglaries in 2022, with 258,000 incidents nationwide FBI reports
- Attempted burglaries made up 28% of all burglary offenses reported in 2022, totaling about 250,000 cases per FBI UCR
- Burglary clearance rates stood at 12.5% nationally in 2022, with only 112,000 arrests from 899,000 incidents FBI data
- During the COVID-19 pandemic peak in 2020, burglaries fell 24% year-over-year to 813,000 incidents per FBI preliminary reports
- Residential burglaries comprised 62% of all burglaries in 2022, equating to 557,000 home break-ins FBI statistics
- From 2000 to 2022, the burglary rate per 100,000 inhabitants dropped from 341 to 166, a 51% decline per FBI historical data
- In urban areas, burglary rates were 3.2 per 1,000 households in 2022 versus 1.8 in rural areas per NCVS
- Burglaries increased slightly by 1.5% from 2020 to 2021 post-lockdown, reaching 1,016,000 incidents FBI notes
- The average annual burglary victimization rate from 2018-2022 was 2.8 per 1,000 households per BJS longitudinal data
- Completed burglaries outnumbered attempts 3:1 in 2022, with 650,000 successful entries per FBI UCR
- Burglary offenses peaked in the 1990s at over 2.2 million annually, now at historic lows per FBI 30-year trends
- In 2022, burglaries cost victims $3.4 billion in direct losses, averaging $3,800 per incident FBI estimates
- Police-reported burglary rates fell 7% from 2021 to 2022 across all regions per FBI Crime Data Explorer
- NCVS estimates 1.1 million residential burglaries occurred in 2022, higher than police reports due to unreported cases
- Burglary rates for households declined 81% from 1993 peak of 13.7 per 1,000 to 2.6 in 2022 per NCVS
- From 2017 to 2022, suburban burglary rates dropped 15% to 2.4 per 1,000 households BJS data
- National burglary incident rate per capita was 0.27% in 2022 per FBI population-adjusted stats
- Burglaries with entry comprised 72% of offenses in 2022, totaling 647,000 cases FBI breakdown
- Year-over-year burglary decline averaged 5.3% from 2018-2022 per FBI quarterly reports
- In 2022, 85% of burglaries involved property theft only, no violence per NCVS victim surveys
- Burglary reporting rates to police were 45% of victimizations in 2022 per BJS NCVS
- From 1990 to 2022, total burglaries reported decreased by 65%, from 2.5 million to 899,000 FBI long-term data
- Urban burglary victimization rate was 4.1 per 1,000 in 2022, highest among locales per NCVS
- Preliminary 2023 data shows burglaries down another 4% nationally per FBI Q1-Q3 reports
National Incidence and Trends Interpretation
While the number of unlocked doors and windows remains a disappointing testament to human optimism, the steep and steady decline in burglaries suggests that even criminals are finding this particular line of work less rewarding than it used to be.
Offender Profiles and Methods
- 73% of offenders in residential burglaries were male, aged 18-24 per 2022 NCVS offender perceptions
- 65% of burglars acted alone in home invasions 2022, 35% in groups of 2+ per victim reports BJS
- 52% of burglaries used forcible entry via doors in 2022 FBI method breakdown UCR data
- Windows were forced in 28% of residential burglaries 2022 second most common entry FBI stats
- Unlawful entry without force (e.g., unlocked doors) in 32% of 2022 burglaries per FBI UCR categories
- 58% of burglaries occurred during daytime (6am-6pm) in 2022 "daylight myth busted" NCVS timing
- Summer months (June-Aug) saw 32% of annual burglaries in 2022 peak season FBI seasonal data
- 47% of offenders perceived as strangers by victims, 22% acquaintances in 2022 burglaries BJS
- Cash and jewelry stolen in 68% of burglaries, electronics 55% most common items 2022 NCVS
- 12% of burglars carried weapons per victim reports in 2022, guns 4% knives 5% BJS data
- Friday was peak day for burglaries at 16% of weekly incidents in 2022 FBI day-of-week analysis
- 61% of burglars spent under 5 minutes inside homes in 2022 "smash and grab" common NCVS duration
- Repeat victimization occurred in 14% of burglarized households within 12 months 2022 BJS longitudinal
- 78% of burglars targeted single-family detached homes over apartments in 2022 housing preference FBI/NCVS
- Offenders under 18 committed 15% of burglaries in 2022 juvenile involvement NCVS perceptions
- Drug use reported in 29% of burglary offenders by victims in 2022 BJS substance data
- Garage or basement entry used in 18% of forcible burglaries 2022 alternative access FBI
- 22% of burglaries involved theft of firearms from homes in 2022 per NCVS property specifics
- Offender groups of 3+ rare at 8% but more violent in 12% of cases 2022 BJS group dynamics
- 67% of burglaries avoided occupied homes per offender surveys proxied by NCVS 2022
Offender Profiles and Methods Interpretation
The typical home burglary is a hurried, solo operation by a young man who would rather kick in your door on a Friday afternoon than meet you, though he'll happily take your cash and jewelry if you've left the place unlocked.
Regional and State Variations
- California reported 89,123 burglaries in 2022, highest in the nation at 22.5% of national total per FBI state data
- Texas saw 76,450 home break-ins in 2022, with a rate of 251 per 100,000 residents FBI UCR
- Florida's burglary rate was 193 per 100,000 in 2022, totaling 43,200 incidents per state police reports
- New York had 28,450 burglaries in 2022, down 15% from 2021 with urban concentration in NYC FBI data
- Illinois reported 24,890 burglaries in 2022, rate of 198 per 100,000 centered in Chicago metro FBI stats
- Washington state burglary rate hit 345 per 100,000 in 2022, highest nationally with 26,500 cases FBI
- Colorado experienced 18,230 burglaries in 2022, rate 309 per 100,000 due to Denver area spikes FBI reports
- Nevada's Las Vegas metro saw burglary rates 25% above national average at 220 per 100,000 in 2022 FBI
- Oregon reported 12,450 burglaries in 2022, rate 289 per 100,000 with Portland contributing 40% FBI data
- Missouri had 15,670 burglaries, rate 251 per 100,000 in 2022, St. Louis highest at 1,200+ cases FBI
- New Mexico burglary rate was 412 per 100,000 in 2022, totaling 8,950 incidents statewide FBI UCR
- Louisiana saw 14,230 burglaries in 2022, rate 308 per 100,000 with New Orleans at epicenter FBI stats
- Tennessee reported 21,450 burglaries, rate 305 per 100,000 in 2022, Memphis 35% of total FBI data
- Arizona had 23,670 burglaries in 2022, rate 322 per 100,000 Phoenix metro dominant FBI reports
- In Northeast region, burglary rates averaged 120 per 100,000 in 2022 vs national 166 FBI regional breakdown
- Midwest burglaries totaled 112,000 in 2022, rate 158 per 100,000 lowest regionally per FBI
- South region had 380,000 burglaries in 2022, 42% of national total rate 190 per 100,000 FBI data
- West region burglary rate highest at 250 per 100,000 with 250,000 incidents in 2022 FBI stats
- Alaska's burglary rate was 520 per 100,000 in 2022, highest state by far totaling 3,650 cases FBI
- Hawaii reported lowest state burglary numbers at 2,100 in 2022, rate 145 per 100,000 FBI UCR
- Detroit MI had burglary rate of 1,050 per 100,000 in 2022, among top 10 US cities FBI city data
- Memphis TN metro burglary incidents up 12% to 4,500 in 2022 per local FBI reports
- Albuquerque NM rate 950 per 100,000 burglaries in 2022, 2,800 total cases FBI stats
- Stockton CA saw 1,200 burglaries in 2022, rate 850 per 100,000 highest in CA FBI data
Regional and State Variations Interpretation
The nation's burglary map, while proving the West is wildest, offers the cold comfort that you might be statistically safest in Hawaii, yet the persistent and frankly rude fact remains that absolutely no one is immune to the modern, home-invading gold rush.
Victim and Household Demographics
- Households with incomes under $25,000 had burglary victimization rate of 4.5 per 1,000 in 2022 per NCVS
- Rental households experienced 3.8 per 1,000 burglary rate vs 2.2 for owners in 2022 BJS data
- Urban households had 4.1 victimization rate per 1,000 for burglaries in 2022 vs rural 1.8 NCVS
- Households with 4+ members faced 3.5 per 1,000 burglary rate in 2022, highest by size per BJS
- Black-headed households had 4.2 per 1,000 burglary rate in 2022 vs 2.3 for white-headed NCVS data
- Hispanic households burglary victimization at 3.6 per 1,000 in 2022 per BJS demographic breakdowns
- Elderly-headed households (65+) had lowest rate of 1.9 per 1,000 burglaries in 2022 NCVS stats
- Single-person households faced 2.9 per 1,000 rate vs 2.5 for multi-person in 2022 BJS data
- Low-income suburbs had 3.2 per 1,000 burglary rate in 2022 higher than urban poor at 3.0 NCVS locale-income cross
- Households with children under 12 had 3.4 per 1,000 victimization rate in 2022 per BJS family stats
- Midwest households lowest victimization at 2.1 per 1,000 burglaries in 2022 regional NCVS data
- Western US households highest at 3.2 per 1,000 burglary rate in 2022 per BJS regional analysis
- 25-34 year old household heads had 3.7 per 1,000 rate highest by age in 2022 NCVS
- Married couple households burglary rate 2.4 per 1,000 vs 3.1 for unmarried in 2022 BJS
- Apartment dwellers in multi-unit buildings had 4.0 per 1,000 rate in 2022 vs single-family 2.3 NCVS housing type
- Households earning $75,000+ had 1.8 per 1,000 lowest burglary rate in 2022 per BJS income tiers
- Female-headed households victimization 3.3 per 1,000 vs 2.5 male-headed in 2022 NCVS gender data
- Vacant seasonal homes had 5.2 per 1,000 burglary rate highest among occupancy types 2022 BJS
- 18-24 year old heads had 3.9 per 1,000 burglary victimization in 2022 young adult peak NCVS
- Southern rural households 2.0 per 1,000 rate lowest regional-rural combo in 2022 BJS cross-tabs
- 55% of burglary victims were unarmed during incidents in 2022 per NCVS armed status data
- 28% of residential burglaries targeted homes with residents present in 2022 "burglary while home" NCVS
- 62% of victims aged 25-54 in household burglaries 2022 age distribution BJS demographics
- 41% of burglarized households had insurance claims filed averaging $8,500 payout in 2022 III survey
Victim and Household Demographics Interpretation
The data paints a clear, unfortunate picture: the American Dream is not only harder to achieve for lower-income, urban, and minority households, but it also comes with a higher statistical chance of being burglarized while you're home and unarmed.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CDEcde.ucr.cjis.govVisit source
- Reference 2BJSbjs.ojp.govVisit source
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