GITNUXREPORT 2026

Home Safety Statistics

Home fires, falls, poisonings, and burglaries are common preventable dangers every household must address.

Sarah Mitchell

Senior Researcher specializing in consumer behavior and market trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

Poisoning is the leading cause of injury death in the U.S., surpassing motor vehicle crashes, with 91,799 deaths in 2021.

Statistic 2

Household cleaners cause 10% of poisoning calls to poison centers, over 120,000 annually.

Statistic 3

Children under 6 account for 50% of cleaning product exposures.

Statistic 4

Laundry detergent pods caused 10,570 exposures in 2022, mostly kids.

Statistic 5

90% of poisoning victims are children under age 5.

Statistic 6

Button batteries cause 2,500 ER visits yearly for kids, with 47 deaths since 1995.

Statistic 7

Carbon monoxide poisoning sends 50,000 to ER yearly, 400 deaths.

Statistic 8

Lead poisoning affects 500,000 children under 6 with elevated blood lead levels.

Statistic 9

Pesticides cause 67,000 exposures yearly, 20% in children.

Statistic 10

Over 2 million poisonings occur yearly, 95% managed at home.

Statistic 11

Opioids in homes contribute to 80% of poisoning deaths.

Statistic 12

Bleach and ammonia mixing causes 2,800 injuries yearly from toxic gas.

Statistic 13

Antifreeze (ethylene glycol) poisonings number 6,400 yearly.

Statistic 14

Cosmetics and personal care products cause 120,582 exposures in 2022.

Statistic 15

Plants like lilies poison 10,000 pets yearly, but 5% human child cases.

Statistic 16

Household bleach exposures total 37,000 yearly to poison centers.

Statistic 17

Hydrofluoric acid in cleaners causes 1,000 severe burns yearly.

Statistic 18

E-cigarette liquid poisonings hit 2,888 cases in 2022.

Statistic 19

Rodenticides poison 15,000 children under 6 yearly.

Statistic 20

Pool chemicals cause 6,300 injuries yearly.

Statistic 21

40% of poisonings from household products are asymptomatic.

Statistic 22

Alcohol poisoning in homes contributes to 2,200 deaths yearly.

Statistic 23

Paint thinners cause 5,000 exposures annually.

Statistic 24

CO detectors prevent 400 deaths yearly if universal.

Statistic 25

Essential oils poison 10,000 calls yearly to centers.

Statistic 26

Electrical outlets cause 4,000 child injuries yearly from shocks.

Statistic 27

Home electrical fires cause 51,000 fires yearly, 500 deaths, $1.3 billion damage.

Statistic 28

Extension cords involved in 3,300 consumer fires yearly, 160 injuries.

Statistic 29

GFCI outlets reduce electrocution risk by 68% in homes.

Statistic 30

ARC faults cause 40,000 home fires annually.

Statistic 31

2,400 children under 10 shocked or burned by outlets yearly.

Statistic 32

Holiday lights cause 210 home fires yearly.

Statistic 33

Power strips overloaded cause 9% of electrical fires.

Statistic 34

Appliance cords cause 9,400 fires yearly.

Statistic 35

400 electrocution deaths occur yearly in homes.

Statistic 36

Water and electricity contact causes 70% of home electrocutions.

Statistic 37

AFCI breakers prevent 50% of bedroom electrical fires.

Statistic 38

Underground wiring faults cause 18% of electrical fires.

Statistic 39

30% of homes have outdated electrical systems posing risks.

Statistic 40

Lightning protection reduces home damage by 90%.

Statistic 41

Arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) required in 50% of new home circuits.

Statistic 42

70% of electrocutions occur in construction but 30% homes.

Statistic 43

Fan motors cause 1,200 fires yearly.

Statistic 44

83% of electrical fatalities involve workers, but home risks high.

Statistic 45

Surge protectors save $100 billion in electronics yearly.

Statistic 46

Wiring devices cause 4,600 fires annually.

Statistic 47

Pool/spa electrocutions kill 100 yearly.

Statistic 48

LED bulbs reduce fire risk by 90% vs incandescent.

Statistic 49

Home generators cause 700 CO poisonings yearly.

Statistic 50

Outlets within 6ft of sinks need GFCI per code.

Statistic 51

Falls are the leading cause of unintentional home injury deaths, killing 39,360 Americans in 2021.

Statistic 52

Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the ER for a fall, with 32,000 deaths yearly.

Statistic 53

1 in 4 older adults falls each year, costing $50 billion in medical expenses.

Statistic 54

Stairs cause 1 million fall injuries annually in homes.

Statistic 55

60% of fatal falls among seniors occur inside the home.

Statistic 56

Bathtubs and showers account for 80% of slip-and-fall injuries among elderly.

Statistic 57

Rugs and carpets without padding cause 21% of indoor falls for seniors.

Statistic 58

Ladders cause 81,000 ER visits yearly from home falls.

Statistic 59

Children under 5 experience 800,000 fall-related ER visits annually.

Statistic 60

Floors and flooring surfaces cause 43% of all fall injuries in homes.

Statistic 61

37% of falls among older adults occur during walking or going up/down stairs.

Statistic 62

Low-pile carpet reduces fall injury risk by 25% compared to hardwood.

Statistic 63

50% of fatal falls involve head injuries.

Statistic 64

Window falls kill 7 children under 5 daily in summer months.

Statistic 65

Grab bars in bathrooms reduce fall risk by 40% for seniors.

Statistic 66

Poor lighting contributes to 20% of home falls.

Statistic 67

Every year, 3 million older adults are treated for hip fractures from falls.

Statistic 68

Beds cause 50% of furniture-related falls for children.

Statistic 69

Falls kill more than twice as many Americans as did 20 years ago.

Statistic 70

95% of hip fractures in elderly are from falls.

Statistic 71

Slippery surfaces cause 44% of bathroom falls.

Statistic 72

20% of traumatic brain injuries are from falls.

Statistic 73

Porch steps cause 10% of outdoor home falls.

Statistic 74

Multifamily homes have higher fall rates due to stairs.

Statistic 75

Vision impairment doubles fall risk.

Statistic 76

Medications contribute to 33% of falls in seniors.

Statistic 77

Balance training reduces falls by 24%.

Statistic 78

70% of fall deaths occur in first 30 days post-fall.

Statistic 79

In 2022, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 346,000 home structure fires, resulting in 2,620 civilian deaths, 9,760 civilian injuries, and $8.8 billion in direct property damage.

Statistic 80

Cooking equipment is the leading cause of home fires, accounting for 49% of all home fires in 2022.

Statistic 81

Smoking materials caused 17% of home fire deaths between 2015-2019, with 18,500 home fires annually.

Statistic 82

Heating equipment caused 13% of home fires, resulting in 510 deaths per year from 2015-2019.

Statistic 83

Candles caused 5,348 home fires annually from 2015-2019, with 1 in 5 resulting in death.

Statistic 84

Electrical malfunctions cause 7% of home fires, around 46,000 fires yearly.

Statistic 85

75% of fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or non-working ones.

Statistic 86

Smoke alarms that meet current standards are 54% less likely to have fire-related deaths.

Statistic 87

Half of home fire deaths occur between 10pm-6am when people are asleep.

Statistic 88

Children under 5 face twice the risk of non-fatal home fire injuries compared to the general population.

Statistic 89

Adults over 65 have a 2.7 times higher fire death rate than the population average.

Statistic 90

3,300 people die annually in home fires, with 11,200 injuries.

Statistic 91

Space heaters cause 80% of residential fire deaths involving heating equipment.

Statistic 92

Laundry rooms account for 2,900 home fires yearly due to dryers.

Statistic 93

Christmas trees cause 150-200 home fires annually, with $12 million in damage.

Statistic 94

Grills cause 10,530 home fires yearly, mostly outdoors but spreading indoors.

Statistic 95

Lightning strikes cause 22,600 home fires every year.

Statistic 96

Home fires double during winter months due to increased heating use.

Statistic 97

40% of home candles fires start in the bedroom.

Statistic 98

Fire sprinklers reduce chance of death by 83% and property damage by 40%.

Statistic 99

In 2022, U.S. fire departments responded to 346,000 home fires with 2,620 deaths.

Statistic 100

From 2016-2020, cooking caused 172,900 home fires annually.

Statistic 101

Bedroom fires caused 13% of home fire deaths, 20% in 2022.

Statistic 102

85% of fire deaths occur in single-family homes.

Statistic 103

Escape plans practiced reduce survival chances by 2x.

Statistic 104

Lithium-ion batteries caused 200 home fires in 2022.

Statistic 105

Chimney fires cause $125 million in damage yearly.

Statistic 106

23% of home fires start in kitchens unattended.

Statistic 107

Multi-unit dwellings have 4x higher fire risk per capita.

Statistic 108

1 in 3 Americans have a fire extinguisher at home.

Statistic 109

Burglaries occur every 26 seconds in the U.S., with 65% in residences.

Statistic 110

2.5 million residential burglaries reported yearly, costing $3.4 billion.

Statistic 111

66% of burglars enter through front/back doors.

Statistic 112

Homes without security systems are 300% more likely to be burglarized.

Statistic 113

56% of burglaries occur during daytime (6am-6pm).

Statistic 114

1 in 5 burglaries involve violence or assault.

Statistic 115

Unlocked doors account for 34% of home invasions.

Statistic 116

Security cameras deter 50% of potential burglars.

Statistic 117

81% of burglars check for cameras before breaking in.

Statistic 118

Rural homes are burglarized at 1.4 times the rate of urban homes.

Statistic 119

Vacant homes are 2.7 times more likely to be targeted.

Statistic 120

Door security bars reduce forced entry by 80%.

Statistic 121

60% of burglaries last less than 5 minutes.

Statistic 122

Alarm systems reduce burglary risk by 60%.

Statistic 123

Garage doors are entry points in 9% of burglaries.

Statistic 124

Women-headed households face 30% higher burglary risk.

Statistic 125

Smart locks prevent 70% of lock-picking attempts.

Statistic 126

Neighborhood watch programs reduce crime by 26%.

Statistic 127

25% of burglarized homes had no forced entry signs.

Statistic 128

Fire escape ladders save lives but security windows reduce break-ins by 55%.

Statistic 129

62% of burglaries are residential, 38% non-residential.

Statistic 130

Homes with dogs 3x less likely to be burglarized.

Statistic 131

Second-floor entries occur in 23% of burglaries via balconies.

Statistic 132

Visible valuables increase burglary risk by 25%.

Statistic 133

Summer months see 10% higher burglary rates.

Statistic 134

Door chains fail in 60% of forced entries.

Statistic 135

Smart doorbells reduce theft by 53%.

Statistic 136

7% of burglaries via basement windows.

Statistic 137

Insurance discounts average 20% for alarms.

Statistic 138

Repeat burglaries hit 41% of victims within a year.

1/138

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While it might feel like your safest refuge, your home harbors hidden dangers that statistics reveal can be alarmingly common and severe.

Key Takeaways

In 2022, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 346,000 home structure fires, resulting in 2,620 civilian deaths, 9,760 civilian injuries, and $8.8 billion in direct property damage.
Cooking equipment is the leading cause of home fires, accounting for 49% of all home fires in 2022.
Smoking materials caused 17% of home fire deaths between 2015-2019, with 18,500 home fires annually.
Falls are the leading cause of unintentional home injury deaths, killing 39,360 Americans in 2021.
Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the ER for a fall, with 32,000 deaths yearly.
1 in 4 older adults falls each year, costing $50 billion in medical expenses.
Poisoning is the leading cause of injury death in the U.S., surpassing motor vehicle crashes, with 91,799 deaths in 2021.
Household cleaners cause 10% of poisoning calls to poison centers, over 120,000 annually.
Children under 6 account for 50% of cleaning product exposures.
Electrical outlets cause 4,000 child injuries yearly from shocks.
Home electrical fires cause 51,000 fires yearly, 500 deaths, $1.3 billion damage.
Extension cords involved in 3,300 consumer fires yearly, 160 injuries.
Burglaries occur every 26 seconds in the U.S., with 65% in residences.
2.5 million residential burglaries reported yearly, costing $3.4 billion.
66% of burglars enter through front/back doors.

Home fires, falls, poisonings, and burglaries are common preventable dangers every household must address.

Chemical and Poison Safety

Poisoning is the leading cause of injury death in the U.S., surpassing motor vehicle crashes, with 91,799 deaths in 2021.
Household cleaners cause 10% of poisoning calls to poison centers, over 120,000 annually.
Children under 6 account for 50% of cleaning product exposures.
Laundry detergent pods caused 10,570 exposures in 2022, mostly kids.
90% of poisoning victims are children under age 5.
Button batteries cause 2,500 ER visits yearly for kids, with 47 deaths since 1995.
Carbon monoxide poisoning sends 50,000 to ER yearly, 400 deaths.
Lead poisoning affects 500,000 children under 6 with elevated blood lead levels.
Pesticides cause 67,000 exposures yearly, 20% in children.
Over 2 million poisonings occur yearly, 95% managed at home.
Opioids in homes contribute to 80% of poisoning deaths.
Bleach and ammonia mixing causes 2,800 injuries yearly from toxic gas.
Antifreeze (ethylene glycol) poisonings number 6,400 yearly.
Cosmetics and personal care products cause 120,582 exposures in 2022.
Plants like lilies poison 10,000 pets yearly, but 5% human child cases.
Household bleach exposures total 37,000 yearly to poison centers.
Hydrofluoric acid in cleaners causes 1,000 severe burns yearly.
E-cigarette liquid poisonings hit 2,888 cases in 2022.
Rodenticides poison 15,000 children under 6 yearly.
Pool chemicals cause 6,300 injuries yearly.
40% of poisonings from household products are asymptomatic.
Alcohol poisoning in homes contributes to 2,200 deaths yearly.
Paint thinners cause 5,000 exposures annually.
CO detectors prevent 400 deaths yearly if universal.
Essential oils poison 10,000 calls yearly to centers.

Chemical and Poison Safety Interpretation

In the grim calculus of home safety, the most innocent spaces hold a terrifying irony: our cabinets and countertops, not our highways, are the nation's most prolific killers, with children as their primary victims.

Electrical Safety

Electrical outlets cause 4,000 child injuries yearly from shocks.
Home electrical fires cause 51,000 fires yearly, 500 deaths, $1.3 billion damage.
Extension cords involved in 3,300 consumer fires yearly, 160 injuries.
GFCI outlets reduce electrocution risk by 68% in homes.
ARC faults cause 40,000 home fires annually.
2,400 children under 10 shocked or burned by outlets yearly.
Holiday lights cause 210 home fires yearly.
Power strips overloaded cause 9% of electrical fires.
Appliance cords cause 9,400 fires yearly.
400 electrocution deaths occur yearly in homes.
Water and electricity contact causes 70% of home electrocutions.
AFCI breakers prevent 50% of bedroom electrical fires.
Underground wiring faults cause 18% of electrical fires.
30% of homes have outdated electrical systems posing risks.
Lightning protection reduces home damage by 90%.
Arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) required in 50% of new home circuits.
70% of electrocutions occur in construction but 30% homes.
Fan motors cause 1,200 fires yearly.
83% of electrical fatalities involve workers, but home risks high.
Surge protectors save $100 billion in electronics yearly.
Wiring devices cause 4,600 fires annually.
Pool/spa electrocutions kill 100 yearly.
LED bulbs reduce fire risk by 90% vs incandescent.
Home generators cause 700 CO poisonings yearly.
Outlets within 6ft of sinks need GFCI per code.

Electrical Safety Interpretation

While our homes are sanctuaries, it appears our electrical systems are staging a shocking and fiery rebellion, with outdated outlets and overloaded cords acting as frequent insurgents, yet this domestic coup can be largely thwarted by the simple deployment of GFCI and AFCI defenders.

Fall Prevention

Falls are the leading cause of unintentional home injury deaths, killing 39,360 Americans in 2021.
Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the ER for a fall, with 32,000 deaths yearly.
1 in 4 older adults falls each year, costing $50 billion in medical expenses.
Stairs cause 1 million fall injuries annually in homes.
60% of fatal falls among seniors occur inside the home.
Bathtubs and showers account for 80% of slip-and-fall injuries among elderly.
Rugs and carpets without padding cause 21% of indoor falls for seniors.
Ladders cause 81,000 ER visits yearly from home falls.
Children under 5 experience 800,000 fall-related ER visits annually.
Floors and flooring surfaces cause 43% of all fall injuries in homes.
37% of falls among older adults occur during walking or going up/down stairs.
Low-pile carpet reduces fall injury risk by 25% compared to hardwood.
50% of fatal falls involve head injuries.
Window falls kill 7 children under 5 daily in summer months.
Grab bars in bathrooms reduce fall risk by 40% for seniors.
Poor lighting contributes to 20% of home falls.
Every year, 3 million older adults are treated for hip fractures from falls.
Beds cause 50% of furniture-related falls for children.
Falls kill more than twice as many Americans as did 20 years ago.
95% of hip fractures in elderly are from falls.
Slippery surfaces cause 44% of bathroom falls.
20% of traumatic brain injuries are from falls.
Porch steps cause 10% of outdoor home falls.
Multifamily homes have higher fall rates due to stairs.
Vision impairment doubles fall risk.
Medications contribute to 33% of falls in seniors.
Balance training reduces falls by 24%.
70% of fall deaths occur in first 30 days post-fall.

Fall Prevention Interpretation

The grim irony of home safety is that our houses, designed as sanctuaries, have become statistically treacherous landscapes where a misplaced rug, a dark stair, or a slick tub can turn daily life into a deadly gamble.

Fire Safety

In 2022, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 346,000 home structure fires, resulting in 2,620 civilian deaths, 9,760 civilian injuries, and $8.8 billion in direct property damage.
Cooking equipment is the leading cause of home fires, accounting for 49% of all home fires in 2022.
Smoking materials caused 17% of home fire deaths between 2015-2019, with 18,500 home fires annually.
Heating equipment caused 13% of home fires, resulting in 510 deaths per year from 2015-2019.
Candles caused 5,348 home fires annually from 2015-2019, with 1 in 5 resulting in death.
Electrical malfunctions cause 7% of home fires, around 46,000 fires yearly.
75% of fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or non-working ones.
Smoke alarms that meet current standards are 54% less likely to have fire-related deaths.
Half of home fire deaths occur between 10pm-6am when people are asleep.
Children under 5 face twice the risk of non-fatal home fire injuries compared to the general population.
Adults over 65 have a 2.7 times higher fire death rate than the population average.
3,300 people die annually in home fires, with 11,200 injuries.
Space heaters cause 80% of residential fire deaths involving heating equipment.
Laundry rooms account for 2,900 home fires yearly due to dryers.
Christmas trees cause 150-200 home fires annually, with $12 million in damage.
Grills cause 10,530 home fires yearly, mostly outdoors but spreading indoors.
Lightning strikes cause 22,600 home fires every year.
Home fires double during winter months due to increased heating use.
40% of home candles fires start in the bedroom.
Fire sprinklers reduce chance of death by 83% and property damage by 40%.
In 2022, U.S. fire departments responded to 346,000 home fires with 2,620 deaths.
From 2016-2020, cooking caused 172,900 home fires annually.
Bedroom fires caused 13% of home fire deaths, 20% in 2022.
85% of fire deaths occur in single-family homes.
Escape plans practiced reduce survival chances by 2x.
Lithium-ion batteries caused 200 home fires in 2022.
Chimney fires cause $125 million in damage yearly.
23% of home fires start in kitchens unattended.
Multi-unit dwellings have 4x higher fire risk per capita.
1 in 3 Americans have a fire extinguisher at home.

Fire Safety Interpretation

The statistics suggest our homes are statistically more perilous than a haunted house, yet tragically avoidable, since most deaths occur in homes without a working smoke alarm or from common distractions like cooking, which means the greatest fire hazard is often our own inattention.

Intrusion and Security

Burglaries occur every 26 seconds in the U.S., with 65% in residences.
2.5 million residential burglaries reported yearly, costing $3.4 billion.
66% of burglars enter through front/back doors.
Homes without security systems are 300% more likely to be burglarized.
56% of burglaries occur during daytime (6am-6pm).
1 in 5 burglaries involve violence or assault.
Unlocked doors account for 34% of home invasions.
Security cameras deter 50% of potential burglars.
81% of burglars check for cameras before breaking in.
Rural homes are burglarized at 1.4 times the rate of urban homes.
Vacant homes are 2.7 times more likely to be targeted.
Door security bars reduce forced entry by 80%.
60% of burglaries last less than 5 minutes.
Alarm systems reduce burglary risk by 60%.
Garage doors are entry points in 9% of burglaries.
Women-headed households face 30% higher burglary risk.
Smart locks prevent 70% of lock-picking attempts.
Neighborhood watch programs reduce crime by 26%.
25% of burglarized homes had no forced entry signs.
Fire escape ladders save lives but security windows reduce break-ins by 55%.
62% of burglaries are residential, 38% non-residential.
Homes with dogs 3x less likely to be burglarized.
Second-floor entries occur in 23% of burglaries via balconies.
Visible valuables increase burglary risk by 25%.
Summer months see 10% higher burglary rates.
Door chains fail in 60% of forced entries.
Smart doorbells reduce theft by 53%.
7% of burglaries via basement windows.
Insurance discounts average 20% for alarms.
Repeat burglaries hit 41% of victims within a year.

Intrusion and Security Interpretation

While burglars are more likely to try your front door in broad daylight for a quick five-minute heist, a locked door, a camera, and perhaps a dog will statistically ruin their day and save you a world of trouble.

Sources & References

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