House burglary rates have fallen sharply in many nations, yet clearance rates remain stubbornly low. In the United States, police solved only 12.1 percent of burglaries in a recent year. This analysis reviews the latest global data on frequency, financial impact, and victim profiles.
Key Takeaways
- US burglary rates declined 65% from 1993 peak of 7.0 per 1,000 to 2022's 3.3
- 72% of US burglaries result in average loss of $2,601 (NCVS 2021)
- In 2022, the United States recorded 898,782 burglaries, a decrease of 4.3% from 2021
- Average US burglar is 27 years old, 83% male (2020 BJS study)
- According to NCVS, 68% of US residential burglaries occur during the day (2021)
House burglary is largely driven by avoidable opportunity, so simple home security steps can significantly reduce risk.
Related reading
01 · Category
Clearance, Trends, and Prevention29 stats
01
US burglary rates declined 65% from 1993 peak of 7.0 per 1,000 to 2022's 3.3
02
UK domestic burglaries down 77% since 1995 peak (2023 ONS)
03
Australia burglary offenses decreased 45% from 2012 to 2022
04
Canada burglary down 50% since 2003 (StatsCan 2022)
05
Germany residential burglaries up 11% post-COVID but down 30% from 2016 peak (2022)
06
France burglaries stable at 380,000 annually since 2015 (2022)
07
Japan burglary offenses down 90% since 2002 peak (2022 NPA)
08
Sweden burglaries decreased 20% from 2019 to 2022
09
New Zealand burglaries down 60% since 2009 (2022 Police)
10
US urban burglary down 8% 2021-2022, suburban up 2% (UCR)
11
National clearance rate for US burglaries 12.1% in 2022, lowest among Part I crimes
12
UK burglary detection rate 8.5% in 2022/23 (police recorded)
13
Australia burglary clearance 15% (2022 state average)
14
Canada clearance rate for break and enter 20% (2022)
15
Germany burglary solved rate 40% (2022 BKA)
16
France residential burglary clearance 12% (2022)
17
Japan burglary clearance rate 75% (2022)
18
UK homes with alarms 83% less likely burgled (2023)
19
US homes with dogs 3x less burglary risk (UNC Charlotte 2022)
20
Visible CCTV reduces burglary by 50% (UK 2023 study)
21
Neighborhood watch programs lower US burglary 26% (2021 meta-analysis)
22
Smart locks reduce entry success by 70% (2022 ADT study)
23
Lighting deters 60% of burglars per UK victim survey (2023)
24
Post-burglary target hardening reduces re-victimization 55% (BJS 2020)
25
DNA door handle wipes solve 30% more cases (UK forensic 2022)
26
Predictive policing apps reduce burglaries 7-20% (LA 2022)
27
Ring doorbell cameras increase clearance 10% (2022 study)
28
Community apps like Nextdoor correlate with 15% drop in burglaries (2023)
29
Burglary hot-spot policing boosts clearance 25% (Chicago 2022)
Interpretation
Clearance, Trends, and Prevention Interpretation
While global burglary rates have largely plummeted due to a combination of better locks, cameras, and community vigilance, the stubbornly abysmal clearance rates in many nations prove that preventing a crime is still far easier than catching the crook who commits it.
02 · Category
Financial and Economic Impact30 stats
01
72% of US burglaries result in average loss of $2,601 (NCVS 2021)
02
Total US burglary economic cost estimated at $3.4 billion in stolen property 2021
03
Insurance payouts for US residential burglaries averaged $4,800per claim in 2022
04
UK burglary average loss £2,500 per incident (2023 ABI)
05
Australian burglary average property loss AUD 5,200 (2022 Insurance Council)
06
Canada burglary average theft value CAD 3,000 (2022 IBC)
07
Germany residential burglary average loss €2,800 (2022 GDV)
08
France home burglary average claim €3,200 (2022 France Assureurs)
09
Italy burglary average loss €4,500 (2022 ANIA)
10
Japan burglary average theft ¥500,000 (2022)
11
Sweden burglary economic cost SEK 2 billion annually (2022)
12
New Zealand average burglary loss NZD 4,000 (2022 IAG)
13
South Africa house burglary average loss R25,000 (2022)
14
NYC burglary average loss $2,200(2022 NYPD)
15
LA average burglary theft $1,800(2022 LAPD)
16
Chicago burglary average property value $2,100stolen (2022)
17
London burglary average £1,600 loss (2022/23)
18
Texas burglary average loss $2,400(2022 DPS)
19
Florida residential burglary average $3,100stolen (2022 FDLE)
20
California burglary total economic impact $1.2 billion (2022)
21
US burglaries cause $28 billion in total societal costs including victim trauma (2021)
22
31% of US burglary victims not insured, out-of-pocket $2,000 average (2022)
23
UK insurance burglary claims rose 15% costing £1.1 billion (2023)
24
Australia burglary claims AUD 300 million yearly (2022)
25
Canada property crime including burglary costs CAD 4.5 billion (2022)
26
Germany burglary insurance payouts €1.2 billion (2022)
27
Electronics 34%, cash 24%, jewelry 20% most stolen in US burglaries (NCVS 2021)
28
Business interruption from home office burglaries adds 20% to US losses (2022)
29
In Sweden, burglary victim replacement costs average SEK 35,000 (2022)
30
Italy burglary claims up 10% to €800 million (2022)
Interpretation
Financial and Economic Impact Interpretation
While burglars around the world seem to be operating on a frustratingly consistent budget—from $1,800 in LA to €4,500 in Italy—the real takeaway is that their relative success comes at an absolutely staggering collective price, proving that crime, while often small-time for the thief, is a massively expensive global industry for the rest of us.
03 · Category
Incidence and Frequency30 stats
01
In 2022, the United States recorded 898,782 burglaries, a decrease of 4.3% from 2021
02
Residential burglaries accounted for 62.4% of all burglaries in the US in 2022, totaling approximately 560,000 incidents
03
The burglary rate in the US was 3.3 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2022
04
In England and Wales, police recorded 237,000 domestic burglaries for the year ending March 2023
05
Burglary offenses in Australia fell by 7% to 55,262 incidents in 2022
06
Canada's 2022 burglary count was 77,057, down 10% from the previous year
07
Germany reported 164,188 residential burglaries in 2022, a 10.7% increase from 2021
08
France had 384,000 home burglaries in 2022 according to insurance claims
09
In 2021, Japan recorded 12,650 burglaries, the lowest since records began
10
New Zealand saw 21,872 burglaries in 2022, down 12% from 2021
11
Sweden reported 18,200 residential burglaries in 2022
12
Italy had 142,000 burglaries in 2022, per ISTAT data
13
In 2020, the US National Crime Victimization Survey estimated 1.1 million completed residential burglaries
14
UK burglary victimisation rate was 1.5% of households in 2022/23
15
South Africa recorded over 200,000 house robberies and burglaries in 2022/23
16
In 2022, burglary rate in Los Angeles was 3.8 per 1,000 residents
17
Chicago had 11,258 burglaries in 2022
18
New York City reported 14,258 burglaries in 2022, down 25% from 2021
19
London had 58,000 burglaries in 2022/23
20
Mumbai, India, saw 4,500 house burglaries in 2022
21
According to NCVS 2021, US households faced a burglary victimization rate of 8.9 per 1,000
22
In 2019, Europe-wide residential burglary rate was 3.2 per 1,000 households per Eurostat
23
Brazil reported 1.2 million residential thefts including burglaries in 2022
24
In 2022, burglary offenses in Texas were 89,234
25
Florida recorded 47,567 burglaries in 2022
26
California had 142,979 burglaries in 2022
27
In 2022, the burglary clearance rate in the US was 12.1%
28
Urban areas in the US had a burglary rate of 4.2 per 1,000 in 2022
29
Rural US burglary rate was 1.8 per 1,000 in 2022
30
Suburban burglary rate in US 2022 was 2.9 per 1,000
Interpretation
Incidence and Frequency Interpretation
While the global trend of burglaries is thankfully leaning toward a welcome decline, these statistics remind us that securing one's castle remains a universally prudent hobby, as the number of uninvited guests worldwide would still fill a small nation.
More related reading
04 · Category
Offender Profiles27 stats
01
Average US burglar is 27 years old, 83% male (2020 BJS study)
02
45% of arrested US burglars are under 25 years old (UCR 2022)
03
Repeat burglary offenders account for 40% of US burglary arrests (BJS 2019)
04
68% of US burglary arrestees are white, 29% Black (UCR 2022)
05
Only 13% of US burglars are female (UCR 2022 arrests)
06
25% of US burglars have prior convictions for similar crimes (BJS 2020)
07
Average UK burglar age at arrest is 29, 90% male (2022 MoJ)
08
In Australia, 70% of burglary offenders under 30 (2022 ABS)
09
Canadian burglary offenders 55% Indigenous (2022 StatsCan)
10
German burglars average 32 years, 85% male (2022 BKA)
11
French burglary suspects 60% under 25 (2022 Ministry Interior)
12
In Japan, 80% of burglary arrests are males aged 20-39 (2022 NPA)
13
Swedish burglars 75% have substance abuse issues (2022 Brå)
14
Italian burglary offenders 50% immigrants (2022 Ministry Justice)
15
New Zealand burglary arrests 40% Maori (2022 NZ Police)
16
South African burglars 90% male, average age 28 (2022 SAPS)
17
In NYC, 35% of burglary arrestees repeat offenders (2022 NYPD)
18
LA burglary suspects 60% Hispanic, 25% Black (2022 LAPD)
19
Chicago burglars 45% Black males under 30 (2022 CPD)
20
London burglars 40% under 18 (2022/23 Met Police)
21
Texas burglary arrestees 55% white, 30% Hispanic (2022 DPS)
22
Florida burglary offenders 20% with gang affiliations (2022 FDLE)
23
50% of US burglars use drugs at time of offense (BJS 2019)
24
Organized burglary rings account for 15% of US incidents (FBI 2022)
25
UK burglars travel average 2.3 miles from home (2021 study)
26
Australian burglars 30% use vehicles for escape (2022 AIC)
27
In Canada, 65% burglary offenders have mental health issues (2022)
Interpretation
Offender Profiles Interpretation
The global burglar profile is a disturbingly consistent portrait of young, troubled men—statistically driven by addiction, opportunity, and the grim mathematics of recidivism—who, despite varied backgrounds, share a profound talent for making everyone else's property their problem.
05 · Category
Victim Profiles30 stats
01
According to NCVS, 68% of US residential burglaries occur during the day (2021)
02
Households with incomes under $25,000had a US burglary victimization rate of 14.2 per 1,000 in 2021
03
High-income households ($75,000+) faced 6.5 per 1,000 burglary rate in US 2021 NCVS
04
Renter-occupied US households had 12.3 per 1,000 burglary victimization rate in 2021
05
Owner-occupied households burglary rate was 7.1 per 1,000 in US 2021
06
Urban US households burglary victimization 11.8 per 1,000 in 2021 NCVS
07
Suburban households 8.4 per 1,000, rural 6.2 per 1,000 for burglary in US 2021
08
Single-family homes are 85% more likely to be burgled than apartments in US per 2020 study
09
Homes without security systems 300% more likely to be burgled (US 2022 UNC Charlotte study)
10
41% of US burglaries target homes with no one present daytime (NCVS 2021)
11
Elderly (65+) US households burglary rate 5.9 per 1,000 in 2021
12
Households with children under 12 had higher burglary rates at 10.2 per 1,000 US 2021
13
In UK CSEW 2022/23, households in most deprived areas had 2.5% burglary risk
14
UK private rented households burglary prevalence 2.8% vs 1.1% owner-occupied (2022/23)
15
In Australia, 25-34 year olds most likely burglary victims at 3.2% rate (2022)
16
Australian homes with residents aged 65+ had 1.8% burglary victimization (2022)
17
In Canada, urban households burglary rate 1.7% vs rural 1.1% (GSS 2019)
18
French households in urban areas 2x more likely burgled than rural (2022 INSEE)
19
In Germany, single-person households burglary risk 1.5x higher (2022 BKA)
20
Italian villas and detached homes 70% of burglary targets (2022 ISTAT)
21
In Sweden, immigrant households 2x burglary victimization rate (2022 Brå)
22
New Zealand Maori households burglary rate 4.1% vs 1.9% others (2022)
23
South African low-income suburbs 5x higher house burglary rates (2022 SAPS)
24
In NYC, 40% of burglaries target apartments in low-income areas (2022 NYPD)
25
LA homes without alarms in high-crime neighborhoods 4x risk (2022 LAPD)
26
Chicago South Side burglary victimization 3x city average (2022 CPD)
27
London deprived boroughs like Croydon 3.2% household burglary rate (2022/23)
28
In Texas, rural homes less targeted but higher per capita loss (2022 DPS)
29
Florida elderly communities burglary rate 2.1 per 1,000 (2022 FDLE)
30
60% of US burglary victims are white, 20% Black, 15% Hispanic (NCVS 2021)
Interpretation
Victim Profiles Interpretation
The data paints a stark, global picture: burglary is a crime of opportunity that disproportionately preys on the vulnerable, with the odds stacked highest against lower-income households, renters, and those living without the basic deterrence of a security system.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Emilia Santos. (2026, February 13). House Burglary Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/house-burglary-statistics
MLA
Emilia Santos. "House Burglary Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/house-burglary-statistics.
Chicago
Emilia Santos. 2026. "House Burglary Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/house-burglary-statistics.
Sources & references
50 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level