Home Security Statistics and Trends in 2025

Many homeowners (56%) install home security measures to protect themselves from property crime, according to a recent poll conducted by Insurify. But their concerns may not reflect the reality of crime trends. Home-related crime has been declining for the past two decades, according to the FBI.

Using insights from Insurify’s survey and broader home security statistics, this report compares homeowners’ perceptions of security risk with FBI crime data. The comparison can help illuminate what drives security spending, whether Americans’ fears align with crime rates, and how homeowners are protecting their properties and peace of mind.

Key takeaways

• Having children at home prompts 81% to install home security measures, per Insurify.

• A quarter (25%) of homeowners spent $1,000 or more on security measures in the past five years, Insurify’s survey revealed.

• Homeowners use Ring and ADT the most for home security systems, per Insurify data.

• Security cameras (71%) and video doorbells (62%) are the most popular home security measures, according to survey responses.

A quarter of Americans spent more than $1,000 on security

In response to experiencing a security issue, half of homeowners invested in a home security system, Insurify found. And 25% of homeowners spent $1,000 or more on security measures in the past five years. 

But less than a quarter of those with home security systems pay for a professional monitoring service, according to Insurify.

Heavy investment in home security suggests that homeowners feel a sense of vulnerability. A closer look at the data reveals what homeowners are most concerned about when spending at this level for security: fear of property theft and vehicle-related crime.

Property crime is the top reason for high spending on home security

About 3 in 5 (59%) homeowners spent $1,000 or more on security because they’re genuinely concerned about property crime, according to Insurify, and those concerns aren’t unfounded. Larceny-theft is the most reported crime across the U.S., according to FBI data.

In major cities (with more than 50,000 inhabitants), the FBI estimates that reported larceny-theft accounted for 70% of all reported property crimes in the U.S. in 2023. The trend is nearly the same outside of major cities and is even more pronounced in some areas, making up 77% of property crime in smaller cities and 64% in rural counties, per FBI data.

But property crime is steadily declining, according to FBI estimates that tracked crime data from 2004 to 2023. The FBI reports that total property crime in 2023 decreased by 2.4% compared to 2022 and has decreased by 40% compared to 2004.

Fears of neighborhood property crime likely come from the experiences of homeowners and their neighbors, especially as popular local apps like Nextdoor act as a digital neighborhood watch, as reported by National Neighborhood Watch.

Traffic to Nextdoor grew 57% between February and March 2020, according to Axios. Weekly active users have continued to grow in recent years, with a 5% year-over-year change in 2023, according to Nextdoor. The hyper-awareness sparked by these apps could be the reason that property crime fears are outpacing the national numbers.

Despite fears, only 7% of those surveyed by Insurify say they or a neighbor has experienced a home invasion while the home was occupied, and 1 in 6 experienced a home burglary.

While larceny is decreasing, it remains the most frequently reported property crime. 

Vehicle-related crime ranks a close second for heavy home security investment

Although larceny dominates national crime trends, many homeowners also cite concerns about vehicle-related crime as a reason for investing in home security. Of those who spent $1,000 or more on home security measures, 55% reported feeling genuinely concerned about vehicle-related crime, according to Insurify.

The numbers offer a more nuanced story.

Nationwide, motor vehicle crime accounts for a much smaller share of property crime compared to larceny. But total motor vehicle theft estimates for 2023 (1,067,522) increased by 12.6% compared to 2022 (948,119), and by 53.9% compared to 2014 (693,663), per FBI data. These rising numbers indicate that taking precautions against vehicle-related crime is increasingly important for homeowners.

Ring and ADT are the most popular home security systems

The average American has three different home security measures in place, according to a recent poll conducted by Insurify. Ring is the most popular system used (50%), followed by ADT (24%). SimpliSafe came in third, with just 12% using it, according to Insurify.

Of Americans with a security system, 93% feel they spent their money well, indicating that Americans feel a need for home security. But violent crime in the U.S. was down 3% in 2023 compared to 2022, and property crime was down 2.4% in 2023 compared to 2022, per estimates by the FBI.

Despite the downtrend in crime, homeowners are still investing in home security, with security cameras being the most adopted system (71%). Video doorbells come in a close second (62%), and security alarm systems are third (54%), per Insurify data.

Of those surveyed, 68% believe the home security measures in their neighborhood have increased safety. But the perception that security measures deter crime isn’t limited to homeowners. City and county officials see the potential as well.

Many cities and counties have invested in incentive programs for security cameras, citing the deterrent effect these devices have on crime. Prince George’s County in Maryland; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Akron, Ohio, are among a growing number of areas that implemented incentive programs or gave away free cameras for qualifying households in 2024.

Decreased rates of larceny and burglary could indicate that these measures do offer some deterrence. The FBI reports that the larceny-theft rate for 2023 (1,347.2 per 100,000 inhabitants) decreased by 4.9% from 2022, by 26.4% from 2014, and by 44% since 2004.

The rate of burglary in 2023 (250.7 per 100,000 inhabitants) decreased by 8.1% compared to 2022, by 19.1% compared to 2019, and by 53.7% compared to the rate in 2014, according to FBI data.

Protecting family and belongings is top home security priority

Homeowners who install security systems indicated that they’re motivated to protect their loved ones more than what they have. Having children at home (81%), owning valuable possessions (45%), and frequent travel (32%) are the top three circumstances that motivated homeowners to invest in security systems, per Insurify’s survey data.

Those who spend $1,000 or more on security systems were equally motivated by having children at home (58%) and wanting to protect valuables (58%).

Insurify reports that of those installing security measures because they have children at home, 59% are genuinely concerned about property crime, and 55% are concerned about vehicle-related crime.

The motivation to protect their children at home may come from past experiences. 

Of those with children at home, 44% have experienced package theft in the past five years, and 33% have experienced car thefts or break-ins in that same period. Another 32% experienced home burglary, while 30% experienced vandalism or property damage in the past five years, Insurify’s survey revealed.

More than 40% of Americans check or monitor their security system multiple times a day, but 89% of Americans check just once a week. Women are more likely than men to check their home security systems several times a day, according to survey responses.

Because these aren’t professionally monitored systems, less frequent monitoring points to the likelihood that home security isn’t just about physical protection but also peace of mind. Checking on a security system may offer a feeling of control, and that reassurance could be a valuable return on homeowners’ security investment.

Homeowners view local teens as the biggest threat to property

Homeowners are most concerned about teens (43%) committing crimes in their neighborhoods, according to Insurify’s survey. Of the respondents concerned about local teens, 71% are worried about property crimes, and 68% are concerned about vehicle-related crimes like theft or break-ins.

But according to the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ), the trend of teen offenders has been decreasing from 2016 to 2022, with sharp declines in teen robbery (-45%) and larceny (-46%) over that period.

Homeowners also have concerns about drug addicts (40%) as well as the homeless (33%). But recent data reported in the journal American Sociological Review suggests that while homeless people are more visible, they aren’t necessarily committing more crimes.

For example, although 911 calls increased in San Francisco by 72% between 2011 and 2017, the calls concerned the quality of life of housed residents, not crimes committed by the homeless. So while homeowners do face legitimate home security concerns, some of their perceptions may not reflect the reality of their neighborhoods.

Only 9% of homeowners are concerned about estranged friends and family members, and 5% are concerned about former partners. The rate of violent victimization by current or former partners decreased in 2023 (2.2 per 1,000 age 12 and older) from 2022 (3.4), according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

One in six homeowners is concerned about home security because their spouse travels, they live in a neighborhood with a high crime rate, or they live alone, per Insurify’s survey. In urban areas, the property victimization rate increased from 176.1 (per 1,000 households) in 2022 to 192.3 in 2023. But it declined overall as fewer households experienced burglary or trespassing in 2023 (1.01%) compared to 2022 (1.12%), per the DOJ.

Home security issues surge during travel seasons

Considering households experience a lot of holiday package deliveries, it’s not surprising that the most home security issues occurred in December (20.24%), according to Insurify data. Insurify also found that 1 in 3 homeowners with security systems or their neighbors have experienced package theft.

But incidents were also high during summer months: 19.76% in July, 15.85% in August, and 15.12% in June, survey responses show. These months align with times when many families are traveling or away from home.

Spring months saw the fewest incidents: 7.80% in April, 9.51% in May, and 10.49% in March, according to Insurify.

Home insurance claims due to security issues

In addition to home security systems, home insurance is another form of protection. Nearly 1 in 7 (15.18%) Americans say they’ve filed an insurance claim due to a home security issue, according to Insurify’s poll. Nearly 1 in 700 insured homes annually will have a claim for property damage due to theft, according to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I).

Of those who have filed an insurance claim, nearly half received more than $1,000 in payouts, per Insurify. Triple-I reports that theft accounted for just 0.7% of homeowners insurance losses in 2022 and 2021, and the average loss due to theft from 2018 to 2022 was $5,024.

Major cities have a similar crime rate to areas outside the city

On average, Americans in rural parts of the country use fewer home security measures than those in urban and suburban areas, per Insurify’s survey. FBI data reflects that rural areas experience lower rates of property crime. But smaller cities and suburbs experience similar rates of property crime as major cities.

With a rate measured per 100,000 inhabitants, big cities experienced a property crime rate of 2,029.5, while areas outside big cities experienced a rate of 1,914.9, according to the FBI data. Non-metropolitan counties experienced a much lower property crime rate of 732.4, the FBI reports.

Security systems and insurance protect more than property

Even as home-related crime rates decline nationwide, homeowners continue to invest heavily in home security systems because security measures offer more than just physical protection. They deliver peace of mind. And when security is paired with the right insurance coverage, homeowners can feel confident that both their property and financial well-being are safeguarded.

Methodology and sources

Insurify surveyed more than 700 Americans with home security systems to learn what measures are most common, which systems people use the most, respondents’ concerns regarding their neighborhoods’ safety, and more. Additional sources used in this post’s research include FBI Crime in the United States Estimates; Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ); American Sociological Review; Department of Justice; Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I); National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB); Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC); Prince George’s County in MD; KSLA Shreveport, LA; City Council, Akron, OH; DOJ of California; CBS; DPS of Texas; Governor Hochul of NY; Mayor’s Office of NY; MSNBC; CNN; ABC Oakland, CA; City of Memphis; University of Arkansas; and KTSM El Paso, TX.

The FBI estimates are based on data from the FBI’s “Crime in the United States” report published in September 2024, which is compiled from participating law enforcement agencies that voluntarily report to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program.