A recent Gallup survey from 2024 highlights that a significant 64% of Americans believe crime is rising, with over half calling it ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ severe. This perception is driven largely by the abundance of crime stories that dominate local news. In fact, around 77% of surveyed adults frequently or occasionally encounter such stories, a figure that surpasses the attention given to politics or the economy, which sit at 68% and 59%, respectively.
However, this public sentiment doesn’t align with actual crime data. According to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, there has been a noticeable decrease in crimes such as larceny, motor vehicle theft, and burglary between May 2024 and April 2025—specifically, an 8% drop in larceny, a 25.1% reduction in vehicle theft, and a 10.5% decrease in burglary. Although entitled to its own level of concern, the burglary rate in the U.S. is actually lower than in several major European nations. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) recorded only 268.5 burglary incidences per 100,000 people in the U.S. in 2022, a figure much lower than those in safe-famous countries like Switzerland and Austria. Yet, while traditional burglaries are decreasing, newer threats like crypto scams are on the rise in America.
Comparing U.S. Burglary Rates to Other Countries
In contrast to the U.S., Canada has shown consistent higher burglary rates in recent years: 427.6 incidents per 100,000 in 2019, followed by 327.4 in 2021 and 342.3 in 2022. Australia exhibited even serious figures at 577.1 per 100,000 people in 2022. Additionally, countries in Europe reflect a similar trend—Germany’s burglary rate was 309.9, while Austria’s soared to 540 incidences. Even in Spanish territory, boasting of its allure for retirees, the burglary statistic stood at 310.9, consistently trading above the U.S. score.
So, what’s led to these declining burglary rates in America? A deep dive into research from Security Journal suggests that technological advances in home security are a key factor—over the last 40 years, burglary rates have plummeted by 80% in part due to the rise of alarm systems, motion-activated lights, and smart locks making it riskier for thieves. Yet, it’s crucial to note that burglary rates in cities with larger populations tend to be significantly higher. For example, as reported by the Council on Criminal Justice, cities with half a million residents or more experienced burglary rates that were twice as high compared to towns housing fewer than 100,000 people.
