New research has revealed the states where you are most likely to be burglarized and Washington is at the top of the list, with 548 burglaries per 100,000 citizens.
Criminal defense firm, Suzuki Law Offices, analyzed FBI crime data to determine the number of burglaries committed in each state in 2022. They then looked at the population of each state to determine the states with the highest number of burglaries per 100,000 citizens.
| Rank | State | Number of burglaries per 100k citizens |
| 1 | Washington | 548.4 |
| 2 | New Mexico | 481.1 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 456.3 |
| 4 | Arkansas | 433.6 |
| 5 | Nevada | 424.9 |
| 6 | Louisiana | 392.7 |
| 7 | Colorado | 366.9 |
| 8 | North Dakota | 366.3 |
| 9 | California | 357.2 |
| 10 | South Carolina | 354.2 |
At the top of the list is Washington, with 548.4 burglaries committed per 100,000 residents. In 2022, there were 43,481 reported offences, a 6% increase from the previous year. The most common locations burglars in the state targeted were non-residential structures such as office buildings and stores during the night, and the average value of items stolen in each burglary was $6,195.
Second is New Mexico, with 481.1 burglaries committed per 100,000 people in 2022, an increase of 11% from the previous year. The average value of items stolen in each offence was $5,920. Out of a total of 11,590 burglaries, 3,263 targeted residential properties such as houses during the day, while 2,203 of the offences targeted residential properties during the night.
In third place is Oklahoma, with 456.3 burglaries committed per 100,000 people. This is actually a decrease of 19% from the previous year. Despite this decline, Oklahoma still has the third highest burglary rate in the US, with a total of 19,388 offences in 2022. The average value of items stolen in each burglary was $2,730, with the most commonly targeted locations being residential properties during the day.
Next on the list is Arkansas, with 433.6 burglaries per 100,000 residents, a total of 13,897 in 2022. Residential properties during the day were targeted the most, with 4,617 offences. On average, $5,280 worth of goods were stolen in each burglary.
Fifth is Nevada, with 424.9 burglaries per 100,000 citizens in 2022, which amounts to a total of 13,779 offences. This is a 7% increase from the year before. 4,368 of the offences targeted residential properties during the day and the average cost of items stolen was $4,786.
Louisiana is sixth, with 392.7 burglaries per 100,000 citizens. The building type targeted the most were residential properties, which accounted for 7,045 offenses. In total, there were 19,503 burglaries in Louisiana in 2022, with the average value of items stolen in each one being $1,873.
In seventh place is Colorado, with 366.9 burglaries per 100,000 people, a total of 22,934 offenses. Despite this being a 6% decrease from the previous year, the state remains as one of the worst in the US for burglary rates. The average value of items stolen was $2,778, with the most targeted property type being non-residential buildings during the night, which accounted for 7,503 of the burglaries.
North Dakota is next on the list, with 366.3 burglaries per 100,000 residents. The state, despite being one of the least populated in the US, has the eighth highest burglary rate. In 2022, there were 2,859 reported offences, with 881 that targeted residential properties at night. On average, the value of items stolen in each burglary was $1,217.
In ninth place is California, with 357.2 burglaries per 100,000 citizens, a total of 142,978 offences 2022. This is a huge increase from the previous year, which had 26,058 reported burglaries. The average cost of stolen items in each one was $7,668. Nonresidential properties at night were targeted the most, accounting for 45,330 of the offences.
Tenth is South Carolina, with 354.2 reported burglaries per 100,00 people. Out of 18,872 offences, 6,732 targeted residential properties during the day. 5,245 targeted residential properties at night. The average cost of items stolen each time was $2,389.
On the other hand, the state with the lowest rate of burglaries is New Hampshire, with just 76.2 per 100,000 citizens, with a total of 1,013 offenses in 2022.
Richard Suzuki from Suzuki Law Offices commented:
“This research sheds light on an important and complex issue. It is important to understand that crime is often a symptom of larger societal issues and strategies to address them go beyond law enforcement; investing in community programs, education, job creation, and mental health services can all have a profound impact on reducing crime rates.
“With home burglaries, offenders exploit the daytime hours when houses are more likely to be unoccupied due to work or school commitments, making them easier targets. Burglars that target businesses mainly offend during the night when the buildings are empty.
“With that said, it is crucial for Americans to take preventative measures to safeguard their homes and businesses from burglary. Simple steps like installing robust locks, using security systems, and ensuring proper lighting can significantly deter potential burglars. Ultimately, the fight against burglary is not just about securing property but also about creating safer communities.”
Full List of nationwide burglaries compiled by Suzuki Law:
Rank State Number of burglaries in 2022 Population Number of burglaries per 100k 1 Washington 43481 7,785,786 558.5 2 New Mexico 11590 2,113,344 548.4 3 Oklahoma 19338 4,019,800 481.1 4 Arkansas 13897 3,045,637 456.3 5 Nevada 13779 3,177,772 433.6 6 Louisiana 19503 4,590,241 424.9 7 Colorado 22934 5,839,926 392.7 8 North Dakota 2859 779,261 366.9 9 California 142978 39,029,342 366.3 10 South Carolina 18872 5,282,634 357.2 11 North Carolina 37896 10,698,973 354.2 12 Oregon 14978 4,240,137 353.2 13 Texas 100203 30,029,572 333.7 14 Tennessee 22442 7,051,339 318.3 15 Alabama 14756 5,074,296 290.8 16 Missouri 17789 6,177,957 287.9 17 Alaksa 1967 733,583 268.1 18 Kansas 7841 2,937,150 267 19 Arizona 18201 7,359,197 247.3 20 South Dakota 2245 909,824 246.8 21 Ohio 28220 11,756,058 240 22 Kentucky 10785 4,512,310 239 23 Hawaii 3118 1,440,196 216.5 24 Minnesota 12229 5,717,184 213.9 25 Montana 2389 1,122,867 212.8 26 Michigan 21347 10,034,113 212.7 27 Delaware 2060 1,018,396 202.3 28 Iowa 6404 3,200,517 200.1 29 Utah 6718 3,380,800 198.7 30 Mississippi 5811 2,940,057 197.6 31 Georgia 21419 10,912,876 196.3 32 Indiana 13059 6,833,037 191.1 33 Maryland 11073 6,164,660 179.6 34 West Virginia 2908 1,775,156 163.8 35 Illinois 20433 12,582,032 162.4 36 Idaho 3141 1,939,033 162 37 New York 31304 19,677,151 159.1 38 Vermont 984 647,064 152.1 39 Wisconsin 8864 5,892,539 150.4 40 Wyoming 850 581,381 146.2 41 Massachusetts 10076 6,981,974 144.3 42 Rhode Island 1503 1,093,734 137.4 43 New Jersey 12412 9,261,699 134 44 Connecticut 4714 3,626,205 130 45 Virginia 10974 8,683,619 126.4 46 Pennsylvania 15683 12,972,008 120.9 47 Nebraska 2268 1,967,923 115.2 48 Maine 1595 1,385,340 115.1 49 Florida 24378 22,244,823 109.6 50 New Hampshire 1013 1,395,231 72.6
This information was provided by Suzuki Law Offices, a firm committed to providing exceptional legal service.
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
