Burglary rate, by state U.S. 2018

In 2017, New Mexico had the highest burglary rate in the United States. That year, they had 767.8 occurrences per 100,000 residents. Mississippi followed with 697.8 incidents per 100,000 residents.

What is burglary?

Burglary in the United States is considered a felony or misdemeanor. It includes trespassing and theft, going inside of a building or car, with the intent to commit any crime. Even if the crime is not necessarily theft, it is still illegal. Some states consider burglary committed during the day as housebreaking, not burglary. The Bureau of Justice Statistics defines it as unlawful or forcible entry into a building. There are four types of burglary in total: completed burglary, forcible entry, unlawful entry, and attempted forcible entry.

Burglary in the United States

Burglary affects all 50 states in the United States, as burglary was the third most common type of crime in the United States in 2018. California had the highest number of reported burglaries in that same year, whereas Wyoming had the lowest number. The Lake Charles, Louisiana metropolitan area had the highest burglary rate out of all metropolitan areas in the country. However, the overall reported burglary rate in the United States has decreased significantly since 1990.