The State of Safety in America 2025

Americans' perception of personal and public safety has remained relatively stable over the past year, but what we're worried about—and who's most worried—is shifting.

While three in five say crime has increased compared to last year, that number is actually at its lowest point in years. More stats than ever are saying crime may actually be going down.

Still, safety is far from a non-issue. Only about half of Americans say they feel safe in their state, and the focus of concern has changed. In 2024, theft and burglary were the most concerning crimes, with gun violence and cybercrime close behind. That's a notable shift from just a couple of years ago, when general crime rates and COVID-19 were front and center.

Cybercrime, in particular, now stands out as the single biggest safety concern for Americans. But that doesn't mean traditional crime is off the radar. More people say they're worried about violent crime, gun violence, and property crimes happening to them personally than in recent years, especially when looking back at their concerns from 2023.

All of this adds up to a safety mindset that's evolving quickly, even if the broader level of anxiety has stayed mostly the same.

Every year, we ask Americans how much they worry about crime and safety, in general. The country has hovered around the 50% mark for years, with nearly half of Americans regularly worrying about safety. This year, 47% of survey respondents expressed a high level of concern about their safety. The most concerned state, California, saw 67% expressing concern, while the least concerned state, Vermont, saw 29% expressing concern. 

On top of asking people how much they worry about safety every day, we wanted to find out if people feel safe in their state. Nationwide, 48% of Americans feel safe in the state they call home, one percentage point higher than the percentage that regularly worry about crime and safety.

Nebraska is the state where the highest number of residents (71%) report feeling safe. Unsurprisingly, Nebraskans ranked in the middle (25th place) for the percentage of people who increased their safety and security measures in 2024.

New Mexico has the lowest percentage of residents (28%) who report feeling safe. Despite New Mexicans reporting lower feelings of safety, the state ranked 15th for the percentage of people who have increased their safety and security measures. 

Roughly half of Americans report being concerned about safety, consistent with the findings from our 2022 survey. While perceived crime rates are directionally lower than in 2022, safety fears are now more focused on theft, burglary, and gun violence — displacing pandemic-era health anxieties.

One of the most surprising findings is that more Americans believe crime has decreased in the past year compared to 2022. However, the overwhelming majority still believe that crime overall increased in 2024.

In open-ended questions, people mentioned concerns about safety at home, walking/running in their neighborhoods, and on the roads (road rage). We also saw more mentions of social issues like immigration and unhoused populations.

For the first time, cybercrimes topped the list of crime concerns, especially for older adults, who reported increased concern and increased experiences with cybercrime last year. Violent crimes and gun violence are the second-highest concerns, with younger adults (below 55) and women reporting the most concern.

Although not at the top of the list, concern about property crime is rising, especially among women and parents, even as actual experience levels remain consistent with those of previous years. Package theft continues to top the list of most-reported crimes (especially in Washington), even if it's a lower concern overall.

When it comes to social and political issues, the economy is the biggest concern, with four in five Americans expressing worry about it. Gun control and immigration are the next most-concerning issues, with over half of all respondents expressing concern.

Concerns about extreme weather have sharply increased, but self-reported evacuation rates have remained steady.

More than half of Americans reported being more concerned about cybercrime in 2024 than they had been the previous year. Older adults are more concerned and more likely to use a protective method. Among all respondents, one in three reported experiencing some form of cybercrime in 2024.

Cyber protection is now mainstream, with nearly three-quarters of respondents relying on at least one method of protection. Two-factor authentication and antivirus software are the most widely used. One in seven reported adding new cyber protection methods last year.

For more information on cybercrime affecting children, check out our Kids Internet Safety Guide.

With recent events like the Los Angeles area fires and ongoing extreme weather alerts across the country, it's no surprise that Americans are more worried about natural disasters than ever before. More than half of all survey respondents told us they're concerned about extreme weather and natural disasters, the highest we've seen.

Fortunately, higher levels of concern don't match higher evacuation rates. In 2024, only 10% told us they'd been under an evacuation order, which is in line with the findings from our 2022 survey.

This disconnect between rising concern and steady evacuation rates may reflect heightened awareness, more frequent weather warnings, or increased media attention. Whatever the reason, Americans are paying closer attention to the weather — and many are feeling less safe because of it.

As concerns around theft, gun violence, and cybercrime grow, more Americans are taking action to protect themselves — both at home and on the go. The driving force behind this shift? A desire to prevent future incidents. In fact, preventing a security or safety breach is now the number one reason people are investing in protection, and mentions of that motivation have grown significantly since 2022.

This shift isn’t just about fear — it’s about lived experience. People who’ve already encountered crime, or feel generally unsafe, are much more likely to have added new protection methods this year. That includes everything from upgrading home security systems to carrying personal protection tools.

On the property side, the use of security cameras has jumped meaningfully compared to previous years, and more people are turning to insurance, alarm systems, and other home safety tools to feel more secure. Auto and homeowner’s insurance, along with fire alarms and monitored systems, remain go-to choices for many.

When it comes to personal safety, Americans are reaching for what feels accessible and effective. Pocketknives, pepper spray, and firearms continue to be the most commonly used tools, though preferences vary by gender and household. Men lean more heavily toward knives and firearms, while women more often carry pepper spray. Households with children are turning to a wider range of options, from stun guns to safety apps to protective keychains.

All of these points indicate a clear trend: Americans aren’t just more aware of safety issues — they’re increasingly willing to take matters into their own hands.

More Americans are investing in home and personal security, with two in five increasing their security or safety measures year-over-year. Still, many Americans (22%) don't have formal protection in place. Fire alarms, life insurance, and homeowners' insurance remain top go-to methods.

Security cameras saw a notable increase in use this year, jumping 18% from 2022. Other property protection methods, like home security systems, guard animals, firearms, and security bars held stable in use compared to 2022. Preventing a future security or safety breach is the number one reason people increased their security methods. Neighborhood crime, family and friend recommendations, and experiencing a safety or security breach are the next most common reasons for adding extra security.

For personal protection, safety tools like pepper spray, knives, and firearms are used most often, with gender and household makeup influencing preferences. Men are more likely to own personal protection devices like firearms and knives, while women favor pepper spray. Households with children are most likely to use personal safety apps, stun guns, and defensive keychain weapons.

Online shopping for safety tools is on the rise, compared to 2022, with significantly less shopping at physical stores and with local professionals.

While public concern around safety remains high, the types of crime Americans are actually experiencing paint a more focused picture. Overall, rates of self-reported crime in 2024 look similar to 2022, but some key trends stand out — especially when it comes to theft and digital threats.

Package theft continues to be the most commonly reported crime, and it's still on the rise. Incidents hit an all-time high this year, with more Americans than ever saying they've had a package stolen since tracking began in 2020. Property crime and cybercrime follow closely behind, with each reported by roughly one in three Americans.

In contrast, violent crimes and gun violence are far less frequently experienced but remain some of the most feared. That gap between concern and actual experience likely reflects the severity and unpredictability of those incidents, even if they're statistically less common.

Certain groups are consistently less likely to report experiencing crime. Adults 55 and older — who also tend to feel safer overall — are the least likely to say they've encountered any kind of crime. Households without children also report lower personal experiences with crime across the board.

These are the states with the highest and lowest reported experiences with crime:

Property crimes:

• New Mexico, 46%
• Massachusetts, 16%
• U.S. average, 27%

Violent crimes:

• Kentucky, 28%
• South Dakota, 6%
• U.S. average, 14%

Package theft:

• Washington, 48%
• Vermont, 29%
• U.S. average, 37%

Gun violence incident:

• Georgia, 20%
• Rhode Island, 5%
• U.S. average, 11%

Cybercrimes:

• Utah, 48%
• South Carolina, 23%
• U.S. average, 33%

All told, while the fear of crime remains a powerful motivator, what Americans experience varies widely depending on where they live, their age, and whether they're raising children.

The State of Safety is a nationwide survey that dives into America’s top safety concerns. Over the past six years, we’ve surveyed more than 30,000 Americans—at least 600 from every state—to find out their perceptions and attitudes about safety and crime.

We use this data to spot trends in how people perceive safety and danger, as well as respondents’ experiences with different types of crimes. We also compare perceptions of safety and danger with the reality of crime statistics in our Safest Cities reports.

Based on participants’ answers and data trends, we’ve adapted the survey each year to respond to current events and areas of growing concern.

Find out more about the State of Safety study on our methodology page.