Everything You Need to Know About Crime in New York

New York attracts a lot of media attention, and many of the stories written about the Empire State focus on crime. This is why many people feel that New York is a dangerous place to live and work, but the statistics tell a different story. New York residents have a 1 in 74 chance of becoming the victim of a property crime and a 1 in 319 chance of becoming the victim of a violent crime, but both of these figures are well below national averages. You should still take steps to protect yourself and your property from criminals in New York, but be mindful that crime may be less prevalent than media reports about soaring crime may lead you to believe.

The data shows that New York has the eighteenth-highest rate of violent crime and the ninth-lowest rate of property crime in the country. In 2022, police departments in the Empire State responded to 3.6 reports of violent crime and 13.9 reports of property crime per 1,000 residents. The violent crime rate across the country in 2022 was 4 incidents per 1,000 people, and the property crime rate was 14.1 incidents per 1,000 people. These figures reveal that New York is actually safer than many parts of the country.

The New York crime rate rose in 2020 for the first time in eight years and then fell slightly in 2021. However, the overall figures conceal differing violent and property crime trends. Violent crimes rose by 7.8% in New York in 2021, but property crimes like burglary fell sharply. Crime in New York is about as common today as it was in 2021 but less common than it was a decade ago.

New York has dozens of towns and villages where violent crime is virtually unheard of and property crime is very rare, but most of the Empire State’s almost 20 million residents live in large metropolitan areas. If you are thinking about moving to New York, you are probably more interested in the crime rate in the state’s cities. The Empire State's three most populous cities are New York City, Buffalo and Rochester, so let's take a look at their crime figures.

Crime in New York City

The five boroughs of New York City are home to more than 8 million people, so it goes without saying that there are more crimes committed in the Big Apple than in other parts of New York. According to data compiled by the FBI, there were 47,821 violent crimes and 122,299 property crimes committed in New York City in 2019. These figures may seem high, but the crime rate in New York City is actually quite low. When the FBI ranked New York’s 10 most dangerous cities, the Big Apple did not make the list. It is also important to bear in mind that some New York City neighborhoods are much safer than others. There are more crimes reported in Brooklyn than in the Bronx, and the Staten Island crime rate is lower still.

Crime in Buffalo

The crime rate in Buffalo is high and rising. Buffalo residents have a 1 in 27 chance of becoming crime victims, and the Nickel City has one of the highest violent crime rates in the country. Property crime is also common. In 2021, 1,610 of Buffalo’s approximately 258,000 residents reported a burglary, and 679 told police their cars had been stolen.

Crime in Rochester

Located on the southern shore of Lake Ontario, Rochester is another New York city with high crime. There are almost 1,500 violent crimes and more than 6,000 property crimes reported in Rochester each year, which makes the city the fifth-most dangerous metropolitan area in New York according to the FBI. Rochester’s 207,000 residents have a 1 in 32 chance of becoming a property crime victim. In the country as a whole, that figure is 1 in 74. This means that the property crime rate in Rochester is more than double the national average.

Vehicle theft in New York

Motor vehicle theft has risen sharply in New York in recent years. The number of cars stolen in the Empire State rose by 54% in 2020, 10.9% in 2021, and 23% in 2022. People who drive affordable cars often think they do not have to worry about car theft, but this is not the case. Most stolen cars are broken up for parts, which means thieves often target popular rather than expensive vehicles. The most frequently stolen vehicles in 2021 were Ford and Chevrolet pickup trucks and Honda and Toyota sedans.

Stolen cars are rarely recovered by the police, but you can improve your chances of recovering a stolen car by installing Vivint Car Guard. With Vivint Car Guard, you can track your vehicle’s location from your smartphone, and you will receive an alert if your car is disturbed. For maximum protection, you can combine Vivint Car Guard with one of our smart outdoor cameras to capture footage if anyone tries to disturb your car at home.

The benefits of home and vehicle security in New York

New York is a densely populated state, which means there are areas of the state that experience high rates of crime. Let Vivint protect your New York home. Every Vivint system uses smart technology to deter threats before you become the victim of a crime. Choose a Vivint home security package or build a custom package from our smart products:

• Doorbell cameras: Vivint doorbell cameras do more than record. When a package thief or lurker approaches your home, our cameras use bright lights and loud noises to scare them away.
• Smart locks: You won’t have to worry about losing your front door key if you install Vivint smart locks. Instead, unlock your door using a keypad. You can set up to 30 access codes and lock or unlock the door from anywhere using the Vivint app.
• Safety alarms: Our safety alarms protect you and your family from smoke and carbon monoxide. They can switch your HVAC system off to prevent a fire from spreading or turn it on to clear your home of dangerous gasses.

Protect your home with Vivint

Property crime rates in New York have fallen slightly in recent years, but they still remain high in many parts of the state. With a Vivint security system, you can protect your New York home from would-be intruders or burglars.

Vivint offers some of the most sophisticated home security and automation systems on the market, and our expert technicians and installers take care of installation for you. To stay one step ahead of crime in New York, contact us at 855.822.1220 today to find out what Vivint can do for you.