The Cities Most Concerned About Crime and Investing in Home Security

When it comes to feeling safe at home, more people are turning to search engines for help with peace of mind. To better understand how Americans are thinking about crime and home security, we analyzed Google Trends data across 200 of the largest U.S. cities. By looking at search volume for terms like "crime near me" and "home security system," we identified where concern is highest and where interest in smart home protection is growing fast.

Key takeaways

• Cleveland, Ohio, residents have the most crime anxiety in the U.S., followed by those in Tucson, Arizona, and Atlanta, Georgia.

• Atlanta, Georgia, residents have the most interest in home security in the U.S., followed by those in Columbia, South Carolina, and Birmingham, Alabama.

• Tucson, Arizona, residents have shown the greatest increase in crime anxiety in the last year, with related searches going up 30%.

• Riverside, California, residents have shown the biggest jump in home security interest in the last year, with related searches increasing by 59%.

Where concern about crime is highest, and who's taking action

Across the U.S., some cities show significantly higher levels of concern about crime and safety than others. But the data also reveals which residents are proactively searching for ways to protect their homes.

The chart below ranks the 200 most crime-anxious and security-aware cities based on Google search behavior. Each city has both a rank, which shows how it compares to others, and an index score (0–100), which reflects the actual volume of search activity. This gives a fuller picture of not just who ranks highest, but by how much.

Cleveland, Ohio, ranked highest in crime anxiety, with residents searching terms like "is my area safe" and "crime near me" more than anywhere else in the country. Tucson, Arizona, and Atlanta, Georgia, followed closely behind, also ranking in the top three for crime-related search activity.

Atlanta also topped the list for home security interest, indicating that residents there are taking steps to feel safer. Searches for devices like "doorbell cameras" and "home security systems" were higher in Atlanta than in any other U.S. city analyzed in this study.

Columbia, South Carolina, and Birmingham, Alabama, also made the top three for home security interest, suggesting that communities in the Southeast are especially proactive when it comes to home protection.

Cities seeing the biggest spikes in safety-related searches

Beyond the cities with the highest ongoing search volume, some places have seen major year-over-year increases in crime and security-related interest. These changes may reflect shifting perceptions about local safety or growing awareness of home security solutions.

Tucson, Arizona, had the most dramatic jump in crime-related search interest over the last year. Compared to the previous 12 months, searches about local crime and safety rose by 30%, suggesting growing concern among residents about what's happening in their neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, Riverside, California, saw the sharpest increase in home security interest, with related searches rising 59% in the past year. That surge could indicate more residents are investing in solutions like security cameras, motion sensors, or smart locks to help protect their homes and families.

Conclusion: What search trends say about feeling safe at home

These findings highlight how Americans are using online search to navigate concerns about crime and explore ways to improve home security. Cities like Cleveland and Tucson are showing heightened crime anxiety, while places like Atlanta and Riverside are likely leading the way in home protection efforts. As crime concerns shift and technology evolves, search behavior may offer early insight into where peace of mind matters most and how homeowners are responding.

Methodology

For this study, we leveraged Google Trends search volume data to identify crime anxiety and home security interest in the 200 most populous cities in the U.S. In order to do so, we analyzed the search volume of related terms, including but not limited to: "crime near me," "is my area safe," "home security system," and "doorbell camera." We used search volume in 2025 to develop an index for crime anxiety and home security interest. We then looked at the increase in monthly searches in the last year, comparing monthly searches from July 2023–June 2024 to those from July 2024–June 2025.

Fair use statement

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