Summer Home Safety: Protecting Your Property While Away

Key takeaways

• St. Louis, Salt Lake City, and Minneapolis are the riskiest cities to leave your property unattended this summer.
• More than 1 in 20 travelers have experienced property crimes or damages to their home while away.
• 86% of travelers have bought security measures specifically for when they are traveling.
• 1 in 7 summer travelers have experienced a break-in to their vacation rental or hotel room while traveling.

Vacation-proofing your home

As summer beckons with promises of adventure and relaxation, a crucial question arises: How safe is your home while you're away? Our comprehensive study lays out the risks of leaving properties unattended during summer travels and explores the security measures savvy travelers are implementing.

From identifying the most vulnerable cities for home security to uncovering travelers' safety practices, this guide offers vital insights for a worry-free vacation. We'll examine property crime rates, analyze popular security measures, and reveal surprising statistics about travel safety that every summer adventurer should know.

Riskiest cities for leaving your home unattended

Many homeowners are gearing up for summer vacations and extended trips away from their properties. Our study revealed which cities pose the highest risks for leaving homes unattended during the warmer months to help you make informed home security decisions.

One of the most dangerous cities in the U.S., St. Louis, MO, is the riskiest city to leave your home unattended this summer. St. Louis scored 86.93 points out of 100, followed by Salt Lake City, UT (65.47) and Minneapolis, MN (65.31).

Our findings are based on several key factors that contribute to overall home security risks, including:

• Crime reports.
• The volume of online searches related to crime (e.g., how to commit certain crimes or what to do after a crime has been committed).
• The presence of neighborhood watch groups.
• Vehicle theft rates.

Tacoma, WA; St. Louis; and Las Vegas, NV, had the highest number of crime reports per 100,000 residents. Additionally, Newark, DE; St. Louis; and Salt Lake City topped the list for most searches related to crime per 100,000 residents.

Meanwhile, Little Rock, AR; North Charleston, SC; and Toledo, OH, had the fewest neighborhood watch groups per 100,000 residents—a factor that can impact community safety. In terms of vehicle-related crimes, Riverside, CA; St. Louis; and Denver, CO, reported the highest number of vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents.

Keeping your home safe this summer

Many summer travelers are taking proactive steps to protect their homes while away. Below, we explore the security measures these Americans are implementing and their experiences with property-related incidents during their absences.

More than 1 in 20 travelers have experienced property crimes or damages to their homes while they were away. In response to these risks, 86% of our respondents have purchased home security measures specifically for when they're traveling.

We also uncovered some popular home security practices people implement while on vacation. Most travelers (65%) said they inform their neighbors before leaving town—a simple yet effective way to increase vigilance around the property. Closing blinds was another common precaution, with 62% of respondents reporting this habit. Another 32% of travelers have opted for the added security of a house sitter during their absence.

Keeping yourself safe while traveling

It's easy to get excited about summer travel and overlook a few things as a result, but it's crucial to prioritize personal safety when away from home. Next, let's examine travelers' perceptions of safety and experiences in various accommodations, as well as the security measures they employ.

While men and women have felt roughly equally safe in hotel rooms, vacation rentals are another story. Women's responses indicated they feel substantially less safe than men when staying in these accommodations. This disparity highlights the need for enhanced vacation rental security measures.

A shocking 1 in 7 summer travelers have experienced a break-in to their accommodation while traveling, emphasizing the importance of taking proactive safety measures during trips.

Travelers have adopted various security practices to mitigate risks like this. Below are the most popular security measures travelers said they take while on a trip:

• Keeping curtains closed (54%)
• Using deadbolt and safety chain (52%)
• Keeping valuables in a safe (32%)
• Putting AirTags in belongings (18%)
• Using a door stopper (16%)

These simple yet effective measures can enhance personal safety during summer travels.

Safe travels

We've walked through the top summer travel safety practices, from securing unattended homes to staying vigilant in temporary accommodations. Whether you're leaving St. Louis or settling into a vacation rental, understanding the risks and implementing simple yet effective strategies—like informing neighbors of your absence or using a door stopper in your hotel room—you can significantly enhance your safety and peace of mind.

Make security part of your vacation planning. With the right precautions, you can fully immerse yourself in your adventures, knowing that both your home and personal safety are well-protected.

Methodology

For this study, we identified the riskiest cities for leaving your home unattended this summer. We analyzed the 50 largest cities nationwide and other highly populated cities from every state, totaling 182 cities.

For data collection, we evaluated the number of property crimes in 2022 from each city using the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Unfortunately, some of this data was not available for all cities. We also collected data on the number of registered Neighborhood Watch and the National Insurance Crime Bureau's 2022 data on vehicle thefts by metro statistical area. However, similar to the NIBRS data, it did not cover all cities. Lastly, we looked at the search volume for crime-related terms on Google Trends. In creating the score, we weighted the Google search trends at 37.5%, NBIRS and vehicle theft data at 22.5%, and neighborhood watches at 17.5%.

We also surveyed 1,000 Americans about how they keep their homes safe while they travel this summer. Among our respondents, 47% were women, 51% were men, and 2% were nonbinary or nonconforming. Additionally, 52% of our respondents were considered "frequent travelers," which meant they were taking 2 or more trips this summer, while 32% were "casual travelers," taking only one trip this summer, and 16% weren't planning to take any trips this summer. Any percentages not totaling 100% are due to rounding.

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