California Among the Top 10 U.S. States With the Largest Year-Over-Year Decline in Burglary

February 17 2026

Written by CityWatch.

BURGLARIES - In California, the shift is impossible to ignore. Tens of thousands fewer burglaries mean fewer shattered windows, fewer violated homes, and fewer families left feeling exposed. While challenges remain, the Golden State is seeing meaningful momentum in its fight against property crime.

The study conducted by Nevada-based personal injury law firm H&P Law analyzed state-level burglary data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program spanning 2024 and 2025. The study calculated the year-over-year percentage change in burglary incidents to identify where property crime has declined most sharply across the United States.

California ranks fifth, with a 47.37% decline in burglary cases between 2024 and 2025. The Golden State recorded 120,814 burglaries in 2024 and 63,583 in 2025, a reduction of 57,231 cases, reflecting one of the largest absolute drops in the nation.

Looking at the study, a spokesperson from H&P Law commented:

“California’s drop is one of the most consequential in the country. While the percentage decline is significant, the absolute reduction, over 57,000 fewer burglaries, signals a major shift in property crime patterns. Even modest percentage changes in large states can translate into meaningful real-world safety improvements.”

What Communities Can Do to Sustain Property Crime Declines

Experts say that while these declines are encouraging, ongoing effort is critical to maintain safety and prevent rebounds in burglary rates. Practical steps may include:

Strengthen community policing. Active patrolling, neighborhood watch programs, and strong communication between residents and law enforcement help deter burglaries.
Invest in home and neighborhood security. Installing cameras, motion-activated lighting, and secure locks can reduce opportunities for burglary.
Foster community engagement. Communities with strong social cohesion see lower property crime rates, as neighbors watch out for one another and report suspicious activity.
Address socioeconomic stressors. Economic stability, youth engagement programs, and job opportunities indirectly reduce property crime by decreasing motivations for theft.
Monitor trends continuously. Data-driven approaches allow law enforcement and communities to anticipate crime spikes and respond quickly.
Encourage reporting and accountability. Prompt reporting of attempted or completed burglaries helps law enforcement track patterns and intervene before trends escalate.

Methodology

The study was conducted by H&P Law, an experienced personal injury law firm dedicated to protecting clients' rights and maximizing claim value.

The study analyzed FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data spanning 2024–2025, focusing only on reported burglary incidents and conducted a year-over-year comparison to isolate genuine trend movement rather than long-term averages.

Metric 1 – Burglary Incidents (2024):
Total reported burglary offenses recorded during the calendar year 2024.
Metric 2 – Burglary Incidents (2025):
Total reported burglary offenses recorded during the calendar year 2025.

The ranking of states relies on the percentage increase in burglary incidents; higher positive values signify steeper year-over-year increases. States with declines rank lower, or the leaderboards exclude them.

Data Sources: