Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett called the city an “illicit marketplace of death.” Due to the most recent wave of crime and violence in the city, let’s look at how safe we are in our homes.
While your home type, neighborhood and crime rates all play a role, Vivint surveyed over 1,800 homeowners across the U.S. and analyzed FBI crime data to learn more. Turns out:
- Indiana ranks 5th for states with the safest homes in the U.S.
- Indiana has a property crime rate of 1,783 per 100k residents.
- To deter crime, Hoosiers are most likely to have a home security system and to have the outside of their home well-lit.
The most basic tools in home security are door locks. While there are plenty of lock options, they all have one common rule for them to work — you actually need to lock the door. 56% of Americans admit to forgetting to lock their doors often. 58% of Americans open the door without knowing who is on the other side. 44% leave the garage door open when they are gone.
The study found that 90% of Americans say their house is well-lit at night to help deter crime. Additionally, Oklahoma, Idaho, Wyoming, Vermont and Indiana have some of the safest homes in the U.S.
Top Strategies To Keep Your Home Safe
In addition to locking doors and shutting the garage door when you’re not home, here are some more keys to safety at home:
- Have a well-lit house at night
- Place a fence around your property
- Install outdoor security cameras around your home
- Place motion sensor lighting around the property especially near entry ways
- Have a security system that includes an intruder alarm
- Use a camera doorbell
- Have a dog to deter intruders
With all data combined, Oklahoma had the best home security. Rounding out the top five were Idaho, Wyoming, Vermont, and Indiana. Conversely, Oregon had the worst home security, with South Dakota, Alabama, Kansas, and Ohio rounding out the bottom five.
The more layers of home protection you have, the more safe and secure you and your home will be.