Home Break-In Statistics: Australia & NSW (2026)
Keytech Locksmiths · Data & Research
Home Break-In Statistics: Australia & NSW (2026)
Last updated: 2 August 2026 · All figures from ABS and BOCSAR publications
196,600 Australian households — 1.8% of all homes — were broken into in 2024–25, and another 217,500 experienced an attempted break-in, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. In NSW, about 51,400 households were broken into, and roughly one in three break-ins never reached police. The long-term trend is improving. This page pulls the key numbers together. Keytech Locksmiths (0411 340 242) is a licensed 24/7 locksmith serving Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.
Full citations sit at the bottom of the page. If you’re writing about home security, use any of these numbers — just link back to this page as the source.
How many homes are broken into in Australia each year?
196,600 Australian households — 1.8% of all homes — experienced at least one break-in during 2024–25, according to the ABS Crime Victimisation Survey. A further 217,500 households (2.0%) experienced an attempted break-in. Together that works out to more than 1,100 households a day facing a break-in or an attempt. The 2024–25 result is an improvement on 2023–24, when 2.1% of households (217,600) were broken into.
% of households experiencing at least one break-in · ABS Crime Victimisation Survey
View data as table
| Year | Break-in rate |
|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 2.7% |
| 2015–16 | 2.5% |
| 2016–17 | 2.5% |
| 2017–18 | 2.5% |
| 2018–19 | 2.4% |
| 2019–20 | 2.4% |
| 2020–21 | 1.7% |
| 2021–22 | 2.0% |
| 2022–23 | 1.8% |
| 2023–24 | 2.1% |
| 2024–25 | 1.8% |
How common are break-ins in NSW?
About 51,400 NSW households — 1.5% — experienced a break-in, with a further 46,000 (1.4%) experiencing an attempt, based on pooled ABS survey data across 2023–25. That puts NSW below the national rate and well below Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Break-ins are also falling: the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research reports break and enter dwelling offences fell 10.2% in the two years to June 2025, kept falling through December 2025, and have declined significantly over the past decade.
% of households broken into, pooled 2023–25 · ABS Crime Victimisation Survey · NSW highlighted
View data as table
| State/Territory | Break-in rate (2023–25) |
|---|---|
| Northern Territory | 7.7% |
| Queensland | 2.5% |
| Western Australia | 2.3% |
| Tasmania | 2.1% |
| Victoria | 1.9% |
| New South Wales | 1.5% |
| South Australia | 1.4% |
How many break-ins are never reported to police?
Almost a third of Australian break-ins never reach police: 69% of victim households reported their most recent break-in in 2024–25, and in NSW the reporting rate was 65.5%. Attempted break-ins go unreported far more often — in NSW, fewer than half (46.7%) were reported. Official police numbers therefore understate how often intruders actually target homes; the ABS household survey gives the more complete picture.
Are repeat break-ins common?
Yes — one in five victim households (21%) was broken into more than once within the year, according to the 2023–24 ABS survey. Burglars return to addresses where entry was easy the first time, and to properties where locks weren’t changed after keys were taken. The repeat-victimisation pattern is why the standard advice after any break-in is to rekey or replace the affected locks immediately, not just repair the visible damage.
Is home crime getting better or worse?
Over the long term, clearly better. The national household break-in rate has fallen from 2.7% in 2014–15 to 1.8% in 2024–25, touching a record low of 1.7% during 2020–21, and BOCSAR shows NSW break and enter dwelling offences trending down significantly over the past decade. The picture wobbles year to year: 2023–24 saw a national uptick to 2.1% before the 2024–25 improvement. Rates also vary a lot by region, so current local data matters more than headlines.
What do these numbers mean for home security?
The data points to two practical takeaways. Attempted break-ins (217,500 households) now outnumber completed break-ins (196,600) nationally, which means a large share of intruders are stopped by the physical security they meet — door and window hardware earns its keep. And because one in five victim households is hit again, the riskiest moment for any household is right after a first break-in: rekeying locks, repairing damaged frames and upgrading weak points at that moment has the most measurable effect.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of Australian homes get broken into?
1.8% of Australian households (196,600 homes) experienced a break-in in 2024–25, and 2.0% experienced an attempted break-in, according to the ABS Crime Victimisation Survey.
Is NSW worse than the rest of Australia for break-ins?
No — NSW’s household break-in rate of 1.5% sits below the 2024–25 national rate of 1.8% and below Queensland (2.5%), Western Australia (2.3%) and the Northern Territory (7.7%). BOCSAR data also shows NSW break and enter dwelling offences declining significantly over the past decade.
Should I change my locks after a break-in?
Yes. ABS data shows 21% of victim households are broken into more than once, and returning to a previously successful target is a known burglary pattern. Rekeying or replacing locks after a break-in — especially if keys were taken — removes the easiest way back in.
Do attempted break-ins mean my security worked?
Often, yes. Nationally, attempted break-ins (217,500 households) now outnumber completed ones (196,600), so a large share of intrusion attempts fail at the door or window. Solid deadlocks, reinforced strike plates and window locks are typically the difference.
Where do these statistics come from?
Every figure on this page comes from a published source — the Australian Bureau of Statistics Crime Victimisation Survey and the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. Full citations are listed below.
Sources
- Australian Bureau of Statistics — Crime Victimisation, 2024–25: national break-in series 2014–15 to 2024–25; 1.8% / 196,600 broken into; 2.0% / 217,500 attempted; 69% reporting rate; state rates (pooled 2023–25) including NSW 1.5% / 51,400 and attempted 1.4% / 46,000 with 65.5% and 46.7% reporting.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics — Crime Victimisation, 2023–24: 2.1% / 217,600 households; 21% broken into multiple times; 75% reporting rate.
- NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research — NSW Recorded Crime Statistics, June 2025 quarterly update: break and enter dwelling down 10.2% over two years.
- NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research — NSW Recorded Crime Statistics, December 2025 quarterly update: continued two-year decline; significant ten-year downward trend.
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Keytech Locksmiths is a licensed 24/7 locksmith serving Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, with a 12-month workmanship warranty on every job. We aim to reach most Eastern Suburbs lockouts within 30 minutes.
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