Seattle just picked up a national title no city is eager to claim, topping the country for overnight residential burglaries with 234.6 break-ins per 100,000 residents between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. in 2024. Spokane is not far behind, landing near the top of the list at 182.1 incidents per 100,000 residents during the same graveyard shift. Those per-capita figures come from a new nationwide analysis that isolates burglaries reported after dark, and for many Seattle neighborhoods the findings add fresh urgency to late-night home security conversations.
What the analysis actually measured
The rankings come from an analysis by home-security firm Vivint, which filtered FBI NIBRS incident records for burglary (offense code 220) at residences and counted incidents recorded between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., then matched those agency reports to city populations. Vivint limited its city list to the 100 most populous jurisdictions where full NIBRS reporting was available and also ran a national survey of 1,000 adults about nighttime security habits. That number crunching produced a top-10 list led by Seattle, with Cleveland and Spokane rounding out the top three, according to Vivint.
How local outlets are framing the findings
Local coverage quickly zeroed in on what the national chart means for Washington residents. MyNorthwest first published the local story, and KIRO 7 followed with an update that spotlighted Seattle’s per-capita figure and Washington’s statewide ranking. The reports underscored that two Washington cities landed in the national top five and highlighted the study’s specific overnight cutoff of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., as reported by KIRO 7.
What people say they do to protect their homes
Vivint’s companion survey suggests many people are careful, just not always consistently so. About 93% of respondents said they lock their front doors before bed, but only 46% lock their windows and just 20% activate a security system at night. The survey found 15% have a professionally monitored system and 27% reported keeping a weapon nearby while sleeping. Roughly 46% of respondents said they made some kind of security upgrade in the past year, most often installing cameras or boosting exterior lighting. Vivint noted that relatively simple steps like better lighting and visible cameras can go a long way toward bolstering nighttime peace of mind, according to Vivint.
What the numbers do not settle
Analysts are quick to point out that rankings built on NIBRS data say as much about reporting practices as they do about risk on any specific block. The figures depend on which agencies submit complete data and how those agency boundaries line up with city limits, so the rates should be read as indicators, not as definitive grades on how safe one neighborhood is compared with another. The FBI notes that NIBRS provides richer incident detail, including time of day, but participation and reporting practices vary across jurisdictions, which can complicate city-by-city comparisons. For a broader look at how the incident-based system works and where it falls short, the agency offers its own NIBRS overview, according to the FBI.
Practical steps for Seattle neighborhoods
Regardless of whether the ranking feels shocking or like confirmation of what residents already suspected, neighbors and homeowners still have straightforward ways to cut down on overnight risk. Common advice includes reinforcing exterior doors and deadbolts, locking windows, trimming shrubs that hide entry points, and adding motion-activated lighting or cameras. Seattle Police provide free burglary-prevention resources, block-watch programs, and home-assessment assistance to help residents decide which changes to prioritize. For local tips and contact details for crime-prevention coordinators, residents can consult the department’s burglary prevention page, according to Seattle Police.
