Among the approximately 142 million homes in the United States, about half have a security system, according to a new survey by Cove, a residential security provider based in Draper, Utah.  

The survey revealed large discrepancies in home security use by both gender and age. Men (64 percent) were much more likely than women (46 percent) to own a security system. And 68 percent of Baby Boomers didn’t use one, compared to 69 percent of Millennials who did.

The top three reasons for not having a home security system were 1) expense, 2) low crime, and 3) dog ownership.

“As experts in home protection, Cove is committed to understanding current safety concerns, safety habits, and perceptions of security systems,” said Jon Mangum, CEO of Cove. “This helps us to meet the needs of consumers and ultimately help people and communities to be safer.”

Highlights from the 2023 Cove Home Security Trends Report include:

• Burglary and Theft – 25 percent of survey respondents have experienced a break-in, and 39 percent have had an item stolen from their porch. Of those respondents who were victims of porch pirates, 70 percent were not reimbursed.
   
• Safety Habits – Safety habits differ greatly by both age and gender. 22 percent of Millennials always post on social media while traveling, compared to 13 percent of Gen Z, 7 percent of Gen X, and 1 percent of Baby Boomers. Millennials were also most comfortable leaving their doors unlocked. And 31 percent of women will “definitely not” answer the door for a stranger, compared to 17 percent of men.
   
• Safety Concerns – Home invasion was the top safety concern for both Gen Z and Millennials, while fire was the top safety concern for Gen X and Baby Boomers. Only 31 % of women felt completely safe in their homes, compared to 48 percent of men.
   
• Home Security Perceptions – Respondents have a love-hate relationship with security cameras. 86 percent believe they’re an important part of a home security system, yet 62 percent worry that a security company could spy on them through their security cameras. Younger generations were much more comfortable with security cameras than Gen X or Baby Boomers.

“It’s fascinating to see how dramatically the survey results differ by both generation and gender,” said Jamie Armstrong, Cove’s director of marketing and communications. “The Home Security Trends Report identifies important ways that we can better address the unique needs of various demographics.”

Data for the survey was collected in August by TrendCandy, an independent market research firm, through a survey of 1,000 U.S. residents ages 18 and up. To download the report, click here.