How crime rates can impact your home insurance
Where you live can influence what you pay for home insurance. Insurers look at local risk, including crime rates, past claims in your area and exposure to events like fire or flood, when calculating premiums. If you’re in a higher-crime suburb, you may face a higher premium.
Canstar has crunched the numbers across Australia to find the suburbs with the highest burglary rates–reflecting the number of break-ins or serious trespass incidents per 1,000 residents. So, a burglary rate of 10 suggests that for every 1,000 residents in a particular suburb, there were 10 burglary or break-in incidents recorded.
If you live in a high-crime suburb, you may be able to take steps to reduce your risk profile, perhaps by installing alarms, security cameras, or upgrading your locks. Such actions to protect your home and belongings could see you paying less for home and contents insurance—though any discount will depend on your insurer.
New South Wales crime statistics by LGA
Using data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Canstar identified the following local government areas (LGAs) as having the top burglary rates in both Greater Sydney and the rest of NSW for the year ending December 2023. Suburb and LGA mapping information is available from the NSW Government.
Top 10 burglary hotspots – Greater Sydney
For Greater Sydney, in the year to December 2023, Penrith had the highest burglary rate. Bear in mind that the inner city areas are densely populated. Here are the top 10 burglary hotspots in Greater Sydney:
- Penrith: 3.1 burglary rate
- Parramatta: 2.7 burglary rate
- Cumberland: 2.6 burglary rate
- Sydney: 2.5 burglary rate
- Strathfield: 2.5 burglary rate
- Blacktown: 2.3 burglary rate
- Liverpool: 2.3 burglary rate
- Randwick: 2.0 burglary rate
- Lane Cove: 1.9 burglary rate
- Central Coast: 1.9 burglary rate
Top 10 burglary hotspots – Rest of NSW
For the rest of NSW, Canstar found that there were 10,686 reported break and enters in the period of 12 months to December 2023.
- Moree Plains: 23.9 burglary rate
- Coonamble: 15.9 burglary rate
- Kempsey: 11.5 burglary rate
- Armidale Regionals: 11.3 burglary rate
- Lachlan: 10.1 burglary rate
- Walgett: 9.6 burglary rate
- Narrabri: 9.6 burglary rate
- Cowra: 9.4 burglary rate
- Dubbo Regional: 9.0 burglary rate
- Gunnedah: 8.9 burglary rate
Source: Canstar. Prepared on 03/04/2024. Based on rates per 1,000 population recorded by Local Government Area for break and enter (dwelling) from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. LGAs are categorised into Greater Capital City Statistical Areas per ABS Mappings.
Victoria crime statistics by suburb
Based on offence data from the Victorian Crime Statistics Agency, Canstar found that the following postcodes had the highest burglary rates in Greater Melbourne and the rest of Victoria for the year ending December 2023.
Top 10 burglary hotspots – Greater Melbourne
Canstar’s analysis found that Collingwood had the highest burglary rates per 1,000 people in Greater Melbourne. This was followed by South Melbourne and then Fitzroy. Here are the top 10 burglary hotspots in Greater Melbourne, with postcodes shown in brackets:
- Collingwood (3066): 12.0 burglary rate
- South Melbourne (3205): 10.5 burglary rate
- Prahran, Windsor (3181): 10.0 burglary rate
- Fitzroy (3065): 10.0 burglary rate
- Bonnie Brook, Grangefields, Plumpton, Rockbank, Thornhill Park (3335): 9.4 burglary rate
- East Melbourne (3002): 9.2 burglary rate
- Carlton (3053): 9.0 burglary rate
- Flinders (3929): 8.8 burglary rate
- West Melbourne (3003): 8.7 burglary rate
- Mount Dandenong (3767): 8.7 burglary rate
Top 10 burglary hotspots – Rest of Vic
For the rest of Victoria, the 10 postcodes with the highest burglary rates per 1,000 people were:
- Corio, Norlane, North Shore (3214): 11.3 burglary rate
- Beeac, Eurack, Weering (3251): 9.5 burglary rate
- Caramut (3274): 7.8 burglary rates
- Bell Park, Bell Post Hill, Drumcondra, Hamlyn Heights, North Geelong, Rippleside (3215): 5.3 burglary rates
- Darlington (3271): 5.3 burglary rates
- Nelson (3292): 5.2 burglary rates
- Breakwater, East Geelong, Newcomb, St Albans Park, Thomson, Whittington (3219): 5.0 burglary rates
- Geelong, Newtown, South Geelong
- Mortlake (3271): 4.9 burglary rates
- Armstrong Creek, Charlemont, Freshwater Creek, Mount Duneed (3217): 4.2 burglary rates
Source: Canstar. Prepared on 03/04/2024. Based on number of offences per 1,000 population recorded by postcode for aggravated and non-aggravated burglary/break and enter (dwelling) from the VIC Crime Statistics Agency. Postcodes are categorised into Greater Capital City Statistical Areas per ABS Mappings.
Queensland crime statistics by division
Canstar used data from the Queensland Police Service (QPS) to show the highest burglary rates in Greater Brisbane and the rest of Queensland for the year up to February 2024.
Top 10 burglary hotspots – Greater Brisbane
In Greater Brisbane, there were 7,953 reported unlawful entry with intent break ins in the year period up to February 2024. Dutton Park had the highest burglary rates per 1,000 people. This was followed by Logan Central and Russell Island. Here are the top 10 burglary hotspots in Greater Brisbane:
- Dutton Park: 3.8 burglary rate
- Logan Central: 3.3 burglary rate
- Russell Island: 3.0 burglary rate
- Ipswich: 2.7 burglary rate
- Fortitude Valley: 2.5 burglary rate
- Annerley: 2.3 burglary rate
- Beenleigh:2.1 burglary rate
- Brisbane City: 2.0 burglary rate
- Redcliffe: 1.9 burglary rate
- West End: 1.9 burglary rate
Top 10 burglary hotspots – Rest of QLD
For the rest of Queensland, the 10 police divisions with the highest burglary rates per 1,000 people were:
- Mornington Island: 10.3 burglary rate
- Cherbourg: 8.1 burglary rate
- Palm Island: 6.7 burglary rate
- Doomadgee: 5.8 burglary rate
- Normanton: 6.7 burglary rate
- Horn Island: 5.5 burglary rate
- Cunnamulla: 5.0 burglary rate
- Aurukun: 5.0 burglary rate
- Kowanyama: 5.0 burglary rate
- Rockhampton: 4.8 burglary rate
Source: Canstar. Prepared on 04/04/2024. Based on rates per 1,000 population by state suburb of stealing from dwellings from Queensland Government Open Data. SSCs are categorised into Greater Capital City Statistical Areas perm ABS Mappings.
Western Australia crime statistics by suburb
Using data from the Western Australian Police Force, Canstar has identified the following suburbs as having the highest burglary rates in Greater Perth and the rest of Western Australia for the year up to December 2023.
Top 10 burglary hotspots – Greater Perth
Perth had the highest burglary rates per 1,000 people in Greater Perth. Freemantle was second. Here are the top 10 burglary hotspots in Greater Perth:
- Perth: 13.0 burglary rate
- Freemantle: 8.5 burglary rate
- Murray: 7.9 burglary rate
- Belmont: 7.8 burglary rate
- Kwinana: 7.0 burglary rate
- Victoria Park: 6.5 burglary rate
- Bassendean: 6.3 burglary rate
- South Perth: 5.6 burglary rate
- Canning: 5.2 burglary rate
- Peppermint Grove: 5.0 burglary rate
Top 10 burglary hotspots – Rest of WA
For the rest of West Australia, the 10 postcodes with the highest burglary rates per 1,000 people were:
- Wiluna: 86.0 burglary rate (high crime rate due to low population)
- Derby-West Kimberley: 50.2 burglary rate
- Broome: 41.6 burglary rate
- Meekatharra: 40.8 burglary rate
- Halls Creek: 40.6 burglary rate
- Ngaanyatjarraku:36.8 burglary rate
- Mount Magnet: 36.8 burglary rate
- Wyndham-East Kimberley: 36.2 burglary rate
- Katanning: 19.2 burglary rate
- Carnarvon 17.9 burglary rate
Source: Canstar. Prepared on 08/04/2024. Based on the number of crimes per 1,000 population recorded by Locality for burglary (dwelling) from the WA Police Force. Localities categorised into Local Government Areas and Greater Capital City Statistical Areas per ABS Mappings. LGAs filtered based on a population greater than 500
South Australia crime statistics by suburb
Using data from the South Australia Police, Canstar found the following postcodes had the highest burglary rates in Greater Adelaide and the rest of South Australia for the 6 month period of July 2023 to December 2023.
Top 10 burglary hotspots – Greater Adelaide
Christie Downs had the highest burglary rates per 1,000 people in Greater Adelaide. This was followed by Norton Summit and then Ashton. Here are the top 10 burglary hotspots in Greater Adelaide, with postcodes shown in brackets:
- Christie Downs (5164): 3.8 burglary rate
- Norton Summit (5135): 3.6 burglary rate
- Ashton (5137): 3.6 burglary rate
- Angle Vale (5117): 3.5 burglary rate
- Eyre, Macdonald Park, Penfield (5121): 3.4 burglary rate
- Birkenhead, Ethelton, Glanville, New Port, Port Adelaide (5015): 3.3 burglary rate
- Osborne, Taperoo (5017): 3.3 burglary rate
- Novar Gardens (5040): 3.2 burglary rate
- Adelaide (5000): 2.7 burglary rate
- Sellicks Beach, Sellicks Hill (5174): 2.7 burglary rate
Top 10 burglary hotspots – Rest of SA
For the rest of South Australia, the 10 postcodes with the highest burglary rates per 1,000 people were:
- Coober Pedy (5723): 27 burglary rate
- Ceduna, Merghiny,Penong, Thevenard (5690): 9.6 burglary rate
- Davenport, Port Augusta, Port, Augusta West (5700): 6.1 burglary rate
- Port Lincoln (5606) 5.3 burglary rate
- Gladstone (5473) 4.0 burglary rate
- Whyalla Norrie, Whyalla Stuart (5608): 3.7 burglary rate
- Tothill Belt, Tothill Creek, Waterloo (5413): 3.6 burglary rate
- Middleton (5213): 3.1 burglary rate
- Whyalla Jenkins (5609): 2.5 burglary rate
- Lameroo ( 5302): 2.3 burglary rate
Source: Canstar. Prepared on 05/04/2024. Based on rates per 1,000 population by state suburb of Serious Criminal Trespass (Residential) from SAPOL. Postcodes are categorised into Greater Capital City Statistical Areas per ABS Mappings. Excludes postcodes with a total population below 500.
How we’ve analysed the data
We reviewed burglary statistics across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, as well as regional hotspots in each state. Depending on what was available, we analysed crime data by suburb, postcode, local government area (LGA) or police division, and considered it alongside population size to provide context.
Crime rates can be a helpful guide—but they’re not the full picture. In smaller areas especially, figures can fluctuate from year to year.
Please note: Comparable burglary data for the Northern Territory, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory was not available at the time of analysis, so these regions are not included in this article.
