Colorado's Property Crime Rate Is One of the Worst in the Country

From its majestic Rocky Mountains to its unique craft breweries to its laidback vibe, Colorado is an amazing place to live. Unfortunately, there is a downside to being a Coloradan — our state has a pretty hefty property crime rate.

According to a new study from SafeHome.org, a safety and security research company, Colorado has the 13th worst property crime rate in the country. Our state sees almost 27 property crimes per every 1,000 people, a statistic that is 23% higher than the national average.

Property crimes include larceny, burglary, arson, and vehicle theft, which explains why Colorado currently leads the nation in catalytic converter thefts.

Get our free mobile app

However, property crime doesn't affect our state evenly. Wray, Kersey, Frederick, Limon, and Springfield have the lowest property crime rates in the state; unfortunately, Lakeside, Black Hawk, Glendale, Sheridan, and Lone Tree have the highest.

So why is property crime so common in Colorado? SafeHome.org believes it has to do with urbanization and unemployment.

"High property crime rates have a variety of influences and root causes. However, researchers have connected factors like poverty, unemployment, and urbanization to creeping poverty crime rates," reported the study. "Among those three factors, urbanization and unemployment may be the biggest contributors in Colorado. More than 86 percent of the state's residents live in urban areas...Colorado's April 2021 unemployment rate (about six percent) was just about the U.S. average."

But don't let this news depress you. Colorado's property crime rate has declined since 2010, and our state has faired better in 2021 than it did in 2016, when rates were at an all-time high. Burglary also decreased by 33% from 2010 to 2019.

Still, it's important to stay vigilant...especially when it comes to your catalytic converter.