• Colorado ranks as the fourth most dangerous state for Airbnb hosts

• The state has nearly 930 incidents of destruction of property per 100,000 residents

• Idaho, West Virginia, and Maine emerge as the safest states for short-term rental properties 

Rental insurance company Steadily collected data from the FBI on five different crime metrics to identify the most dangerous states for short-term rental properties. The research ranks all 50 states according to their property crime risks that most impact vacation rental owners. 

The top 10 most dangerous states for Airbnb hosts 

Rank	State	Index score	Leading factor/s
1	New Mexico	86.69	Destruction of property and burglary
2	Washington	80.19	Burglary
3	Oregon	76.45	Arson
4	Colorado	75.25	Destruction of property
5	Nevada	72.51	Burglary
6	Arkansas	70.88	Burglary
7	Oklahoma	70.36	Burglary
8	Tennessee	70.16	Theft from building
9	New York	69.04	Robbery
10	Kansas	67.88	Destruction of property

Colorado’s findings

In fourth is Colorado, with a final score of 75.25.

Colorado has a high rate of property destruction and vandalism at 929.37 incidents per 100,000 residents. The Centennial State also has high levels of robbery, with 65.23 incidents per 100,000 Coloradans. 

Broader analyses have flagged similar concerns, with crime in cities like Denver and Colorado Springs consistently outpacing national trends. Experts often cite rapid population growth, housing market pressures, and urban crime concentration as drivers of these elevated rates.

Full study

New Mexico ranks as the most dangerous state for Airbnb hosts, scoring 86.69 out of 100 on the risk index. 

The state recorded the highest rate of property destruction and vandalism in the country, with 1,370.65 incidents per 100,000 people. New Mexico also had the highest rate of burglary at 529.60 incidents per 100,000 residents, making the state particularly risky for property owners. 

Washington places second with an index score of 80.19. 

Similarly to New Mexico, the state scores highly for both property destruction and vandalism, as well as burglary. In 2023, there were 1,022.26 incidents of destruction and vandalism per 100,000 residents, and 467.78 incidents of burglary per 100,000 people.  

Oregon ranks third, with a score of 76.45.  

Oregon recorded the highest arson rate in the nation at 31.87 incidents per 100,000 people. The state also had the third-highest rate of theft from buildings at 151.95 incidents per 100,000 people. 

In fourth is Colorado, with a final score of 75.25. Colorado has a high rate of property destruction and vandalism at 929.37 incidents per 100,000 residents. The Centennial State also has high levels of robbery, with 65.23 incidents per 100,000 Coloradans.  

With a score of 72.51, Nevada ranks fifth. Nevada experiences the sixth-highest rate of burglary in the US, at 403.86 incidents per 100,000 residents. The state also has high levels of destruction and vandalism at 760.32 incidents per 100,000 people.  

Arkansas scores 70.88, ranking sixth overall. The state recorded the fifth-highest burglary rate in the US, at 409.43 incidents per 100,000 people. The number of thefts from buildings is also high, at 150.21 incidents per 100,000 residents.  

Oklahoma places seventh, with a score of 70.36, driven by a high burglary rate of 446.49 incidents per 100,000 residents, the third highest nationwide. The state’s property destruction rate also contributed significantly to its high-risk ranking. 

Tennessee scores 70.16 to rank eighth overall, with a notably high rate of theft from buildings at 198.75 incidents per 100,000 residents, which was the second highest in the country.  

Ninth is New York, with a final score of 69.04. The Big Apple has the highest rate of robbery in America, at a whopping 139.26 incidents per 100,000 New Yorkers. This is an increase of 1366% compared to Idaho, which reported the lowest rate of robbery.  

Rounding out the top 10 is Kansas, with a score of 67.88. Kansas has the third-highest rate of destruction and vandalism at 962.58 per 100,000 residents.  

In stark contrast, the study identified the three safest states for Airbnb hosts.  

Idaho ranked as the safest state with an index score of just 30.40. The state has the lowest rate of robbery at just 9.50 incidents per 100,000 residents, as well as a low rate of arson at 7.30 incidents per 100,000 people.  

West Virginia is the second safest state, with a final score of 31.72. West Virginia reported the lowest rate of theft from buildings at just 21.35 incidents per 100,000 residents. 

Maine is the third safest state, with a score of 32.49.  The state experiences very low rates of both robbery and burglary, at 11.75 incidents per 100,000 residents and 110.34 incidents per 100,000 people, respectively.  

Darren Nix, CEO at Steadily, commented on the findings, “This data highlights the substantial regional differences in property crime risks that short-term rental owners face. The fact that New Mexico property owners experience vandalism rates nearly five times higher than those in West Virginia should prompt hosts to reconsider their insurance and security needs based on location. 

“While states like West Virginia and Idaho show remarkably low property crime rates, no location is completely risk-free. Vandalism and theft together account for at least 10–15% of renter‑type insurance claims, and host settlements for theft average $1,200 per incident. 

“Short-term rental owners in high-risk states should consider enhanced security measures like doorbell cameras, secure lockboxes, and comprehensive insurance coverage specifically designed for their property.”