Arson Statistics
Arson — the criminal setting of fires — affects thousands of properties annually. FBI data breaks down arson incidents by property type and clearance rates, revealing what burns and how often arsonists get caught.
33,289
Total Arsons (2024)
4,083
Single-Family Homes
6,135
Motor Vehicles
Arson by Property Type
| Property Type | Count | % of Total | Clearance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single occupancy residential | 4,083 | 12.3% | 1.5% |
| Other residential | 2,290 | 6.9% | 0.7% |
| Storage | 621 | 1.9% | 3.2% |
| Industrial/manufacturing | 109 | 0.3% | 3.7% |
| Other commercial | 1,630 | 4.9% | 3.3% |
| Community/public | 822 | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Other structure | 1,976 | 5.9% | 1.5% |
| Motor vehicles | 6,135 | 18.4% | — |
| Other mobile | 589 | 1.8% | — |
| Other | 15,034 | 45.2% | — |
🚗 Motor Vehicle Arsons: 0% Clearance Rate
Of the 6,135 motor vehicle arsons reported in 2024, not a single one was cleared by arrest or exceptional means. Vehicle fires destroy forensic evidence rapidly, and many are linked to insurance fraud or are used to conceal other crimes — making them among the hardest arsons to solve.
Clearance Rates by Property Type
Arson clearance rates are extremely low across all property types. Industrial/manufacturing arsons have the highest clearance rate at just 3.7%.
Key Insights
- →Arson is one of the most difficult crimes to prove — clearance rates are among the lowest of any offense.
- →Residential structures are the most common arson targets, followed by vehicles and commercial buildings.
- →Arson is often linked to insurance fraud, domestic violence retaliation, and hate crimes — making motive investigation critical.
1.5%
Single occupancy residential
4,083 cases
0.7%
Other residential
2,290 cases
3.2%
Storage
621 cases
3.7%
Industrial/manufacturing
109 cases
3.3%
Other commercial
1,630 cases
3.4%
Community/public
822 cases
1.5%
Other structure
1,976 cases
0%
Motor vehicles
6,135 cases
0%
Other mobile
589 cases
0%
Other
15,034 cases
Key Takeaways
- Residential fires dominate: Single-occupancy and multi-occupancy residential arsons together make up the largest category.
- Abysmal clearance rates: No property type has a clearance rate above 4%. Fire destroys evidence, making arson one of the hardest crimes to prove.
- Motor vehicles & “Other” — 0% solved: 21,758 arsons across motor vehicles, other mobile property, and “other” categories had a 0% clearance rate.
- Industrial/manufacturing: Highest clearance rate at 3.7%, likely due to better surveillance and insurance investigation.
Arson Arrests by Race
70.4%
White
25.2%
Black
1.7%
Native Am.
2.2%
Asian
0.5%
Pacific Isl.