A person's sense of safety in everyday life significantly impacts their overall well-being. However, residents of objectively safe countries can still feel insecure. Data from Eurostat, the European Union's statistical office, indicates this discrepancy exists in Luxembourg, particularly regarding physical safety.
According to Eurostat, Luxembourg recorded just 0.3 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2024. With a population of roughly 672,000, this equates to two homicide victims for the year, giving the Grand Duchy the lowest homicide rate in the European Union.
However, public perception of crime and violence – both against persons and property – paints a different picture. In 2024, 7.4% of Luxembourg residents reported experiencing or witnessing such incidents in their neighbourhoods, placing the country in the middle of the EU ranking.
It is important to note that a low homicide rate does not preclude other forms of crime. For instance, Eurostat data shows that in 2024, Luxembourg recorded significantly more thefts per 100,000 people than its three neighbouring countries, though it remains unclear how often these incidents involved violence.
Despite these perceptions, the overall trend is positive. The share of residents reporting criminal or violent acts in their environment fell significantly over the past decade, dropping from 16.8% in 2014 to 7.4% in 2024.
Nevertheless, residents in some countries with notably higher homicide rates report feeling safer. In Lithuania, which recorded a homicide rate of 2.5 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2024, fewer than 5% of residents reported experiencing crime in their neighbourhoods.
Within Luxembourg, an individual's income level does not appear to influence their perception of local crime and violence.
A notable disparity, however, exists between urban and rural residents. While only about 3% of people in rural areas and just over 5% in small towns or suburbs reported experiencing crime, violence, or vandalism, that figure jumps to approximately 20% for those living in cities.
