What homeowners actually paid for a security system
Hired homeowners reported a median of $720 for a security system in the 2023 American Housing Survey (860 jobs), or about $790 in today's dollars. The middle half paid between $400 and $2,000; the 75th percentile is 5.0× the 25th. Doing it yourself was reported at a median of $300 (n=1,201). Across all 2,061 reported jobs, hired or not, the median was $430.
Hired owners, United States
| Who did the work | n | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hired a pro | 860 | $210 | $440 | $790 | $2,200 | $3,630 |
| Did it themselves | 1,201 | $110 | $220 | $330 | $550 | $1,100 |
| Everyone | 2,061 | $110 | $230 | $470 | $990 | $2,200 |
Today's dollars: survey amounts × CPI-U 334.980 (Aug 2026) ÷ 304.702 (2023 average), rounded to $10.
Where you live
| Area | n | 25th | Median | 75th | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East North Central division | 93 | $410 | $660 | $1,100 | 2.7× |
| East South Central division | 37 | $440 | $640 | $3,300 | 7.5× |
| Middle Atlantic division | 80 | $370 | $810 | $1,650 | 4.4× |
| Mountain division | 55 | $330 | $930 | $2,200 | 6.7× |
| New England division | 43 | $330 | $1,020 | $2,200 | 6.7× |
| Pacific division | 178 | $410 | $810 | $1,650 | 4.1× |
| South Atlantic division | 207 | $440 | $810 | $1,980 | 4.5× |
| West South Central division | 143 | $410 | $770 | $2,200 | 5.4× |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro | 30 | $550 | $810 | $990 | 1.8× |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro | 34 | $270 | $440 | $880 | 3.2× |
| Cleveland-Elyria, OH metro | 43 | $320 | $510 | $790 | 2.5× |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro | 38 | $330 | $620 | $1,020 | 3.1× |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO metro | 47 | $410 | $790 | $1,650 | 4.1× |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX metro | 61 | $410 | $810 | $1,650 | 4.1× |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro | 34 | $380 | $880 | $1,320 | 3.4× |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro | 45 | $510 | $710 | $1,870 | 3.7× |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro | 38 | $360 | $620 | $920 | 2.5× |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro | 51 | $380 | $710 | $1,320 | 3.4× |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA metro | 36 | $330 | $770 | $1,650 | 5.0× |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro | 35 | $440 | $880 | $1,650 | 3.8× |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro | 55 | $330 | $880 | $2,860 | 8.7× |
Areas with fewer than 30 hired records are not shown. 12 area pages pass our thin-page checks and are linked.
Questions about this cost
How much does a security system cost?
Hired homeowners in the 2023 American Housing Survey reported a median of $720 (about $790 in Aug 2026 dollars); half paid between $400 and $2,000. Your price depends on the scope, so compare written bids line by line.
Why might my quote be higher than these numbers?
The survey covers jobs done in roughly 2021–2023 in nominal dollars (the today’s-dollar figures add inflation), it is self-reported, and it mixes small and large jobs. For this job the 75th percentile is 5.0× the 25th, so scope explains much of the spread.
Is this a quote or an estimate?
Neither. It is what owners told the Census Bureau they paid. Use it to ask better questions, not as a price for your house.