The Best Home Security Systems in Forest Hills, PA
Are you looking for the best home security systems in Forest Hills, PA? Using Crime Grade's exceptional crime data that is accurate down to the neighborhood, we have analyzed Forest Hills, PA home security system options in a way no other source has been able to do. See why
A property crime is committed in Forest Hills every 6 days 10 hours, and nationwide, your home is 300% more likely to be burglarized without a home security system. Forest Hills experiences 8.645 property crimes per 1000 people and 8.467 incidents of vandalism per 1000 people in the typical year. A home security system will protect you when you’re at home or away, 24 hours a day.
Home Security Companies Available in Forest Hills, PA
Best Overall
Simplisafe
We believe Simplisafe is the best home security system for residents of Forest Hills. The combination of a high amount of renters (27%) and education level (62% of residents have a college degree) makes Simplisafe our top pick.
Best Reputation
ADT
Compelling history and top quality security and smart home products. If you're willing to pay for it, you will get a top notch product.
Affordable Option
Ring
Ring Alarm is a disrupter whose incredibly low monitoring fees (as low as 1/10th the price of larger and better-known companies) and sharp equipment has already made them a household name.
Do You Need a Home Security System in Forest Hills, PA?
Choosing a home security system can seem overwhelming. We’re here to help break down what to consider when living in Forest Hills, PA. We’ll compare different crime rates and weather along with advanced features that make you feel safer and make your life easier.
Why Crime Grade?
Crime Grade has the most robust and accurate nationwide crime model available. In addition, our data is granular enough to identify and compare crime statistics to the neighborhood level. This puts us in the unique position of being able to evaluate the home security needs of people in a particular city rather than making a general assessment. So read on to see what's unique about Forest Hills, PA and our home security system recommendations that result from that.
Property Crime in Forest Hills, PA
Our analysis gives Forest Hills a property crime grade of: D+. Forest Hills is in the 73rd percentile of safety, meaning 73% of cities in Pennsylvania are safer and 27% are more dangerous. Please visit our Forest Hills crime map for details on how this is calculated and what it means.
Crime Grades
Property crime is highest in the eastern part of Forest Hills, with your chances of being a victim of 1 in 102. Compare this to the northeastern part of the city, where crime is lower, and your chances of being a victim are 1 in 127.
D
C+ |
|
D+ |
|
Other Crime Grade |
D- |
A crime occurs every 2 days 9 hours (on average) in Forest Hills, PA.
Your home is 300% more likely to be robbed with no home security system.
So, is Forest Hills safe? Compared to all of Pennsylvania, Forest Hills is rated as safe as the average Pennsylvania city, which has a property crime rate of 16.10 per 1000. Looking at burglary, we see a similar pattern, where Forest Hills, with its burglary rate of 2.748 per 1000, is as safe as the average Pennsylvania city.
In addition, Forest Hills is lower than other cities with similar populations for property crime. The table below shows property crime rates and level of occurrence in Forest Hills, PA.
Crime Type |
Crime Rate (per 1000 residents) |
Avg Number of Crimes per year in Forest Hills, PA |
Avg Crimes Committed Per Week |
|---|---|---|---|
Theft |
4.225 |
28 |
0.5 |
Vehicle Theft |
1.653 |
11 |
0.2 |
Burglary |
2.748 |
18 |
0.3 |
Arson |
0.0183 |
0 |
0.0 |
Weather and Climate in Forest Hills, PA
As strange as it might sound, some home security system features can be more or less important based on the climate you live in.
Home Security Fire Sensors in Forest Hills, PA
Hotter temperatures can lead to higher risk of fires in the home. The average temperature in Forest Hills, PA is 49.80 degrees, reaching 85.67 degrees in the hottest months like July & August. This temperature has increased compared to 1990, when the hottest month reached 81.27 degrees in July.
Home age is another factor in determining fire risk, primarily due to electrical issues. The average home in Forest Hills was built in 1950, which is much older than the national average of 1978 and is much older than the average home in Pennsylvania build in 1970.
Between colder seasonal temperatures and newer homes in Forest Hills, you can judge how important fire sensors and immediate response may be. A combination of smoke detectors, CO2 sensors, and fire alarms connected to a home security system can make that response as swift as possible, whether you’re at work or on vacation.
Home Security Flood Sensors in Forest Hills, PA
Forest Hills, PA gets an average rainfall of 1.4" per year. This is higher than the average of 1.2" for Pennsylvania.
With the risk of flooding and burst pipes, a flood sensor can alert you and authorities as soon as possible. Even a few hours make the difference between an easy restoration and long-term water damage.
Home Security Freeze Sensors in Forest Hills, PA
Forest Hills, PA reaches an average of 34.69 degrees in its cold months of January & February. This temperature has increased compared to 1990, when the coldest month reached 42.12 degrees in January.
The year a home was constructed can also contribute to the risk of damage from cold weather. The average home in Forest Hills is 73 years old, and seasonal temperature changes have had much more time to cause stress on the home compared to the average Pennsylvania home that's 53 years old and much more time than the national average of a 45-year-old home.
Temperature fluctuations will weaken the structure and foundation of the home, cold temperatures can cause pipes to leak or burst, and if it snows that can cause additional stress on the roof. However, freeze sensors are not an expensive addon. After assessing your Forest Hills home, you can make a more informed decision if they would be a suitable addition to your home security system.
Cost of Home Security Systems in Forest Hills, PA
To identify the final cost of a home security system for your Forest Hills home, we must determine some of your preferences.
Self-Monitored or Professionally Monitored?
Any home security system you pick will offer a selection of equipment including entry sensors, cameras, etc. The question is, do you actually want to self-monitor your system? If like 27.18% (1,747) of people in Forest Hills, you are a renter, you might prefer a self-monitored home security system. On the other hand, 72.82% or 4,682 of Forest Hills residents own their homes and may be more likely to consider a professionally monitored system to protect their property.
Whether you rent or buy, how well can you monitor your system on your own? For example, if you're one of the 75% of people who commute an average of 34 minutes to work in or around Forest Hills, can you immediately receive notifications on your phone, check cameras in meetings or while working, and call the police if needed?
If not, you might want a professionally monitored system where a company is available 24/7 to respond, whether on vacation or at work. Please see our comprehensive guide on the best home security systems for a complete comparison.
Self-Installed vs. Professional Installation
Most providers have great self-installation options, so if you're handy or tech-savvy, like the 8% of Forest Hills residents working in computer engineering and science, self-installation can be a great option.
Alternatively, when your security system is installed professionally, you can ensure that your equipment is placed correctly and will function without any problems. That peace of mind is valuable for people willing to spend the extra money.
Residents of Forest Hills tend to have a higher median household income than nearby cities, earning $85,007 annually. In addition, 61.7% of residents have a college degree or higher, compared to 32.9% in the United States.
If you're a homeowner, do you have more to protect? The median home value in Forest Hills is $149,500. Compared to the median home value in Pennsylvania of $222,630, your home value will probably be lower. With their larger lots, single-family homes tend to be more isolated from view and a tempting target for burglars.
Find an in-depth review of installation options in our best home security systems guide.
Police Stations Near Forest Hills, PA
There are 1 police stations within the boundaries of Forest Hills, and 31 within 5 miles. Within 50 miles of the Forest Hills center, there are 461 police stations. Compared to other cities, police response times in Forest Hills may be much faster. Even when response times are great, every second your security system saves in reporting a crime will improve the police response.
| Borough Of Braddock Hills 1300 Brinton Road Pittsburgh, PA 15221 (412) 371-1637 |
Braddock Hills Police Department 1300 Brinton Road Pittsburgh, PA 15221 (412) 371-1616 svcog.org/bradh.html |
Forest Hills Police Department 2071 Ardmore Boulevard Pittsburgh, PA 15221 (412) 351-4141 foresthillspa.org |
Home Security and Property Crime in Cities Near Forest Hills, PA
Nearby City | Property Crime Grade | Overall Crime Grade | Safer than Forest Hills, PA? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braddock Hills, PA | D+ | C | about as safe |
| Churchill, PA | C- | C- | about as safe |
| Chalfant, PA | F | D- | less safe |
| North Braddock, PA | D | D- | less safe |
| Rankin, PA | F | F | less safe |
| Braddock, PA | F | F | less safe |
| Edgewood, PA | D- | D+ | less safe |
| Swissvale, PA | D- | D- | less safe |
| Wilkinsburg, PA | F | F | less safe |
| East Pittsburgh, PA | D- | D- | less safe |
Home Security and Property Crime in Cities Similar to Forest Hills, PA
Nearby City | Property Crime Grade | Overall Crime Grade | Safer than Forest Hills, PA? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincroft, NJ | A- | A | more safe |
| Marstons Mills, MA | A | A- | more safe |
| Manorhaven, NY | B+ | C+ | more safe |
| Manchester, IA | D | D+ | about as safe |
| Madison, SD | B- | B- | more safe |
| Luling, TX | C- | C | more safe |
| Lula, GA | A- | A- | more safe |
| Lothian, MD | B+ | B+ | more safe |
| Little Falls, NY | D+ | D- | about as safe |
| Massey Lake, TX | F | F | less safe |
Summarizing Home Security Considerations in Forest Hills, PA
Deciding whether you need a home security system in Forest Hills, PA can be a complicated decision. We've used distrinctive property crime statistics and varying environment factors about the city to help us make an objective recommendation for most residents. Leveraging CrimeGrade.org's uniquely robust and granular crime data, we've scrutinized the options for home security systems, tailoring them to the unique needs and context of Forest Hills residents.
Combining the property crime Grades, demographic information, and local climate conditions for advanced home security features gives us some companies that stand out.
Simplisafe, ADT, and Ring have emerged as the top choices for Forest Hills residents due to their distinctive offerings and reliability, each appealing to varied preferences and budget ranges of homeowners and renters alike. Notably, factors such as Forest Hills's climate, housing age, and average income levels further steer the home security considerations.
Property Crime Insights
- A property crime occurs approximately every 6 days 10 hours in Forest Hills.
- The city experiences 8.645 property crimes and 8.467 vandalism insidents per 1,000 people annually.
- Forest Hills's property crime grade stands at an 'D+', comparably as safe as other Pennsylvania {{place_type__plural_lower}}.
Noteworthy Security Companies
- Simplisafe: We believe Simplisafe is the best home security system for residents of Forest Hills. The combination of a high amount of renters (27%) and education level (62% of residents have a college degree) makes Simplisafe our top pick.
- ADT: Compelling history and top quality security and smart home products. If you're willing to pay for it, you will get a top notch product.
- Ring: Ring Alarm is a disrupter whose incredibly low monitoring fees (as low as 1/10th the price of larger and better-known companies) and sharp equipment has already made them a household name.
Climate Considerations for Security
- Fire sensors could be worth considering, since the average temperature reaches 85.67 degrees in the peak months of July & August.
- Freeze sensors might be worth considering, with January & February temperatures averaging 34.69 degrees.
- Flood sensors are also worth considering due to the 1.4" of average yearly rainfall and house age of 73 years.
Self vs. Professional Monitoring & Installation
- 27.18% of Forest Hills residents are renters, potentially inclining towards self-monitored systems.
- Given the 75% of commuters, professional monitoring might offer valuable peace of mind.
- Considering Forest Hills's higher household median income of $85,007 and 61.7% college-degree holding populace, investment in professional installation and advanced system features might be favorable.
Local Police Presence
- Forest Hills hosts 1 police stations within it's borders, potentially influencing response times.