93% of Americans Own Smart Home Devices

The large majority of Americans (93%) own at least one smart home device, but data privacy remains a concern for 57%, according to a survey of over 1,000 homeowners and renters conducted by American Home Shield. 

The top five smart home devices respondents owned were: 

1. Speaker/assistant (73%) 
2. Doorbell (50%) 
3. Security cameras (50%) 
4. Thermostat (43%)
5. Lighting (34%) 

The top convenience devices on the rise were: 

1. Robot vacuum (29%) 
2. Smart locks (19%) 
3. Smart washer (19%) 
4. Smart refrigerator (18%) 
5. Smart dishwasher (11%) 

However, despite the prevalence of smart devices in homes across the country, concerns remain. For one, reliability issues are a challenge for some, with 46% of respondents reporting that they’ve experienced device failures due to internet issues and 33% reporting that they’ve experienced failures due to power outages. 

But perhaps on a more concerning note, data privacy prevails as a major worry for many Americans. Forty-six percent of respondents said they were afraid of their smart home systems being hacked, and over 1 in 3 said they worry about being recorded without their permission. 

Still, 82% trust their smart home devices despite concerns, and when it comes to homebuying, 29% would offer more money for a home already equipped with smart technology (an average of $2,633 more).