The US has a security camera penetration rate rivalling China’s

Media outlets across the world have published articles on the growing use of video surveillance equipment in China. However, the use of video surveillance equipment in the United States has received less attention. Nevertheless, the United States has nearly the same ratio of security cameras to citizens as China, according to IHS Markit | Technology, now a part of Informa Tech .

China in 2018 maintained its global lead in surveillance camera penetration, with 1 camera installed for each 4.1 people in the country. However, the U.S. was close behind, with a people-to-camera ratio of 4.6-to-1, as reported by the IHS Markit | Technology [ ** Video Surveillance Installed Base Report - 2019.

“During the past few years, coverage of the surveillance market has focused heavily on China’s massive deployments of cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) technology,” said Oliver Philippou, research and analysis manager, video surveillance, at IHS Markit | Technology. “What’s received far less attention is the high level of penetration of surveillance cameras in the United States. With the U.S. nearly on par with China in terms of camera penetration, future debate over mass surveillance is likely to concern America as much as China.”

Taiwan came in third in terms of penetration, with 5.5 citizens per each camera installed. The United Kingdom was fourth with a ratio of 6.5-to-1, while Singapore ranked fifth at 7.1-to-1.

Both China and the United States have attained major increases in installations over the past few years. China's installed base of surveillance cameras surged by nearly 70 percent in recent years, rising to 349 million in 2018, up from 210 million in 2015. Meanwhile, the U.S. installed base increased strongly, rising to 70 million cameras in 2018, up from 47 million in 2015.

By 2021, China's installed base is expected to rise to 567 million cameras, while the U.S. base will swell to 85 million.

Driven by the government’s Xue Liang program, the Chinese market receives significantly more government funding than any other region in the world with the aim of providing widespread video surveillance coverage within public areas. City surveillance was estimated to be the end-user market with the largest installed base in China in 2018. By comparison, the city surveillance installed base in China was estimated to be proportionally 4.5 times larger than in the United States.

Conversely, the retail and commercial end-user markets were estimated to have the largest numbers of cameras installed in United States.

“It should also be noted that while the United States does have a high penetration rate, this installed base has been developed over many years, whereas the Chinese market has developed very quickly over the last decade.” Philippou said.

The Video Surveillance Installed Base Report – 2019

The IHS Markit | Technology Video Surveillance Installed Base Report – 2019 builds on nearly two decades of research to provide a dedicated analysis of the installed base of network, analog and HD CCTV security cameras. This report provides market sizes, forecasts and market shares for the installed base of network, analog and HD CCTV cameras globally.