IStock Photo 6058641 © Ron Bailey

It may not be much comfort to a victim of a robbery—especially if they’ve had a gun put to their head-—but in the big picture, robbery is a rare event. According to Department of Justice statistics, the odds of being a victim of a completed or attempted robbery in a year in the US are 1 in 419.1. Those are about the same odds (1 in 418.7) that an employed person 16 or older in Texas is an insurance sales agent.

With almost everyone carrying around costly electronic devices, it may feel as if we have to worry more than ever about being robbed. And even though overall crime rates have dropped, if you are mugged nowadays there is a good chance you’ll lose your BlackBerry® in addition to your cash.

So who’s most at risk?

Women may feel more concerned than men walking on a deserted street, but when it comes to robbery the “purse-snatcher” stereotype doesn’t hold true. Robbers are significantly more likely to target men than women—the annual odds are 1 in 296.8 for men versus 1 in 689.8 for women.

Adults in their 20s and early 30s are more likely to get robbed than their elders, presumably because they’re more apt to be out and about, especially at night. The annual odds of being a robbery victim are 1 in 285.7 between ages 20 and 24 and 1 in 294.1 between 25 and 34. From there, the odds get significantly lower: 1 in 714.3 in the 35-49 age group, 1 in 588.2 in the 50-64 age group, and 1 in 1,667 for people 65 and older.

And we have more to fear from strangers than from people we know. In cases where the perpetrator is eventually identified, the odds the robber is a stranger are 1 in 1.29 (69%). But you may still want to keep an eye out for that crack-smoking step-brother: The odds are 1 in 11.98 a robber will be a family member.

If there is a weapon involved, it’s twice as likely it will be a gun as a knife (1 in 4.22, versus 1 in 8.47). The most dangerous time is after dark, and the most likely place to be robbed is that lonely street or highway women worry about (1 in 2.32). You are mush safer at home (1 in 7.75) or even in the convenience store (1 in 18.18), or the gas station (1 in 38.68).

The odds you will get your loot back? Don’t hold your breath, especially if the robber took your cash. The odds of recovery for stolen currency are just 1 in 28.39.

Click here for the arrest rates for robbery and other crimes.