A lot of this is simply a raw population effect. When I lived in Austin, I got in the habit of locking every door I went out of. Now that I live in rural Alabama, I frequently leave the house doors unlocked. I've forgotten to close the garage door for a day or so. My truck is frequently unlocked.

Statistically, where I live now is the same or significantly worse than Austin. But with the lower population, there are simply fewer incidents.