How safe is my neighborhood?

Home is a place to feel safe, and, by extension, so is your neighborhood. Whether you’re looking for a new neighborhood or simply interested in learning a little more about the one you currently live in, safety is often among the top priorities for many. Thankfully, there’s a wealth of information available to help you answer the question, “How safe is my neighborhood?” Let’s look at some contributing factors to neighborhood safety and how to uncover the crime history of your own house.

What makes a neighborhood safe?

Determining whether a neighborhood is safe may take more than just crime statistics. Neighborhood safety includes the basics too, like pedestrian-friendly infrastructure and access to medical services. While we go over some common metrics for neighborhood safety, remember that safety can be subjective and everyone’s comfort level and needs vary. Below are just a few examples of characteristics some people might look to when assessing neighborhood safety, taking into account that everyone's comfort level and needs vary.

• Crime rate: Checking the crime rate for your area is often a key first step in measuring the overall level of physical safety for a neighborhood. If there are additional details available, paying attention to the types of crime may be just as important, too. This additional data may help identify a prevalence of property-related crime.
• Proximity to emergency services: One of the most direct indicators of neighborhood safety is the availability and proximity of emergency services. Having nearby hospitals, fire stations and police precincts may provide a quicker response time during emergencies, which may prove vital in those situations.
• Community: Local events, from community gatherings to public forums, can be valuable platforms for gauging how safe residents feel in their neighborhood. The firsthand experiences shared by inhabitants during these events may be revealing in ways statistics might miss, offering a glimpse into their daily lives and concerns.
• Traffic safety and accident frequency: Road safety is a major factor in the overall security and wellbeing of any neighborhood. Consider checking the general condition of the roads, pedestrian crossings and traffic lights in the area. Additionally, local statistics on traffic accidents, pedestrian safety accidents and road maintenance might provide further insight into the neighborhood you’re considering.
• Level of activity: Seeing people out and about, whether it’s a couple running, playing children or just neighbors being friendly, generally suggests that residents feel secure in their community. This may be a promising sign that a neighborhood is safe.

How do I check crime rate in my area?

Learning to check crime rates in the area is usually straightforward, with many reliable resources available. Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies typically compile crime statistics, making it easier for residents to assess neighborhood safety — be it your own neighborhood or somewhere you’re thinking of moving. Note that while the following tools might prove a helpful starting point for some consumers, they are subjective and there are numerous other ways to assess the safety of a given neighborhood.

• Federal resources: National databases from federal agencies tend to offer broad-spectrum statistics that could be valuable for making comparisons between different areas.
• State and local data: Most states have dedicated websites or departments that release annual or bi-annual crime reports. Your local law enforcement agency may also maintain real-time logs or reports that can offer insights into neighborhood-specific incidents.
• Online tools: Besides official resources, there are various websites that consolidate crime data to be more user-friendly, often layering them into interactive maps. These might help pinpoint crime activity in specific locations, sometimes within a neighborhood itself.
• Community insights: Speaking to community members might offer you insights that statistics can’t. Getting to know your neighbors and other residents might add some nuance to your understanding that you won’t find in federal and local databases.

What is the crime history of my house?

Digging deeper into a property’s background could mean shedding light on the specific crime history of your house. This is often an important step for prospective home buyers or even homeowners looking to learn more about their property. Here’s a few ways to unearth any potential crime history your house might have:

• Police records: Local law enforcement agencies typically keep records of incidents reported at specific locations that you can request for. These records might reveal any criminal activities, disturbances and other notable events that have taken place at the property in question, potentially offering you direct insight into the history of your house.

In summary

As you see, there are several ways to investigate the safety of your desired neighborhood and home. Just remember that statistics may not tell the whole story, and that safety can be subjective — something that makes one person feel safe may not do so for another. A combination of hard data and the nuanced details you might get from talking to people and visiting a neighborhood in person are often your best bet for answering the question, “How safe is my neighborhood?”