Moving to a new city
How can I check if a neighborhood is safe before I move there?
Updated By the Housing Rocket moderators
Short answer
Use several sources, not one: the local police department's public crime map or data, a street-level map walk, questions to people who live there, and ideally a visit at night. Look at what kind of incidents happen and where, since one busy commercial block can make a whole area look worse on a map.
Crime maps are a starting point. Filter by type. Car break-ins, package theft and violent crime are very different risks, and they tend to cluster on specific blocks, not whole neighborhoods.
- Street-level view: lighting, how busy the street is, and how the building entrance is set up.
- Building security: entry doors that lock, working intercoms, package rooms and secure bike storage.
- People on the ground: a coworker, a local friend, or people answering a specific question in the city's housing group.
- An evening visit: walk from the nearest transit stop to the door at the time you would come home.
Be careful with vague online opinions. 'Sketchy' often says more about the person posting than the area, and some comments about a neighborhood are really about who lives there. Ask concrete questions instead: 'Do cars get broken into on this street?' or 'Is the walk from this station well lit?'
Finally, ask the landlord directly. They can tell you about recent incidents at the building, what security they provide, and whether locks are changed between tenants.
Want the whole picture? Read How to Find Housing Before You Move to a New City.