People want to move out for many reasons. Whether it’s to work or to raise a family or simply to start new. We all love to buy or build a home one day or rent one in the cities or in the suburbs due to the range of amenities they offer.

When you’re moving to a different area, the first thing that comes to all our minds is to search for the safest neighborhoods in that city. Undoubtedly, you want to live in a neighborhood where you feel safe and secure.

Let’s discuss the key factors you need to consider before moving to know whether it’s a safe neighborhood or not.

Infrastructure and Maintenance

A well-maintained area is a good indicator that it is safe. Check if the neighborhood has proper roads, good street lighting, the presence of speed bumps in the right place, and sidewalks.

How clean and maintained the neighborhood is reflects on how much the residents and local authorities care about their area. Properly maintained parks, walking trails, and public spaces and properly collected garbage are indicators that the residents very much love their area.

Check the Crime Rates

Without any doubt, crime statistics are one of the main factors when you determine if the neighborhood is safe. You can check a certain area’s crime statistics through many sources, such as the local police department and the FBI’s crime statistics.

Online platforms can be used to map crime in any neighborhood you search for. Check for violent crimes like assault and robbery and property crimes like theft and vandalism.

Local businesses

The presence of many local businesses in a neighborhood acts as natural surveillance in urban planning. Their deeper integration into a certain community allows a thriving activity during many hours of the day. The consistent presence of people deters any potential criminal activity in the neighborhood.

Local businesses often provide residents with a place to gather, socialize, and build relationships. They develop daily activities and foster a strong community, trusting and looking out for each other and reporting any suspicious activity instantly.

Check the Availability of Facilities

Safe neighborhoods often have everything you need in the vicinity. You don’t have to commute far to get something. Basic facilities like schools, hospitals, police stations, grocery stores, pharmacies, and community centers being nearby is a good indicator.

Check if the area has active libraries, local markets, and other amenities for your convenience. The proximity of these facilities and amenities can make your life more convenient during emergencies.

Talk to the Local Residents

One of the best reliable ways to know the safety of a neighborhood is to just ask the residents who live in it. The residents can tell you about the community, ongoing problems, the history, and all. You can gain insight into how happy the people are and what the community is like.

Look around the neighborhood for proper surveillance systems and signs of local events to participate in.

Activities in the Neighborhood

High levels of visible activities in a neighborhood, like parks full of kids playing, people biking or walking on the streets, and obvious signs of community gatherings, make it more difficult for crimes to go unnoticed and indicate its overall safety.

Community watch parties can also be a good indicator.

Check the Sex Offender Registries

Use tools like the National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) to see if there are any convicted sex offenders in or in the vicinity and to better determine the safety of a neighborhood.

Sometimes, the national registry can be incomplete. Use local crime maps, neighborhood forums, and state-specific registries, where local police departments have extensive data of registered sex offenders listed by area.

Key Takeaways

Good infrastructure with proper roads, street lighting, parks, and public spaces is a good indicator that a neighborhood is safe.
Check the crime data using the FBI’s official statistics and the local police department.
The presence of local businesses indicates a strong presence of community and deters crimes.
Safe neighborhoods have facilities like schools, hospitals, and grocery stores in the vicinity.
Asking local residents about the neighborhood to know what the community is like.
Vibrant activities, parks full of people, and bikers’ presence on the streets are good indicators.
Checking the presence of convicted sex offenders using the NSOPW and Megan’s Law database.