What Are The Safest Areas To Live In New York City?

For New York City natives, there is no better place in the world to live. While there are certainly challenges specific to NYC, they are well worth it. Even with the cost of living extremely high, the city offers more than any other place on Earth.

One challenge, however, may cause some to think twice. Crime is something that you can't just shrug off. It can impact your way of life, and in the worst case scenario, it can put your life at risk. As such, you may be looking to move into a safe part of NYC.

The safest areas are generally going to be the most expensive to live in. That said, if you own a house in a safe neighborhood, you are going to get some of the lowest homeowners insurance prices in New York. Since you are at a far lower risk of theft or vandalism, you save some cash on insurance premiums. The same may also be true in terms of your car insurance.

Not all safe neighborhoods are created equal, though, but there is something for everyone in NYC. Here are some of the best low-crime areas to live in New York City.

Tribeca

Tribeca may be the safest neighborhood in New York, at least in today’s world. Twenty years ago, this was certainly not the case, but there has been a huge drive to reduce crime in Tribeca. For this reason, it has also become one of the most expensive neighborhoods in NYC (and, consequently, the world).

Many celebrities now live in Tribeca, so you can imagine what the prices are like before you even start searching Zillow for a place to stay.

Greenwich Village

When reading novels set in NYC from half a century ago, the Village comes up over and over again. Greenwich Village has always been a place of culture, where people meet to discuss big ideas, share their art, and collaborate.

In recent years, the Village has become ever more expensive, so it is no longer as bohemian as it once was. This coincides with crime going down throughout the neighborhood, although burglaries do still happen. Nonetheless, you are extremely unlikely to fall victim to a violent crime in the Village. It’s a great place to start searching for a home.

Battery Park City

Battery Park takes up much of Battery Park City in Manhattan, but the area is a great place to live and is extremely safe. This may be because it is bounded by the Hudson River, its shoreline, and the West Side Highway, almost disconnecting it from the rest of the island.

Brooklyn Heights

One of the best-known neighborhoods in NYC, Brooklyn Heights is also one of the safest. Known for its low-rise architecture and historical buildings, Brooklyn Heights is mainly residential. In other words, it does not have the same vivacity as a place like Greenwich Village, but it is an excellent place to live.

Measures to reduce crime in Brooklyn Heights have succeeded to a large extent, and it is safer to live there than ever before.

Kips Bay

While some of the other names on this list will be familiar to people around the world, Kips Bay is one of eht lesser-known NYC neighborhoods. It is situated in midtown Manhattan, and has a nice mix of residential and commercial buildings. While it was once a more dangerous place to live, crime reduction has made it one of the safest neighborhoods in NYC, both attracting and originating very little crime.

Nolita

Nolita used to be considered a part of Little Italy, which is situated just south of it. But over the years, Nolita has lost most of its Italian culture while creating its own. It is yet another neighborhood that has focused on crime reduction, leading to low levels of violent and property crimes. It is also a really great neighborhood to live in, with a good mix of suburban bliss and city life.

All of these neighborhoods are somewhat expensive, even in NYC terms, although you'll find places like Nolita and Kips Bay far more affordable than Tribeca. That, however, is the price you pay for low crime rates in NYC. The great news is that these are all excellent places to live.