If you have just moved to a new neighborhood, chances are you want to know a few things about it, including how safe it is. According to Statista, property crimes are significantly more prevalent than violent crimes in the United States, with larceny thefts being the most common type of such crime committed. As such, if you live in a less safe property, you are statistically more likely to experience a burglary, as well as many other types of crimes. With this in mind, here are a few things you need to learn about in order to assess how safe your new neighborhood is.

 

1. Find out if the district has a high crime rate

SThe first step is arguably the most obvious one. While people's experiences with a neighborhood do matter, empirical data tend to offer a less biased perspective on a particular area. As such, you should start your research by looking at statistics on property and violent crimes in the area.

One way to do so is by going to your local police department's website, which should offer readily available information on crime statistics. Many police departments now offer user-friendly crime mapping tools which allow you to stay informed about crime in real time. If you can study the distribution of violent crimes by specific areas, you can assess whether some areas of the neighborhood are more dangerous than others; this would probably make more sense if you live in a large city.

Another effective way of finding information about a district is by leveraging the power of search websites. On Nuwber, for example, you can do a reverse address lookup to find out detailed information about a property. While this information would not directly tell you if an area has a high crime rate, it can give you a comprehensive view of the community, residents, and other relevant history.

 

2. Check out the lighting system and other infrastructure details

If you have ever read pieces of advice on how to stay safe when walking by yourself at night, chances are you saw warnings against walking in poorly lit small alleys. If your neighborhood is well-lit and has proper roads, and proper sidewalks, there is a greater chance it has a decent safety index. A good infrastructure does not only reduce the risk of some types of crimes but also the risks of accidents.

 

3. Search for signs that indicate prosperity

Generally speaking, wealthier districts have less crime than poorer ones. While this is not always the case, signs that correlate with prosperity may also indicate a lower probability of experiencing crime while in the neighborhood. Examples of such signs include the presence of large, mostly well-maintained properties and, even more so, gated residential areas.

 

4. Look out for the presence of key amenities in the area

A good location should give you easy access to basic amenities, such as grocery stores and pharmacies. If you have these facilities in close proximity, it means you do not have to walk for miles each time you want to buy a food item or medication, which may influence your overall safety.

Having in close proximity emergency-related services should further improve the overall safety of an area. For example, if you live in a neighborhood that has nearby police stations, fire departments, or hospitals, it means that help can get to you fast if needed.

 

5. Assess the quality of local schools

Another correlate of prosperity and, thus, of crime, is the quality of the local schools. If your new home is located in an area where schools tend to perform well on academic achievement scales, it is quite likely that the area in question will have more expensive properties and, as such, more well-off residents.

 

6. Check out how the traffic levels compare to other locations

 

8. Ask other people

Perhaps the easiest way to find information about the new place you call home is by asking your neighbors. That being said, do not forget that some people tend to either overestimate or underestimate the prevalence of certain phenomena. As such, it is probably never a good idea to judge a location strictly based on people's opinions, not even when these opinions come from the neighborhood's own residents.

 

9. Find out if the police are always wondering in the area

If you notice that the police have a constant presence in the district, it may mean that there is a police station nearby or that there is a lot of criminal activity going and law enforcement is determined to either intervene or deter crime. Before jumping to conclusions, it is best to ask others why the police are a constant presence.

 

Bottom line: Get your facts from as many sources as possible

To form an educated opinion about a location, you need to learn about it as much as possible from multiple sources of information, both formal and informal. You may want to start by doing a quick search online to see if you find crime statistics relevant to the area and also ask your neighbors about their experiences with the district and potential safety tips.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that no matter how safe a location is, you are never completely risk-free of experiencing crime. Living in a safe district simply means that the statistical likelihood of experiencing crime is lower. To further reduce the chances of experiencing a burglary or other type of crime, make sure you install a robust security system and you take normal precautions when walking throughout the area.