When you’re considering moving to a new area, it’s perfectly natural to be concerned about more than just the local schools, parks, and other amenities. One of your biggest concerns about moving to the downtown area of a major city may be local crime rates. While every city has its share of crime, you don’t have much to worry about in San Diego, which consistently ranks as one of the safest major cities in the country. The experienced agents from 92101 Urban Living, your one-stop shop for in-depth information about real estate in downtown San Diego, offer buyers peace of mind with these facts about San Diego’s low crime rate.
Crime Rates in San Diego
According to recent FBI data, San Diego has the lowest crime rate among big cities in the U.S., with a rate of 3.7 crimes per 1,000 people. That’s lower than Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Dallas, and Philadelphia. San Diego consistently has the country’s lowest murder rate among the 10 largest cities. Property crime is the most common type of crime in major cities and includes everything from vandalism to car theft. San Diego has the second-lowest property crime rate among major U.S. cities at 18.4 property crimes per 1,000 people. Only New York ranked lower. In 2017, San Diego’s crime rate reached a 49-year low, in part due to strategic crime fighting and modern community policing that fostered stronger ties with the community. From 2016 to 2017 alone, the crime rate in the city dropped by more than 7 percent.
Downtown Crime
As a general rule, most areas of downtown San Diego are very safe. While there are homeless people in the area, especially in the East Village area of downtown, there’s also a strong police presence. In fact, the downtown area is typically much safer for residents and tourists than the beach communities, which tend to have younger crowds that get rowdy. The safety of the downtown area has only improved over the last few decades. Take the popular Gaslamp District as an example. Until the 1970s, the neighborhood was known for its high concentration of massage parlors and had a reputation as the city’s “red light district.” The area was the focus of major redevelopment in the 1980s and is today one of San Diego’s liveliest communities, known for its trendy nightlife.
Where Crime Occurs in San Diego
Crime in San Diego is often concentrated in areas outside of downtown, such as University Avenue, Imperial Avenue, and the neighborhoods of southeast San Diego, Lincoln Park, O’Farrell, Skyline, and National City between Chula Vista and downtown San Diego. East Village in downtown San Diego has the highest concentration of homeless people, but the area is going through regeneration that will likely lead to rising home prices within the next five to ten years, and crime rates remain low. For example, between January 2007 and June 2012, there were 80 gang-related homicides in San Diego—42 of these homicides were in southeastern neighborhoods, and 20 were in the area of City Heights and North Park. Just 18 occurred in all other neighborhoods in San Diego.
If you’re a prospective home buyer considering penthouses, condos, and lofts in downtown San Diego, you can rest easy knowing the area has one of the lowest crime rates in the country. For detailed information about specific neighborhoods and quality of life in downtown San Diego, reach out to the friendly agents at 92101 Urban Living, the real estate professionals with in-depth, specialized knowledge about the downtown area of America’s Finest City. Give us a call today at 619-649-0368.