What Makes a City Feel Safe

Safety from Environmental Clues

Walking through a city at night, most of us will not encounter any problems. Even in the most dangerous cities in America, violent crimes strike no more than about 2% of the population per year. But despite the fact that most people go about their day to day lives unharmed by criminals, some areas really just have "a bad feeling." Sometimes it is just our perception of a place that makes us feel as though it is unsafe; many "bad" areas actually have low crime rates. But what exactly is it about an area that can make it feel more or less safe?

It turns out, there are a lot of things that can make a perfectly nice area feel less safe. Take this picture for example. When I looked at this picture one of the things that stuck out to me was the uncollected trash; it looks rather foreboding. But no imagine the same view with no trash. Then I am apt to see a bike-friendly sidewalk in an open area. That feels like a much safer thought.

Now we will look at some specific examples of what makes a neighborhood feel unsafe.

Trash: As I already mentioned, trash is one of the biggest subconscious indicators of safety. When we see trash on the street we think two things. The first is that the people who live here are either rude or do not care about their community. Both of these things make us worried. The second thought it even more ominous. Uncollected trash is a sign of lackluster city services. If the trash man won't come, how can I be sure that police do? It's an anxiety laden trap, trash does not actually make an area less safe.

Feeling that an area is Lower-Class or Boring: Unfortunately in many people's minds, lower-class and boring go together. In a "boring" neighborhood buildings have similar designs and it is challenging to discern where exactly you are; no landmarks or notable buildings help to guide you. Wandering through an area that seems rather similar and nondescript you may think "why would anyone want to be here?" You assume that nobody makes the choice to be here unless they have to or are too poor to live somewhere else. You then think that because you are in an area that you perceive to be lower-class, your risk for becoming a victim of a crime rises. 

No Pedestrians: Seeing people walking around is comforting. When lots of pedestrians are roaming an area, we assume that it means that this is a tourist friendly area or simply an area where people feel comfortable walking around. We think that other people would not bother to walk if an area was really unsafe so we should not either. This is more of a self-fulfilling prophecy than anything. Foot traffic is not actually indicative of fewer crimes.

Distance from Starbucks: I'm serious, Starbucks seems to count, at least in my book. People tend to associate Starbucks with upper-class or tourist areas. If you are visiting a city and see a Starbucks, you know that you are in a nice area. But if you keep walking and begin to realize that you haven't seen your favorite coffee shop for several miles, you may actually begin to worry. 

This map took forever to find so I hope you appreciate it! But look. The touristy areas of DC, namely downtown and the Northwest quadrant are full of Starbucks. Wander into areas where you feel less safe, namely Southeast DC across the Anacostia River, and there is only one location!

Cities are Safer than Suburbs

Why it's Safer to Live in the City

Now you may see this title and be a bit skeptical, but a new study asserts that this is true. If you don't believe me, check out this article by National Geographic. At first, I was skeptical as well. But when you dive into the facts, this seemingly illogical idea begins to make much more sense.

But haven't we learned for decades that the best way to keep our children safe was to move out to the suburbs? How can cities really be safer?

Fewer Car Accidents: 

There are a number of factors that tip the scales in favor of cities, but by far, the biggest reason that cities are statistically safer is that they provide a lower risk for car accidents. In 2011, over 32,000 Americans died in car accidents. Logically, the more you are in a car, the more likely you are to die in a car accident. Because suburban and rural residents depend on cars for everyday needs, they spend significantly more time in cars, making them much more likely to die in car accidents. If you live in a city and use public transportation, your risk of dying in a car accident drops to near 0. 

Now you may say so what? I'm not worried about car accidents, cities are just simply more dangerous. Its true that cities have more crime per capita, but accidental deaths caused by cars are still real deaths. They must be factored into the equation. Just as a note, city dwellers using public transit are more likely to die in these types of accidents, but the rates and severity of these accidents are much lower than of cars.

Quicker Saves:

This can really mean a variety of things, but it comes down to the idea that if something bad happens to you in a densely populated urban area, you are more likely to get help quickly. This bad thing could be a fire, a shooting, a heart attack or almost anything else. If for example you have a heart attack in New York City, you will be close to a hospital and more likely to survive than if you live in say rural Maine. Response rates for accidents can really mean the difference between life and death. Rural areas tend to have slower response times because emergency services have to cover larger areas and are thus more likely to be far away from where the accident occurs.

Fewer Suicides:

There tend to be higher suicide rates in rural areas compared to urban areas. Suicides tend not to be among the leading causes of death, but they still contribute to the final total. Nobody knows for sure why rates are higher in rural areas, but one possible explanation is isolation. People benefit from social connections and these relationships can help to ward off depression. Being far from others in rural areas may increase depression and suicide rates by default.

I have to say that when I first read this new study I was surprised. In as much as I advocate for living in cities, I was among the majority of Americans who had the misperception that rural areas are safer. Be informed, spread the word.