moving to hampden in baltimore...safe? (Towson: real estate, rentals, insurance)

[fragile stone]

I am moving to hampden baltimore, I will be commuting via public transit to Towson Maryland. I want to know will I be in danger of leaving my house. Are there really addicts and prostitutes everywhere, btw I might come home late some evenings and I'm not sure if thats safe for an 18 year old female and I am not stick thin I have a "jessica rabbit" figure if that helps your imagery, just tell me the pros and cons please

[sbyman]

Singles and young families are discovering that Hampden's small town atmosphere and proximity to downtown make it one of the most desirable of Baltimore's neighborhoods. Hampden is great place to live, work and play. It is also a fun place to visit with scores of elegant to funky stores, eclectic restaurants and special events like the Hon Fest. Hampden is a uniquely authentic experience that's happening every day!

^ I got this from livebaltimore.com,
White 14,029 84.0%
Black or African American 1,745 10.4%
American Indian and Alaska Native 51 0.3%
Asian 494 3.0%

Occupied housing units 7,931 90.5%
Vacant housing units 829 9.5%

Less than $10,000 989 12.7%
$10,000 to $14,999 629 8.1%
$15,000 to $24,999 1,122 14.4%
$25,000 to $34,999 1,303 16.7%
$35,000 to $49,999 1,478 18.9%
$50,000 to $74,999 1,398 17.9%
$75,000 to $99,999 493 6.3%
$100,000 to $149,999 255 3.3%
$150,000 to $199,999 59 0.8%
$200,000 or more 80 1.0%
Median household income (dollars) 33,380 (X)
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Population 25 years and over 12,284 100.0%
Less than 9th grade 1,455 11.8%
9th to 12th grade, no diploma 2,665 21.7%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 3,367 27.4%
Some college, no degree 1,401 11.4%
Associate degree 484 3.9%
Bachelor's degree 1,632 13.3%
Graduate or professional degree 1,280 10.4%

there were not any murders but i will look up crime for you

[hokiejane]

You can check this site for crime statistics. Hampden is in the Northern district.

City of Baltimore, Maryland Police Department - Interactive Geographic Display of Crimes (http://141.157.54.34/bpdmaps/police.htm - broken link)

[jim kelley]

Hello, I am a born and raised Baltimoreion? Yes you do have concerns were ever you travel inside B. Yet I wish to say that My great ansesters of yesterday lived and built the greater Hamden! Back then you had very many workers directed to the Mills just below at the Falls Way but due to the recent international influx, things have changed. Hamden is a wonderfull place to live and to invest in property. I am currently owner of 6 propertys about the greater B area. In all you are living in a changing area were the derlicks no longer can afford to be. yet you do have those that have found ways to wonder the streets and to ask you for the small change, a smoke or even a ride. Caution!!!! Don,t feed into these types unless you are comfortable just move on no coment, you may see them again soon. Once you are targeted they never stop pestering you. Yet I must say as a well ed person, I am taken sometimes by the lost soles, one can't always say NO. For the most parts the HUNS FEST and the new shops on the avenue are the greatest. I am alittle pisted that my second hand shop is gone (SALVATION ARMY) on the main street. For the most parts most of all of the streets are safe and that has alot to do with your safety as well Look for the ones were those derlicts hang out and do your best to avoid them! Over by the Seven Eleven, down the street by the Mc Donalds and along the Old York Ave areas you might find some. This is also due partly to the cost of rentals and the delapadated type of homes along side the Mills around the Falls Way. Some of these people own the homes or inherted them from passing parents yet are finding upkeep of the home costly, and or lack work, are addicted to drugs, or even just have mental health issues children to feed and so on. I still caution you it is not worth the time! One basic thing to look for is the proxsimity to pocket areas were drugs, drinking, crack, and prostitutes gather, avoid this totally! If you were in B. several years ago you would find many more of the negitives especially Hamden but due to the upbeat hip new types of population, regenrefication of propertys, and the noterity of the types of businesses moving into the area you now have a dramatic change, WELCOLM, It is still a known area for the actions that any of the baltimore communities have and will experience due partly to changing times and the revitalization of long lost neighboorhoods. Hamden was known for one race in the old days, now illegal, that form of raceism still exists yet its tame, people are friendly and welcolm most and look to improving old images you can easly see this when you look at the kinds of people around the area. What youst be the shot and beer bars are long gone to the upscale more sheak costly pints, icecream at the HUN CAFE and the like of better shops. Clothing botiques were never in that area speciality shops have replaced the common stores and they are many, a total transfermation of businesses. Several years ago, I looked to purchase property in Hamden as a community on the rise, I found little that I could aford bid several and did not get any! For me I was too late, this was the place to be before the BOOM, now the area has festive events free to walk about vendors selling ART, far from before when you could purchase HOT mechandise stolen from near by homes. If you go North you will find Roland Park, up scale rich homes with big bucks, its at the top of the hill nown as Rolland Ave. This was a buffer area back then now homes in town sell for big dollars as well closing the gap.
I would like to segest one thing to you, and that is to not feel thretenen at all but to go freely untill you see, experience, or have a gut feeling to GET THE HELL out of that area. Map yourself a mental picture of the routes of were you will travel the norm, extras, malls and movies, grocerys and drinks and so on. This is the best way to get to know yourarea the people that you deal with vendors with the best prices and so on, NOTE safety is not just in personal but in being riped off by when you shop. These things you will learn about in the move/ always act like you have lived their all your life, this works with all LOCALS. Balto is under tremendous grouth all places are seeing major changes even streets are renamed! Bars and resturants music venues festivals neighboorhood fairs, parks are exploding, free stuff is everwere, new faces are ever present, so feel apart of this fresh air to remake the Big B. Oh we were known as the; MOB TOWN and that was true like all this changed . For more! Nails848@comcast.net

[beach08]

To: Jim Kelley

You don't always see Kelley spelled with "EY" on the end and you refer to your ancestors being part of Hampden in the early days. I know this sounds crazy but was your mothers name L --- and your fathers name K-----
Falls Rd?
I also grew up in Hampden ,
PM me, I think we are related.

[DanB]

I've lived in hampden for 3 years, and never really had any problems. The closest thing to a problem you will have is the punk ass local teenagers that will sometimes mess with you. Like I was riding my bike home the other night and they yelled "**** you buddy" to you. As tempting as it is to try and fight 4 or 5 15 year old wanna bes, its just easier to keep on riding/walking.

I feel perfectly safe in hampden. My roomate is a 26 year old girl who often works late, and walks her dog late and never has a problem walking from her car to our home. If you want more info msg/email me.

Dan

[deam]

Jim Kelly give good specific advice. It all depends upon where you live in Hampden. I lived in the little red row homes, right below Roland Park and across from the big insurance company building. I have been gone for over 10 years but keep going back to visit. It is a unique little oasis amid Baltimore cities less desirable area. Also for bike riding it is ideal - in 10 minutes you are in the country riding tree lines streets. So - yes it is safe, but you must always be very street smart where ever you go.

[upinflamezzz]

Hello there. I would say that I could give the best opinion. I grew up in Hampden and it use to be a working class neighborhood. Virtually none of my classmates made it through high school let alone college. Usually people who grow up in poverty like to flash what ever little money they have. Fancy car, shoes or act like like 50 cents. The neighborhood is actually overrated now. Lots of antique store selling everyone else's junk. Also,the shabby chic restaurants are lame. The best thing I can say about Hampden is that it's almost all white, and the wanna be yuppies have allowed me to sell the houses that I bought back in the day for 28k, 34k, and 40k for over 200k each. I just want to thank all of those dumb yuppies for buying into the real estate hype. " I'm a grad student at Hopkins...." I laugh at this. If you were then you know better than to spend 300k on a friggin row house. We original Hampdenites laugh at you. Lastly, yes it is a safe neighborhood, but I would recommend Medfield or Mt. Washington.

[choeck1]

hi Fragile Stone,
i currently live in Hamden and i really enjoy it. i have a three year old and i never feel unsafe when we are out and about even in the evening time. there is crime, but petty crime mostly, and will most likely never effect you. we have met great people and really enjoy our neighbors! Hamden has a lot to offer people of all ages, great restaurants and shops!! it is easy to walk everywhere!!
of course, Hamden does have some interesting folks, but they won't harm you. they will yell "bad" words on the street and have domestic disputes on the sidewalk, but they really don't bother anyone directly. there are a lot of drugs and prostitution in Hamden, but that is primarily on the other side of falls road. all in all we have had a great time in Hamden, and i would definitely recomend it!

[barante]

Like so many other neighborhoods, Hampden has it all (if we are talking about Hampden proper and not Remington or Hoes Heights or Medfield). Overall, it is rapidly being yuppified after decades of false starts.
This is the best weekend to check it out because Hampdenfest is from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. this Saturday on 36th Street. Here is the website:
HampdenFest