Is this area in Baltimore really that dangerous? (Towson, Parkville: middle-class, sublet)

[HHH3]

Hi all.

I've had interviews for a medical residency in Good Samaritan Hospital and Franklin Square Hospital Center. They are both in Baltimore. Good Sam has a good reputation for being strongly affiliated with Johns Hopkins university and hospital, so I thought it should be the top choice on my ranking list. However, I've checked the area the hospital is located in, and it appears to have a quite high total crime rate and an incredibly high murder risk (zip code 21239; Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site
). This freaked me out, because I'll be living in a residential building in the same area. I'm not from the US, so I'm not sure if such statistics are accurate enough and if they affect the lives of law-abiding citizens.

On the other hand, Franklin Square hospital is located in zip code 21237 which has half the total crime risk and ninth the murder risk.

Could any people from Baltimore share their opinions about this? Thanks.

[are you kidinme?]

Trust your research.

[KLynch10]

You don't have to live at the Hospital. Most crime is related to drug activity... the illegal stuff, not what you'll be doing. At Good Sam, I would recommend living in Hamilton, Parkville, Towson or White Marsh. White Marsh would be very convenient to Franklin Square.

[ToneGrail]

Not exactly the ghetto, but not the most prime neighborhood either. It's a residential lower-middle-class African American neighborhood with a high home ownership rate. So take that for what it is. Most of the homes are single family units and there are a few apartment complexes, where most of the crime occurs. The majority of crimes are property crimes, with a few murders in between but it's a far cry from the drug gang violence, the boarded up row houses and gang graffiti of neighborhoods like Broadway East or CHUM.

My primary care physician works out of Samaritan and it's a relatively quiet safe area during the day. I wouldn't want to live there but working there is no problem. I live within a 5 minute drive from there just outside the city line and I'm in a very good suburban neighborhood. However, there is a world of difference once you go north of the city line on Loch Raven.

You might want to consider living in Towson and commuting to Samaritan. It's only a five minute drive.

[KodeBlue]

Good Samaritan isn't in a bad area, it's a very working class neighborhood. I grew up about a mile from there. Screw that research, go over there and see for yourself.

[HHH3]

Originally Posted by KodeBlue

Good Samaritan isn't in a bad area, it's a very working class neighborhood. I grew up about a mile from there. Screw that research, go over there and see for yourself.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to do that. I had to leave for the airport. The thing I noticed while in the hospital is that the majority of people were African Americans, and I'm white. And afterwards I heard a lot of talk about black-on-white hate crimes in Baltimore.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by HHH3

And afterwards I heard a lot of talk about black-on-white hate crimes in Baltimore.

In my years of living in, working in, and traveling through black areas of baltimore, I've never been singled out because I'm white. There's also a majority-black univeristy in this area, which I attend, and I also haven't had a problem there. In general, I think if you treat people with respect, you'll get it back, and that goes for anywhere.

Regardless, I recommend finding a place to sublet for one month so you can choose what area of Baltimore suits you. It's a hard city to pick a place in from afar.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by HHH3

And afterwards I heard a lot of talk about black-on-white hate crimes in Baltimore.

Yes, but can any of the talk be substantiated with facts? There is far more black-on-black crime.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

And yet another an ugly 100+ post thread is born ...

[KodeBlue]

Originally Posted by HandsUpThumbsDown

In my years of living in, working in, and traveling through black areas of baltimore, I've never been singled out because I'm white. There's also a majority-black univeristy in this area, which I attend, and I also haven't had a problem there. In general, I think if you treat people with respect, you'll get it back, and that goes for anywhere.

Regardless, I recommend finding a place to sublet for one month so you can choose what area of Baltimore suits you. It's a hard city to pick a place in from afar.

I was gonna say the same exact thing. I've seen white people in some of the worst parts of the city and nobody bothered them. Just leave people alone and they'll leave you alone. Another thing, dont walk around looking scared...some of these idiots can sense fear, and they prey on it.