Would you say Denver is a safe city? (nightlife, problems)

[skins_fan82]

Safest big city I've ever been in.

[moving2013]

Thank you all!!!

[moving2013]

Thank you for your reply!

I will be working from home (so commute wouldn't be an issue at first). My husband is probably going to work downtown or wherever great cafés/record shops are (he is looking for a part-time job (he is a painter/writer, he also works from home part-time)).

We wouldn't mind driving 15 to 20 mins to get to downtown as long as we live in a clean, safe area!

Oh, and how is public transportation there? (we lived in Raleigh, and seriously, I wouldn't really recommend taking the Bus (especially not by night). It's not clean, not really safe).

Thank you again!

[SkyDog77]

Budget?

[TigerLily24]

Originally Posted by moving2013

Thank you for your reply!

I will be working from home (so commute wouldn't be an issue at first). My husband is probably going to work downtown or wherever great cafés/record shops are (he is looking for a part-time job (he is a painter/writer, he also works from home part-time)).

We wouldn't mind driving 15 to 20 mins to get to downtown as long as we live in a clean, safe area!

Oh, and how is public transportation there? (we lived in Raleigh, and seriously, I wouldn't really recommend taking the Bus (especially not by night). It's not clean, not really safe).

Thank you again!

It is pretty good. RTD has both bus and light rail service. The current coverage area is pretty good and growing rapidly.

[WScott84]

Denver can be a patch work of safe and unsafe, and criminals who live in unsafe areas can just as easily go to the safe areas to commit crime... So you just go to be smart about it.

Both North East (original Denver, not the airport annexation) and North West Denver are a patchwork of good and bad and both are experiencing gentrification. Roads that can be considered "unsafe" are Colfax, Federal, and Brighton blvd. It can be very localized. For the most part the whole city is experiencing a gentrification therefore person might say it is unsafe another might say it is up and coming.

Personally, I consider mid north Denver from York St to Brighton blvd in between to Pecos st and north of Colfax/Park Ave/38th ave to be "less safe", this is if we are strictly speaking with in the city limits of Denver. I feel the most gang activity and drug sales happen in this area. I also work and commute, sometimes by bicycle, in this area daily.

Colfax and 2-3 blocks north and south some might consider bad, but it is also experiencing gentrification. Colfax west of Sheridan isn't bad, but that is Lakewood, not Denver.

Federal is okay between Colfax and I-70, but go north or south of that and some people might consider it unsafe.

It is what ever your are comfortable with. Gentrification, I consider a "white culture" thing, and some people might feel less safe when they leave white areas. I am white, but I am married to a Mexican and have experienced much of their culture. Mexican parts of town might look unsafe, but could be fine, they just care less about making their parts look "pretty".

A lot of places experiencing gentrification still get hit with a lot of graffiti, are still grimy and have old infrastructure. You might want to take that into consideration as well. The people are safe, but are the rusting transformers and splitting telephones safe, are the gas lines safe, are the water lines safe, or are they going to leak and burst. Are the roads safe, or is a price of concrete going to fall of the bridge and land on your winshield.

Finally, some parts are safe during the day, but not at night. A lot of Crime can happen on 16th street mall after hours, and a lot of drunken brawls can happen downtown after the clubs close.

[Alexander Rusev]

Denver does have some shady neighborhoods, but at the same time the crime rate in Denver is not exactly at Detroit levels either.

[billiken]

Originally Posted by WScott84

Both North East (original Denver, not the airport annexation) and North West Denver are a patchwork of good and bad and both are experiencing gentrification. Roads that can be considered "unsafe" are Colfax, Federal, and Brighton blvd. It can be very localized. For the most part the whole city is experiencing a gentrification therefore person might say it is unsafe another might say it is up and coming.

Colfax and 2-3 blocks north and south some might consider bad, but it is also experiencing gentrification. Colfax west of Sheridan isn't bad, but that is Lakewood, not Denver.

I live within a block of Colfax in central Denver and it is very far from "unsafe." Single family homes on our block have sold between $375k - 500k. I'd say the Colfax factor is overstated. It's a very long street and some parts are sketchy with cheap motels and while other parts are pretty developed and border nice areas.

[jamesdenver]

I live within a block of Colfax in central Denver and it is very far from "unsafe." Single family homes on our block have sold between $375k - 500k.

Agree. Colfax isn't really "unsafe" but can have an annoying element to it at times with homeless and transient and population asking for money. Also "opportunistic" theft is higher - i.e. car/garage break-ins. While not unsafe just something to be aware of in protecting possessions. But that said some of the nicest restaurants, bars, music venues, and local business are on that corridor. I wouldn't hesitate to live nearby, but wouldn't choose a place within a block north or south of Colfax.

[Teckeeee]

Why always irked me about Colfax is you go from nice to gritty, with pot shops and people drinking out in from on liquor stores, then it starts to look like like Mexico, and then it goes back to the awesome build out at Anshutz so yeah they will get squeezed, for the good, in the gentrification.