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In my opinion, Portland, Ore. is a very safe mid-big size city. I also feel generally safe walking around in Seattle. I believe San Jose is the safest city in the country, from the last statistics I read, but it is also a boring place to live. San Francisco doesn't have a crime rate that would scare me off, and neither does most of Los Angeles. The cities I would stay away from are Phoenix, Detroit, St. Louis, Tacoma, Memphis, Dallas, Philly, Baltimore, and Fresno. Still, crime is not a big concern to me because my philosophy is that if you stay away from crime ridden areas, and don't involve yourself with criminal activity, you're most likely not going to be a victim of crime (not to say that it doesn't happen).
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
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You could put Virginia Beach VA in that catergory. the avg homicide rate is maybe 20 which is good considering the city's size (400,000). crime is going up as the population grows, but i live an hour from richmond, dc, and baltimore and from where i stand VA beach is cake when it comes to crime.
In my opinion, Portland, Ore. is a very safe mid-big size city. I also feel generally safe walking around in Seattle. I believe San Jose is the safest city in the country, from the last statistics I read, but it is also a boring place to live. San Francisco doesn't have a crime rate that would scare me off, and neither does most of Los Angeles. The cities I would stay away from are Phoenix, Detroit, St. Louis, Tacoma, Memphis, Dallas, Philly, Baltimore, and Fresno. Still, crime is not a big concern to me because my philosophy is that if you stay away from crime ridden areas, and don't involve yourself with criminal activity, you're most likely not going to be a victim of crime (not to say that it doesn't happen).
I want to echo some of the above sentiments. I live in Seattle and it is really a safe big city (about 500,000 people here). The tourist areas (downtown, belltown, seattle center, and even pioneer square) are very safe for a big city. I would even say that is true for some of the ugly areas of the very south end of downtown or pioneer square. Every city has some bad streets you should avoid and I think that's the tricky part - getting an idea of what are the bad tiny segments.
For example, the intersection known as "3rd & McDonalds" right downtown in not so great (though I've passed through that area late and felt fine), or also the area right in front of the Downtown Emergency Service Center is not great (3rd & James). It seems like in Seattle, 3rd Avenue has localized problems.
City Park at 3rd and Yessler is also bad in Seattle. (Between 3rd & 4th and Yessler).
As a criminal defense attorney I'm often noticing where crime is happening, and I'm still very impressed at how very safe the tourist areas of Seattle are.
I've lived in San Francisco and still felt very safe there too and I even lived in the tenderloin! It seems like though that SF too has streets that should be avoided. Polk Street in the Civic Center. Actually much of the area between Van Ness and Jones or Taylor and Golden Gate to Geary was kind of icky.
When I was in law school in SF I interned at the SF District Attorney's Office, I realized that the above area I mentioned has a pretty significant drug use & distribution problem.
I've visted Portland many times and felt totally safe there too. Though I don't know Portland nearly as well as Seattle or San Francisco.
Thank you so much for the answers.
But Cities with 100.000 people is a big city for me, too
I live in a small city in germany, then is 100.000 people big for me.
Maybe there cities with a low crime rate in Utah?
Checkout Asheville NC or Eugene OR. Both cities have a low population count and are beautiful.
I agree Seattle is beautiful and I would live there if the cost of living wasn't as high as it is. Seattle just topped Chicago in a cost of living analysis. Yes, I couldn't believe it either but it's true.
1.San Jose, CA
2.El Paso, TX
3.Honolulu, HI
4.Austin, TX
5.New York, NY
6.Louisville, KY
7.San Diego, CA
8.San Antonio, TX
9.San Francisco, CA
10.Fort Worth, TX
Thanks for the answers
Maybe Boise in Idaho is the right for me?`
In the statistics it looks very safety, ok when you live in a city you can better estimate the situation.
Location: Headed to the Shangri-La; The Orange County(Huntington Beach or Mission Viejo) this August!
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Irvine, CA is the Safest City in America 150,000 and up for the third year in a row (based on statistics). Last year, violent crime dropped by another WHOPPING 17%. It has roughly 80% less crime than the avg. US city. It' planned and managed rediculously well. Their police department works by geographically-speciallizing each of their officers so that they get to know the local community; neighbors, business owners, employees.. pretty much, the whole nine yards.
Other safe cities are:
Cary, NC
The Woodlands, TX
Naperville, IL
Newton, MA
Simi Valley, CA
New Canaan, CT
El Paso, TX
Thousand Oaks, CA
Port St. Lucie, FL
Virginia Beach, VA
Jupiter, FL
San Jose is the safest for 500,000 and up. And is NOT boring when your making 80k per year (like the avg. household)!
Last edited by fashionablecowboy; 06-05-2007 at 09:10 AM..
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