Why is crime so high in Mount Airy (Holly Springs, Franklin: crime rate, houses)

[soapgirl]

Hello,

My husband and I are considering moving our family to Mount Airy. Everything was looking good, but then I checked around on this website. After checking the City-Data crime index, I'm having second thoughts. The national average for the crime index is 239.8 and Mount Airy's is 530.8. We are coming from a town that has an idex less than 120. I'm concerned about this. Can anyone give me any insight as to why this is so high? I'm hoping some of you that live there may be able to help me out.

I wasn't sure if I should post this here or in the general NC forum, so sorry for the dupe question.

Thanks very much!

[mm34b]

The NC State Bureau of Investigation publishes an annual report on crime in NC every spring for the previous year.

These are the population indexed numbers for Surry County during 2006:

Violent Crime Rate - 266.7
Property Crime Rate - 3,396.5

Compared to the state as a whole, crime in Surry County is well below the state's average:

NC Violent Crime Rate - 483.0
NC Property Crime Rate - 4,166.8

National Crime Rate from the FBI during 2006:

U.S. Violent Crime Rate - 473.5
U.S. Property Crime Rate - 3,334.5

NC SBI Report - http://sbi2.jus.state.nc.us/crp/publ...%20Summary.pdf

FBI Report - Table 1 - Crime in the United States 2006

[dianeski]

We go up there now and then. My kids like to eat at Snappy Lunch.

I'm surprised there's a high crime rate. It has always struck me as a pretty safe, easygoing place. But it is having growing pains...that may be a factor.

I wouldn't rule out Mt. Airy and environs for relocation, though. It's a lovely area.

Diane

[soapgirl]

Originally Posted by dianeski

We go up there now and then. My kids like to eat at Snappy Lunch.

Diane

Thanks Diane,

That seems to be quite popular. I have seen it mentioned on some websites. If we make it there it will have to be one of my first stops!

[soapgirl]

Originally Posted by mm34b

The NC State Bureau of Investigation publishes an annual report on crime in NC every spring for the previous year.

NC SBI Report - http://sbi2.jus.state.nc.us/crp/publ...%20Summary.pdf

FBI Report - Table 1 - Crime in the United States 2006

Thank you mm34b,

This should come in handy no matter which NC area we choose. Pitt County was the place we originally looked at. I'll have to check out that area as well.

[mm34b]

Crime in Pitt County was much higher than Surry in 2006.

Pitt County

Violent Crime Rate - 742.6
Property Crime Rate - 5,063.0

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by mm34b

Crime in Pitt County was much higher than Surry in 2006.

Pitt County

Violent Crime Rate - 742.6
Property Crime Rate - 5,063.0

I love Surry County - it is one of the prettiest, least over developed in the state - would love to have a few acres there someday, or in its neighbor Alleghany County

[kacee1]

My husband and I are from Mt. Airy but have not lived there in eighteen years. We still have family there and visit about twice a year. I have NEVER heard or thought that Mt. Airy has a high crime rate. Maybe I'm out of the loop or just idolize my hometown. When my husband retires from the military, we hope to settle back in NC. It probably won't be in Mt. Airy since the job prospects there are few.

[dsobotta]

Originally Posted by soapgirl

Hello,

My husband and I are considering moving our family to Mount Airy. Everything was looking good, but then I checked around on this website. After checking the City-Data crime index, I'm having second thoughts. The national average for the crime index is 239.8 and Mount Airy's is 530.8. We are coming from a town that has an idex less than 120. I'm concerned about this. Can anyone give me any insight as to why this is so high? I'm hoping some of you that live there may be able to help me out.

I wasn't sure if I should post this here or in the general NC forum, so sorry for the dupe question.

Thanks very much!

I'm not sure how the crime statistics are done. Mount Airy, the city, is actually fairly small, much of the population is in surrounding Surry County.,

Part of this has to do with the way property taxes are done in North Carolina.

The extra taxes give you an incentive to not live in the city.

If you live in Mt. Airy, you pay both Mount Airy city taxes and Surry County taxes. If you live in the county you just pay county taxes.

On the house we had there a few years ago, taxes from each district were $1,000. In effect it cost an extra $1,000 to live in the city.

If you look at the City data profile for Surry County, you'll find there were 72,600 in the county in 2005. About 8,500 of those were in Mount Airy according to City-Data.

Most of the newer homes in the Mount Airy area are outside the city.

We lived right on West Pine just a few blocks from Main Street, I never felt threatened or in danger all the years that we were in Mt. Airy. My mother lived there until she was ninety. We sold our place there in 2004. It's now a B&B.

This is a blog post about Mount Airy that I did a couple of years ago.

My two favorite restaurants are Goobers and Odell's Sandwich Shop.

Here a few shots we took on a trip there.

[Layne13]

I am 21 years old and I have lived in mt airy all my life. There is really nothing bad that happens here. I think that the main reason for the crime is drugs...mostly pot, but where mt airy is so small there is a place called brick city and this is where most all of this is goin on. Flat rock is pretty bad too! Every area has places that the poor live. If you are moving to mt airy i would tell u personally to stay away from flat rock and any streets near brick city if pot is a problem for u. there really is nothing else that happens here. You only hear of weed! But that is everywhere. I also want a clean, healthy, and safe environment for my family, so reckomend that if u are wanting to move her look for houses located in Pilot mtn, westfield, holly springs, bannertown, sheltontown (but dont get too close to flat rock), the city of mt airy is nice and the houses in the country club are beautiful and some are very affordable around 100,000 if that meets your means. Being that I am young, I know all the spots and areas that young people go and stuff, so U can ask me anything about an area and I will know. I wish this was something that we as family oriented people could get away from, but naturally there is rough people in all states and areas, you just have to pick the right area!!! If you want to stay near the city, like within a 5 to 10 mile range I first and formost would tell u the Holly Springs or Franklin community!!!! try this and see what cha think!! Hope this helps some