Crime in Minneapolis? (St. Paul, Richmond: crime rate, neighborhoods, university)

[xGrendelx]

So my fiance and I are preparing for a move sometime within the next year/two years, and have narrowed our search to about 5 or 6 "top choices," and Minneapolis is among them. My question for locals is what's the deal with the area's crime rate? The reputation of Minneapolis from an outsider's perspective is a place that's really low-key, nice people, and great neighborhoods. It's because of this I was surprised to see the city's crime rate (as reported by City-Data) as high as it was - granted its not sky high, just higher than I expected.

Additionally, we have a pretty good handle on the neighborhoods we think we'd try to land in if Minneapolis does become our next home. I'm having a harder time finding the one's we'd try to avoid. Both of us have spent time in so-called "rough" neighborhoods in the cities we've lived in, and we'd like to get out of that sort of environment when we do finally move.

Also, keep in mind that we are used to big cities, and understand that every place has good and bad spots, and no neighborhood is either perfect or imperfect. We also have street smarts, and know how to act, so it takes a lot for us to feel uncomfortable in a given neighborhood. Speaking for myself, I've lived in San Francisco's Tenderloin as well as in Richmond (which has VA's highest crime rate) - and spent lots of time in Baltimore, DC, and New York. And the neighborhood we live in now (in Norfolk, VA) has a edge to it. So I can spot a sketchy neighborhood relatively easily. But if you have any local insight as to Minneapolis's issues, I'd sure appreciate it! Thanks everyone.

[lexuses82]

I use to live in Minneapolis and now live in Milwaukee. The crime rate in Minneapolis - St. Paul is a little lower than cities of the same size. Don't let that fool you because it is not much lower. Living in Milwaukee now, which has a pretty high crime rate, Minneapolis does not seem that much different than Milwaukee. Both cities have their safe spots and areas to avoid. But you should never let your guard down while traveling and considering safety and street smarts. Good luck in your move.

[uptown_urbanist]

If you lived in the Tenderloin without being bothered, nothing should faze you here. On the other hand, the sketchier neighborhoods in Minneapolis also don't have the hustle and bustle (and mixed in trendy spots) of the Tenderloin, or the convenient location.

[pete6032]

Originally Posted by lexuses82

I use to live in Minneapolis and now live in Milwaukee. The crime rate in Minneapolis - St. Paul is a little lower than cities of the same size. Don't let that fool you because it is not much lower. Living in Milwaukee now, which has a pretty high crime rate, Minneapolis does not seem that much different than Milwaukee. Both cities have their safe spots and areas to avoid. But you should never let your guard down while traveling and considering safety and street smarts. Good luck in your move.

[xGrendelx]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

If you lived in the Tenderloin without being bothered, nothing should faze you here. On the other hand, the sketchier neighborhoods in Minneapolis also don't have the hustle and bustle (and mixed in trendy spots) of the Tenderloin, or the convenient location.

Thanks for the input! The TL is definitely a unique place, and I'd be surprised in Minneapolis had a comparable neighborhood. But I'm sure you're right about the "hustle and bustle" element. As far as prevalence of out-right crime being done in the open and overall sketchiness, I have only come across a handful of neighborhoods that compare with the TL.

So what is Minneapolis's issues when it comes to crime? The neighborhood I'm in now mostly has problems with prostitution, homelessness, and public drug use (and a rowdy bar here and there). In SF it was more of the same (but on a different level). In Baltimore it's drug dealing and shootings. What is it that makes Minneapolis's rough spots rough, and where are they?

[uptown_urbanist]

Now granted, it probably depends on where you spend your time, but it's very different in Minneapolis than in San Francisco. In SF, problems like drugs and homelessness are so very, very visible; that's not the case in the Twin Cities.

I feel like I don't know enough about the rough neighborhoods here to give a really good analysis, as I haven't lived in any of them, but my sense is that the issues would be closer to Baltimore's than to SF (although it's nothing like that, either), meaning drugs and drug-related crime. There are some bad pockets in north Minneapolis with high crime rates, and neighborhoods like Phillips in south Minneapolis have elevated crime rates. Then there are the criminals who mug people leaving bars in neighborhoods like Dinkytown, Uptown, or downtown; neighborhoods that are not rough or sketchy, but still have some late-night post-bar crime.

[green_mariner]

I did a check on the crime rate. It is higher than expected. However, it does not crack the top 15 in for the most part. Actually, the #1 crime that Minneapolis cracks the top 15 in, it ranks #1 in, rape. I think the rape rate is what stands out more.

[Mason3000]

Originally Posted by xGrendelx

So my fiance and I are preparing for a move sometime within the next year/two years, and have narrowed our search to about 5 or 6 "top choices," and Minneapolis is among them. My question for locals is what's the deal with the area's crime rate? The reputation of Minneapolis from an outsider's perspective is a place that's really low-key, nice people, and great neighborhoods. It's because of this I was surprised to see the city's crime rate (as reported by City-Data) as high as it was - granted its not sky high, just higher than I expected.

Additionally, we have a pretty good handle on the neighborhoods we think we'd try to land in if Minneapolis does become our next home. I'm having a harder time finding the one's we'd try to avoid. Both of us have spent time in so-called "rough" neighborhoods in the cities we've lived in, and we'd like to get out of that sort of environment when we do finally move.

Also, keep in mind that we are used to big cities, and understand that every place has good and bad spots, and no neighborhood is either perfect or imperfect. We also have street smarts, and know how to act, so it takes a lot for us to feel uncomfortable in a given neighborhood. Speaking for myself, I've lived in San Francisco's Tenderloin as well as in Richmond (which has VA's highest crime rate) - and spent lots of time in Baltimore, DC, and New York. And the neighborhood we live in now (in Norfolk, VA) has a edge to it. So I can spot a sketchy neighborhood relatively easily. But if you have any local insight as to Minneapolis's issues, I'd sure appreciate it! Thanks everyone.

Stay away from North Mpls in general, the Phillips neighborhood of South Mpls & don't join a street gang. Avoid these things & the odds of being a crime victim are pretty slim.

[Mason3000]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

I did a check on the crime rate. It is higher than expected. However, it does not crack the top 15 in for the most part. Actually, the #1 crime that Minneapolis cracks the top 15 in, it ranks #1 in, rape. I think the rape rate is what stands out more.

Too lazy to look it up, but I've heard the rape data point explained due to us having a major University campus in our city. i.e. Alcohol related, date rapes, et al are higher on college campuses & most of the cities one might compare us to, do not have major University's. Still ugly crimes of course, but not the random, violent, street rapes most probably think of. THis is just what I heard, but it makes sense to me intellectually.

[Pisces69]

The shots fired maps are helpful Shots Fired Maps - City of Minneapolis