Erie, PA Good and bad neighborhoods

[RobertyBob]

I grew up in Glenwood Hills on Sassafras St., just south of W.38th St. Moved to several apartments in the city, from W.26th and Cranberry (too much traffic getting out of driveway), W.7th and Chestnut (college housing area - not bad area at all), West Lake Rd. just west of Peninsula Dr. None of the neighborhoods were unsafe for walking in, day or night. After marriage and family, lived in 2 houses in Belle Valley (very nice southeast Millcreek area). Now live in Lake City, where not much of anything happens at all, and that's the way I like it.

But I have nothing bad to say about Erie. It does seem that crime is on the rise, relative to what it was in years past. Still way better than other cities 100,000 or more.

[Rodeno]

Is Erie safe? Yes. Are there parts of Erie that aren't safe? Yes. There are neighborhoods that are well kept and some that are **** holes, it is like any other town or city in the rest belt...

[badguykc]

Compared to Rust-Belt cities of somewhat comparable size such as Flint, Youngstown, and Dayton...Erie hasn't really fared ALL that bad. Yeah, crime is on the rise and there are more than a few boarded-up buildings and "For Sale" signs around town, but the REAL problem in Erie is the city government, in my opinion. So much could be done to revive Northwestern Pennsylvania.

[RomaniGypsy]

To figure out what's a bad neighborhood in Erie, all you have to do is drive around with your eyes open. If the neighborhood looks iffy, it is iffy. Look at the people who are walking around on the sidewalks. If they look like hoodlums or low-class people, chances are such people live in the area.

But, I agree that Erie isn't as dangerous as many other cities. I guess the drug gangs don't want to waste a lot of time and resources in a not-so-populous city in the middle of an economically comatose area where people aren't likely to have a lot of money.

[badguykc]

Much of the crime in Erie is either related to drugs or property crimes. There are murders and there is violent crime, but ask your average Erieite and they'll probably tell you the same thing I am. There are areas of the city that are questionable, but many good people live in those "bad" areas, and the majority of long-time Erie residents DO care about this city and their neighborhoods.

I live in Little Italy, and I know the area on West 18th Street between Sass and Liberty catches a bad rap, but those "critics" (mainly folks from Harborcreek and people who live south of 90 or west of 79) don't realize how much Little Italy is doing to clean up the area. Those people would rather talk about the shootings/hookers/drugs, rather than the new murals on Arnone's and the building on the southeast corner of 18th and Poplar, or about the community gardens in the neighborhood. Yeah, this isn't the best part of Erie, but it's DEFINITELY not the worst either, not by a long shot.

Sorry if this offends people, but if you don't live or work in the city, don't trash-talk the city.

[trackstar13]

Arnone's bakery is amazing and I have never felt unsafe while walking around this area.

[ptv814]

Murders alone don't make a place ghetto. Ghetto means poor n the lower e and other parts of east side and westside are ghetto. U ever been in some of these houses? I lived all over the e24-e 7th areas n its ghetto. U see it if u live here not driving across the bayfront connector. Come walk the streets or go on a ride along with an Erie cop before u talk with ignorance