My new place in Highland Park - Why do people keep trying to scare me? (Pittsburgh: cul-de-sac, apartment)

[delia575]

Greetings! I have lived in Pittsburgh now for approximately 48 hours and so far things are great. I like my apartment a lot, and it seems like my street and area is fairly safe. I am living on Portland Street, just off Bryant in Highland Park.

HOWEVER - every where I go and meet new people, when I say I live in Highland Park they say things such as "Oh, you need to watch yourself" or "be vigilant" or "I have lived in Pittsburgh my whole life, and trust me, you need to be careful." I have to say, that is all very disconcerting!

But I thought I chose a safe area. I am close to the park, East of Negley, several blocks North of Jackson. The street seems decent. My apartment is great. Any thoughts or suggestions from the Natives? I'd really like to feel better about my new home!

Regards!

[BrianTH]

Highland Park is fine. In the most recent statistics I have seen, Highland Park's serious crime rate was well below the Pittsburgh average (3.7 per 100 people, compared to the City average of 5.9 per 100 people . . . and overall Pittsburgh is generally considered to have one of the lowest crime urban areas of comparable size). In fact, that put Highland Park well below the very popular Shadyside (6.1 per 100 people), and not too far above the equally popular Squirrel Hill (3.3 per 100 people for Squirrel Hill South, 2.3 per 100 people for Squirrel Hill North).

But like you, I have encountered people from the Pittsburgh area who seem to think Highland Park is a high crime neighborhood. My only explanation is that they are assuming there is some spillover effect from East Liberty (which did have an above-Pittsburgh-average serious crime rate at 9.9 per 100 people). But as the statistics show, there is little evidence of any such spillover effect.

So, personally, I wouldn't let these people bother you.

[Mugatu]

To be blunt, many Pittsburghers I've met are quite sheltered and have never lived anywhere else and have no idea what a "dangerous" area really is. Some guy I work with who lives in Mt Lebanon won't drive through West Mifflin because he thinks it's too dangerous! lol I know nothing about Highland Park, but you live there and say it looks fine, so I'm sure it is. Don't let these negative over-sensitive people worry you.

[Geeo]

I have no idea how these rumors get started. I assume it's by people who don't live anywhere near Highland Park and think that the entire east end is crime-ridden. Maybe they watch too much TV news, where the hook is to scare people. Highland Park is a great neighborhood.

[GStreetShuffle]

Originally Posted by Mugatu

To be blunt, many Pittsburghers I've met are quite sheltered and have never lived anywhere else and have no idea what a "dangerous" area really is. Some guy I work with who lives in Mt Lebanon won't drive through West Mifflin because he thinks it's too dangerous! lol I know nothing about Highland Park, but you live there and say it looks fine, so I'm sure it is. Don't let these negative over-sensitive people worry you.

Yep, I agree. YOU ARE FINE! I live right around the corner in Morningside. Highland Park is a great neighborhood! Stop by Taza Doro coffee house some time! Drop me a PM if you want to talk more about Pittsburgh and the East end.

[mr.davon24]

Originally Posted by Mugatu

To be blunt, many Pittsburghers I've met are quite sheltered and have never lived anywhere else and have no idea what a "dangerous" area really is. Some guy I work with who lives in Mt Lebanon won't drive through West Mifflin because he thinks it's too dangerous! lol I know nothing about Highland Park, but you live there and say it looks fine, so I'm sure it is. Don't let these negative over-sensitive people worry you.

This is very true.

[subdivisions]

Highland Park is fine. I would totally live there myself (N of Stanton, of course).

Like other posters have said, I think sometimes people who don't live in the city have really strange ideas about the crime levels of certain neighborhoods. I think it comes from watching lots of sensationalistic news and not actually going anywhere in person beyond one's own very sheltered cul-de-sac.

Just as an example: I heard a story recently about a woman who lived in some suburb of Pittsburgh (Wexford? Cranberry? Sewickley?) who was so afraid of the Waterfront she wouldn't go shopping there by herself in the middle of the day. Never mind that her chances of being hurt in a car accident just driving there are WAY higher than being caught in a shoot-out at the Bed, Bath, & Beyond or Old Navy corral.

(And yes, I am aware there were shootings there recently in the early morning hours - it's still very unlikely that any random person from the suburbs shopping at 2 pm is going to be the victim in a case like that.)

Some people just really need to get out more and stop worrying so much about things that are really statistically unlikely to happen to them. And they should worry more about whether they are wearing their seatbelts and eating their daily vegetables (less interesting behaviors to news people who are trying to sell soap, but more likely to kill you in the long run if you fail to do them).

In other words, you'll be fine!

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by subdivisions

Highland Park is fine. I would totally live there myself (N of Stanton, of course).

Like other posters have said, I think sometimes people who don't live in the city have really strange ideas about the crime levels of certain neighborhoods. I think it comes from watching lots of sensationalistic news and not actually going anywhere in person beyond one's own very sheltered cul-de-sac.

Just as an example: I heard a story recently about a woman who lived in some suburb of Pittsburgh (Wexford? Cranberry? Sewickley?) who was so afraid of the Waterfront she wouldn't go shopping there by herself in the middle of the day. Never mind that her chances of being hurt in a car accident just driving there are WAY higher than being caught in a shoot-out at the Bed, Bath, & Beyond or Old Navy corral.

(And yes, I am aware there were shootings there recently in the early morning hours - it's still very unlikely that any random person from the suburbs shopping at 2 pm is going to be the victim in a case like that.)

Some people just really need to get out more and stop worrying so much about things that are really statistically unlikely to happen to them. And they should worry more about whether they are wearing their seatbelts and eating their daily vegetables (less interesting behaviors to news people who are trying to sell soap, but more likely to kill you in the long run if you fail to do them).

In other words, you'll be fine!

Totally agree -- people are WAY too scared now. I live in a neighborhood that's classed as BAD, a few of my friends won't visit and in 20 years I've had one break in -- where in their glorious upscale high end snooty patootey neighborhood they've had numerous break ins, homeless encampments setting fires to landscaping that nearly catches the house, and my favorite -- a drive by shooting that could have killed her, if she hadn't have dropped a shirt and bent to pick it up at that second.

NONE of which has ever happened here.

But as for being vigilant to the OP -- not a bad idea where ever you are. I'm a firm believer in locking doors and windows and being aware of my surroundings. Keeps you safe on a lot of levels.

[Awesomo.2000]

You probably just talked to co-workers or something from the North Hills, and think if they see somebody of a different race, or a place without a Walgreens or stripmall is scary.

[aveojohn]

Just like any other place, there are good and bad areas.Find out from people who have lived there a while,whats safe and whats not and avoid those areas.I have lived in New Kensington for7 yrs now and pretty much know where not to go.