Am I reading the crime data right? (Seattle, Tacoma: crime rate, neighborhoods)

[cathlyn847]

I am shocked by the crime data gleaned from this site...
to recap that national average is 327 and lower numbers are better--
Los Angeles 474 Seattle 583 Mt vernon 582 Everett 583 Tacoma 725
Longview 599 Portland OR 593 Aberdeen 694 Bellingham 480 Bremerton 543
Lynnwood 420
I thought I was moving to a safer place by leaving LA...
was I wong?

[scirocco22]

--delete--

[Ryan]

Some things to consider.

Los Angeles is one of the largest cities with one of the largest populations in the world. It's much harder for crime to affect a large city's crime index.

The vast majority of cities here are low population small towns. It's much easier for crime to affect a small town's index.

Violent crime vs. property crime etc.

Proportion: Bigger/better nice parts of town ; bigger/badder worst parts of town.

Crime that gets reported/prosecuted vs. otherwise

Personally, I enjoy and feel safer in WA much more so than I did CA and I lived in a very high end area.

[Mark S.]

It looks about right. We've been in the Seattle area just under nine years. Crime was pretty bad when we got here, but it has gotten far, far worse.

Beautiful as this area is, we are leaving --- and crime is the biggest reason.

[the dufferz]

Cathlyn,

it all depends on how you read the data. Adjusted for population, the crime rate in Washington is at the lowest point in all catagories since the early 1980's, except for one catagory: Car theft. We are the Kings of car theft because for some reason our folks from King and Pierce county do not pursue these seriously. Property crimes are what puts us on the map for crime. Lesson? Protect your property. In all other areas, the crime rate is down and washington rates in the middle of the pack compared to the other states.

No matter where you are, the crime rate is 100% when it happens to you.

Here is the web link to see this date (2000 is the newest data they have) http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/wacrime.htm

Check out the explanation paragraph at that bottom.

While here, look at California and you will see that the crimes against people (Murder etc.) are the issue. I choose our property crimes over dying any day.

If you want it really safe, head for North Dakota. : )

The dufferz

[Screenial]

I think those statistics are right on. One of many reasons I left Bellingham was crime. In Bellingham it is decieving because the town looks so peaceful, safe, and quaint. NOT! In 20 years I had theft, after break-in, after armed robbery, after car break-in, you name it, the list goes on.
Since I have moved to California three years ago, I have had one guy expose himself to me, that's it.

[geon]

I've lived in Seattle area for over 20 years and really haven't been bothered by any crime. Sure you hear about it if you watch the local news, but it not what the average person will see on a regular basis. To top it off, I live near Seatac Airport, 2 min. if I catch a green light. It's been a good place to live for these years. I've walk my dogs almost every night for the past 16 years with no problems, usually around 9 p.m.

In those years, I've had one car window smashed (parked on the street), a car run over part of my lawn, a few gunshots, some domestic disputes, wild parties at the neighbors, and recently my nephew's friend unloaded a bike and left it out by the street for 15 minuest and it was stolen (kids getting out of school at the time), but that's it.

Now if I go out looking for street walkers on Pac Hwy or look for gangbangers in the Rainier Valley, I'll find them, especially at night, but I don't do that.

Keeping up on the news, I've actually seen more serious and frequent crimes happening in more affluent neighborhoods in the 'burbs.

I admint we will be moving someday (house has been sold for over year) but not all that far way, hopefully on the other side of the airport---Normandy Park, Burien, or Des Moines (near the water).

By the way, I come from a very small town in SW Wash.

[pjam76]

You can't always believe what people say or what statistics claim. I've lived in various areas over the years. NYC, Philadelphia, NJ, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Seattle. While some of those places I've only lived for a year or less, many i spent enough time to know that what people say or report isn't always what actually happens.

The fact is there is crime everywhere, and you have to take precautions to try and avoid those things. Gangs recruit further from where they used to and older gang members might have some money and move into more affluent neighborhoods.. Maybe they recruit younger kids or maybe they have kids who thought "daddy's past" was something they wanted to get into.. Who knows. There are wannabe street thugs and criminals in every city, suburb and rural area. That is just a fact of life.

I just can not compare crime in Seattle or surrounding areas compared to a place I spent growing up in NYC.... And many places in NYC really are safe.. But the fact is, there are many many places in NYC you really shouldn't be walking around at night or sometimes even during the day.

While Seattle and surrounding areas might have those kind of places, overall, they have nothing like NYC or Los Angeles.


The truth is, if you have one crime in a town with 20,000 people, it looks a lot worse on paper compared to 10 crimes with over 1 million people.

It's all about protecting yourself, researching yourself, and getting a feel for an area... Maybe you like an area, maybe you don't.. It is up to you.

[cpccpch]

We live on the South end of Whidbey Island. No crime other than a loose dog. 10 miles from the ferry, cross the sound and you are on Seattle side. Within minutes from Lynnwood mall. Whidbey is beautiful, very laid back. If you are always in a hurry, don't move to this island. Housing is affordable on the island, just look around and you can get some deals.

[fairweathergolfer]

How long is the ferry ride from Whidbey to the mainland? What's it like there? The people? Does everyone work on the mainland? How does the weather compare to Seattle? What do people do for fun? Did they find the loose dog?