Moving to Georgia Ave/Petworth Metro area. Looking for updated info on safety. (apartment complex, crime)

[zipzapzop]

I just found a great apartment just a block away from the Georgia Ave-Petworth station and I'm looking forward to living there. But, walking around I did notice it is a seedier area than I'm used to. I was sure nothing would happen, but I felt a weird vibe. Perhaps this is only because I'm not familiar with the area and will feel more at home once I stay there.

I tried to look up opinions on how other people feel about living there, but the posts are all outdated. For context, I'm a small young woman, so I'm used to feeling a little uneasy walking around alone at night. I do feel comfortable walking around Columbia Heights by myself, if that helps with comparison. I will have a roommate in a new, secure apartment complex very close to the metro.

Those who live there, do you like it? Do you feel safe and do you have any experience with crime in the area? Would living there be okay for me, and is this uneasiness just unnecessary paranoia?

[Dennis18708]

It's relatively safe.

As someone who has worked in Petworth for the past few years (at all hours of the day/night), I actually have felt safer there than I have in the area around the Columbia Heights metro.

[DCforever]

It is safe, but like any area of the city you need to have some street smarts. I live a bit west of the area and use the metro station.

[stateofnature]

I know a lot of people who have lived in Petworth for awhile--even bought homes and had children there in some cases--who love it and have not had any significant crime issues over the course of years. That being said, you can use tools like the DC crime map (Metropolitan Police Department) to see that muggings and other types of crime are pretty common in Petworth. Those numbers have to be balanced against the fact that it's a high-density neighborhood so the risk for any one individual of getting mugged is not that likely. But it's certainly a much bigger risk than many other parts of the DC area and it's an area where no one would be surprised if you got mugged. So it really comes down to your own personal comfort and risk-taking ability.

[zipzapzop]

Originally Posted by stateofnature

I know a lot of people who have lived in Petworth for awhile--even bought homes and had children there in some cases--who love it and have not had any significant crime issues over the course of years. That being said, you can use tools like the DC crime map (Metropolitan Police Department) to see that muggings and other types of crime are pretty common in Petworth. Those numbers have to be balanced against the fact that it's a high-density neighborhood so the risk for any one individual of getting mugged is not that likely. But it's certainly a much bigger risk than many other parts of the DC area and it's an area where no one would be surprised if you got mugged. So it really comes down to your own personal comfort and risk-taking ability.

I see your point there. While it looked like there were more occurrences of crime in Petworth, there are other places I'm interested in that did not have significantly less muggings. I lived on campus in Foggy Bottom, one of the safest neighborhoods I know of, and I received alerts of theft and assault fairly often even though I never saw them for myself.

I'm not much of a risk taker, but I want to take this opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and have a new and fulfilling experience. I just hope I'm making a good decision.

[zipzapzop]

Originally Posted by DCforever

It is safe, but like any area of the city you need to have some street smarts. I live a bit west of the area and use the metro station.

That's definitely the main part. If you look worried and skittish that just sets you up for trouble. I hope to be able to confidently walk around the neighborhood, or at least fake it til I make it.

What is it like walking around alone at night? I don't plan on doing this often, but it's possible I would have to at least once in a while.

[DCforever]

Originally Posted by zipzapzop

That's definitely the main part. If you look worried and skittish that just sets you up for trouble. I hope to be able to confidently walk around the neighborhood, or at least fake it til I make it.

What is it like walking around alone at night? I don't plan on doing this often, but it's possible I would have to at least once in a while.

It is always a little bit of a risk walking alone at night almost anywhere. Just be smart. Stay in well lighted areas. Look down an street before you walk there. Detour around areas that seem not quite right. I had to do all of that around DuPont Circle in the 80s, too.

[Dennis18708]

Originally Posted by zipzapzop

That's definitely the main part. If you look worried and skittish that just sets you up for trouble. I hope to be able to confidently walk around the neighborhood, or at least fake it til I make it.

What is it like walking around alone at night? I don't plan on doing this often, but it's possible I would have to at least once in a while.

There is a lot more foot traffic on Georgia than even just a year or two ago, so you should be fine as long as you are smart about it (ie. not walking staring at your phone, or wearing headphones)

[zipzapzop]

Originally Posted by Dennis18708

There is a lot more foot traffic on Georgia than even just a year or two ago, so you should be fine as long as you are smart about it (ie. not walking staring at your phone, or wearing headphones)

Right, I believe that goes for many other parts of DC anyway. I'm happy to hear positive updates on the area. A lot of the forum posts I've read really paint Petworth in a negative light, but they were from years ago so I'm thinking they're not an accurate reflection on what it's like now.

[shooter2219]

petworth is nowhere near as dangerous as it used to be......,most of the criminal elements were either locked up or gentrified out of town......petworth is a gentrified zone now....