Sugar Land one of the safest cities in America, Houston one of the most dangerous. (Austin: 2013, rent)

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by PedroMartinez

Looking at a crime map of Houston, CrimeHouston | Crime Map , there sure does seem to be a correlation between scary looking areas and crime. For example, if you look at the inner-loop north of 10, there is a significantly higher number of crimes east of 45 in the "scarier" looking areas than west of 45 in the Heights and the less "scary" area.

I find this to be more the case for Houston, and it's also a very good basis for a lot of the socio-political culture here. Since we have more options here as a city with car culture, the "nice" areas are more spread out and as a result location becomes less important.

The area I lived in Boston (02130), Jamaica Plain has some areas that LOOK relatively scary, but they're just old urban, art student, transient areas -- bohemian, if you will -- people who are simply looking for cheap rent in an expensive city. Since Houston is relatively inexpensive, people can afford a nicer place, and that's why people move here -- we have an indoor culture. The house is your temple. It's sort of how in NYC, someone might take a really disgusting apartment downtown for the location and be there literally only to sleep rather than a nicer place uptown that's cheaper. Not to mention the city seems to be full of interior designers -- I've seen some impressive spaces in not so great locales. A lot more difficult to judge a book by its cover.

Also, remember that the TYPE of crimes that are very important. Granted no one would want to be a victim of any crime, but I think most of us would choose our life over our iPhone.

[Neo45]

Its funny because the residents of these areas that people on here are so scared of say the same thing about neighborhoods sort of close by. For example, on the other side of 45 acrossfrom the heights around calvacade and Patton. Residents don't consider it bad but will warn you about jensen near 59

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

I find this to be more the case for Houston, and it's also a very good basis for a lot of the socio-political culture here. Since we have more options here as a city with car culture, the "nice" areas are more spread out and as a result location becomes less important.

The area I lived in Boston (02130), Jamaica Plain has some areas that LOOK relatively scary, but they're just old urban, art student, transient areas -- bohemian, if you will -- people who are simply looking for cheap rent in an expensive city. Since Houston is relatively inexpensive, people can afford a nicer place, and that's why people move here -- we have an indoor culture. The house is your temple. It's sort of how in NYC, someone might take a really disgusting apartment downtown for the location and be there literally only to sleep rather than a nicer place uptown that's cheaper. Not to mention the city seems to be full of interior designers -- I've seen some impressive spaces in not so great locales. A lot more difficult to judge a book by its cover.

Also, remember that the TYPE of crimes that are very important. Granted no one would want to be a victim of any crime, but I think most of us would choose our life over our iPhone.

I don't disagree, but I don't think it's as cut and dry as Pedro was making it seem. It'll become even less true as people continue to move intown and gentrify some of these areas that currently look more run down.

[janinecarter281]

I currently live in Houston and can't say enough about how safe I find it. Mind you, I did live in the south side of Chicago for 3 years, so anything would be considerably safer. But that being said, Houston is a lovely place. It has its rough patches like any city, but I wouldn't consider it dangerous.

[DJboutit]

Houston in not even in the top 5 most dangerous. Detroit is the most dangerous it takes the police about 45 min to respond to a call since the city is so broke

[GTRdad]

yup, (my) Alief is nothing, coming from Newark NJ and Queens, NYC. I'm the scary one here

[texas7]

I think a lot of the opinions depend upon whose eyes the opinion is coming from. I'm a native houstonian and crime has had a big spike and become more random and more violent starting in about 2008. It is not the same houston and I don't feel as safe and carefree about where I go as I did a few years ago. So the decline in that sense saddens me. For me, I see the change and it's there. For others who haven't seen the evolution, they may see it totally different and the same thing for those comparing it to other cities they've lived in that may hAve already had a higher crime rate.

[Neo45]

A lot of the rougher areas don't even look real bad. That's why I wonder where people move from if they think theyre scary looking. Also I doubt these people are even exploring these ghetto areas so how would they know how dangerous Houston is? From watching the news in the woodlands?

[usc619]

You can spin it however you like, but the fact remains Houston have a high crime rate. It is what it is.

[texas7]

Originally Posted by Neo45

A lot of the rougher areas don't even look real bad. That's why I wonder where people move from if they think theyre scary looking. Also I doubt these people are even exploring these ghetto areas so how would they know how dangerous Houston is? From watching the news in the woodlands?

Maybe because the crime is not confined to the ghetto areas. Just sort of rAndom and sporadic. Maybe some people define scary looking as old, run-down or low income.