Potential Move from Chicago to Minneapolis (best neighborhoods, homes, safest neighborhood)

[ManBearPig1]

Originally Posted by west336

Why wouldn't you compare it to Lincoln Park? As someone with experience living there, I feel like I know it well enough to compare it to Uptown.

I'm not saying Uptown isn't safe (I said I'd live there), but it IS somewhere where you can't just stumble around and expect everything to be alright. IOW, I wouldn't want my wife walking home alone in Uptown.

I have family from Chicago, and how they describe Lincoln Park, and how you are here, is not how I'd describe uptown. I wouldn't be worried about someone I care about walking home in uptown.

Note: some areas around Franklin and areas east of Nicollet I might be less nonchalant about, but I don't really consider that part of uptown.

[xandrex]

I'm guessing a lot of Uptown, especially west of Hennepin, is safe to walk around. I've biked through there many times when traveling from Uptown back to the U area. Also, I myself have never been worried about being on the busy streets like Hennepin and Lake in the area. There are so many people on the sidewalk and driving through that I would be cautious (as you always should be), but not afraid. When I used to have to compile crime reports for the South/Southwest area, you rarely had serious crime occurring along main streets. The occasional more violent crime was on the side streets, especially pronounced the further you went east of Hennepin and north of Lake.

[west336]

Am I just being over-protective here? I remember last summer there was this small group of guys just going around and brutally beating people up and taking peoples' money, but it was more than just a mugging -- they WANTED to hurt people. It happened a good 4 or 5 times before they were caught. I'd NEVER let (as much as I can, anyway) my wife walk home alone with people like that out. Is Uptown a scary place though? No! I really don't get the sense of danger when I'm Uptown but yet these things do happen every once in a while, which is all I need to hear to be cautious.

Again, I LIVED in Lincoln Park with my family for a bit, who lived there 10 years. I say the two areas are comparable, crime-wise (essentially, both have little crime but definitely have issues with muggings and break-ins more than your avg. upper-class/middle-class neighborhood).

[west336]

Originally Posted by xandrex

I'm guessing a lot of Uptown, especially west of Hennepin, is safe to walk around. I've biked through there many times when traveling from Uptown back to the U area. Also, I myself have never been worried about being on the busy streets like Hennepin and Lake in the area. There are so many people on the sidewalk and driving through that I would be cautious (as you always should be), but not afraid. When I used to have to compile crime reports for the South/Southwest area, you rarely had serious crime occurring along main streets. The occasional more violent crime was on the side streets, especially pronounced the further you went east of Hennepin and north of Lake.

The busier and more lit an area, the safer, generally. That's good advice. I think we've strayed a bit off-topic because of my comment on Uptown crime, so I apologize, and would like to help the OP if she has any addt'l questions about Minneapolis unrelated to Uptown's crime (or lack thereof).

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by west336

Am I just being over-protective here? I remember last summer there was this small group of guys just going around and brutally beating people up and taking their money, but it was more than just a mugging -- they WANTED to hurt people. It happened a good 4 or 5 times before they were caught. I'd NEVER let (as much as I can, anyway) my wife walk home alone with people like that out. Is Uptown a scary place though? No! I really don't get the sense of danger when I'm Uptown but yet these things do happen every once in a while, which is all I need to hear to be cautious.

Again, I LIVED in Lincoln Park with my family for a bit, who lived there 10 years. I say the two areas are comparable, crime-wise (essentially, both have little crime but definitely have issues with muggings and break-ins more than your avg. upper-class/middle-class neighborhood).

I think the issue people have is they are men, mostly, posting about these areas. Of course nothing is going to happen to them because they are men. I don't think you are being over protective at all and honestly it is just a street smart practice not to walk around by yourself at night. I am sure Uptown will chime in and say she walks all over the place alone at 3 am and is fine though .

[srsmn]

Originally Posted by golfgal

I think the issue people have is they are men, mostly, posting about these areas. Of course nothing is going to happen to them because they are men. I don't think you are being over protective at all and honestly it is just a street smart practice not to walk around by yourself at night. I am sure Uptown will chime in and say she walks all over the place alone at 3 am and is fine though .

Whoa....golfgal, hang on there. I think that's out of line....you're gender isn't going to matter much if the assailant has a knife...

Actually, you're gender doesn't matter much in an assailants eyes (for things like robbery), period.

[west336]

Originally Posted by golfgal

I think the issue people have is they are men, mostly, posting about these areas. Of course nothing is going to happen to them because they are men. I don't think you are being over protective at all and honestly it is just a street smart practice not to walk around by yourself at night. I am sure Uptown will chime in and say she walks all over the place alone at 3 am and is fine though .

I'm a man too, but a husband and a father, so maybe that's it....IDK. "Uptown" and I (apparently) grew up in the same kind of environment (even went to some of the same schools) and I'd expect that she'd mostly agree, but yes, say Uptown is safe (because it is).

[Hans Licks]

Uptown requires caution. We've lived about 5 blocks south of Calhoun Square for 11 years. In that time we've had a car stolen, our house broken into and numerous episodes of minor vandalism. There's probably a small group doing all of this, but from our experience, the cops just aren't that concerned. So, if you decide to live in Uptown, you need to be aware of your surroundings and take responsibility for your own well-being.

[srsmn]

Originally Posted by west336

Am I just being over-protective here? I remember last summer there was this small group of guys just going around and brutally beating people up and taking peoples' money, but it was more than just a mugging -- they WANTED to hurt people. It happened a good 4 or 5 times before they were caught. I'd NEVER let (as much as I can, anyway) my wife walk home alone with people like that out. Is Uptown a scary place though? No! I really don't get the sense of danger when I'm Uptown but yet these things do happen every once in a while, which is all I need to hear to be cautious.

Again, I LIVED in Lincoln Park with my family for a bit, who lived there 10 years. I say the two areas are comparable, crime-wise (essentially, both have little crime but definitely have issues with muggings and break-ins more than your avg. upper-class/middle-class neighborhood).

Nah, we get you, West. Or at least I do. What you're advocating is street smarts-- that's a good idea anywhere you go. Walking around alone after dark is not a good idea in any neighborhood in Minneapolis. And because Uptown is a higher density neighborhood, with more shoppers and bargoers, there are more targets, and people that want to take advantage know that....

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by srsmn

Whoa....golfgal, hang on there. I think that's out of line....you're gender isn't going to matter much if the assailant has a knife...

Actually, you're gender doesn't matter much in an assailants eyes (for things like robbery), period.

This presents another possible reason not to walk places. If I'm in a car, I'm in a metal and glass fortress. Good luck stabbing me.