"Bad" Parts of Raleigh? (Durham, Fayetteville: apartments, crime, motels)

[LalaNY]

So the well intentioned cable guy was telling me about the areas of Raleigh to avoid late at night, while driving alone, etc. He mentioned something about W. Hargett St., Blount Street and MLK Blvd. as the drug dealing and crime epicenter. Any clue if there's any validity to this? Doesn't sound like an area I'd venture to, but I hate the whole idea of one wrong left turn and you're in a minefield.

[The Villages Guy]

While you certainly will not take a turn into a minefield anywhere, the bad areas are obvious when you see them and are easy enough to avoid. Areas in Raleigh to take note of are the immediate south/southeast, east and northeast area up to the New Hope Road area. I used to work in the later area. For Durham, the southeast section of downtown is the area to be most aware. This is of three years ago. So I am not sure what changes have happened since then.

The risks are far, far less than many other cities....so do not let fear stop you from exploring the area.

[builder24car]

You have to take things like this with a grain of salt. Some people are
just paranoid and all areas, everywhere are "terrible". I was researching
a place in Durham and was told it was very bad and she never went there
and to avoid it at all costs. Well I wanted the pics so I went anyway and
to this day never have figured out what was so bad about it? Use common
sense and trust your instinct is what I always do...

[cyn7cyn]

Originally Posted by LalaNY

So the well intentioned cable guy was telling me about the areas of Raleigh to avoid late at night, while driving alone, etc. He mentioned something about W. Hargett St., Blount Street and MLK Blvd. as the drug dealing and crime epicenter. Any clue if there's any validity to this? Doesn't sound like an area I'd venture to, but I hate the whole idea of one wrong left turn and you're in a minefield.

Tell the "good intentioned " cable guy to stick it up......
I drive through there every single day. Sometimes at night. There really is no crime epicenter in Raleigh. Probably more crime happens at student apartments near NCSU. Now to be realistic I probably wouldn't want to walk the South part of Blount or Hargett,the area where they turn to Hammond Rd at night but driving through,c'mon. Has there ever been a carjacking there or assault on a random person. Doubt it....

There probably isn't anything you would specifically go there for currently. MLK has some shops but they aren't anything special. In fact much of that area is currently in redevelopment. Big plans for a recently demolished warehouse. Basically he was saying that that's where black people live and to some people that =danger. Good grief Marbles kids museum is on that street. I wish I had time to go on and on but work is calling. I'd chalk it up to someone that doesn't ever go downtown and thinks the worst of what they do not know.

[saturnfan]

We lived at New Hope and Capital in Mini-City. Very bad area now.

[drrckmtthws]

When people tell you about crime, take it with a grain of salt, honestly, and also note who is telling you. I say this because living here a year I have noticed many people don't know the city that well even though they have been here for years, some even growing up here. This is due to not letting go of how xyz place was 20 plus years ago, so for years they have never ventured out. You asked somebody how's xyz place, and they vehemently tell you not to go, then when you go to that area you quickly find out that, that person didn't know what the h*ll they were talking about. Some of it is people being sheltered.

[scratchie]

Agree with Cyn. I haven't found any part of Raleigh that I wouldn't want to drive through at night. I drive up Hammond/Person and down Blount Street every day through the 'bad' (i.e. poor) part of town.

[Francois]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with West Hargett St--EAST Hargett, and in general, the east side of Fayetteville St, are more likely to be places to avoid. Go one block and Wilmington Ave is fine, and vibrant, but go much past that and be careful, except in the City Market area. However, I can't think of what you would even be doing in that part of town at all, anyway.

[bfkidd]

Wilmington Ave?

Seriously there really are no really bad parts by comparison to other larger cities. I have never had any issues walking. Driving is a complete non issue.

You are more likely to have issues on Hillsborough st than some of the so called problem areas.

[cyn7cyn]

Originally Posted by bfkidd

Wilmington Ave?

Seriously there really are no really bad parts by comparison to other larger cities. I have never had any issues walking. Driving is a complete non issue.

You are more likely to have issues on Hillsborough st than some of the so called problem areas.

I guess he meant Wilmington st which kind of shows how little the poster actually knows the area(no offense). Go farther down and its actually a pretty busy corridor into downtown. Yes it's mainly industrial and there are 2 seedy motels on that strip but they've been there forever....and passerbyers seem to live. I think some of the negative image of that area is due to the homeless shelter location. It's right off the street and is the main street it's occupants use going back and forth. To people not used to urban environments that alone is sketchy but in comparison to many cities our homeless population is much more tame (think Seattle,NY).