New York City is the largest city in the U.S. Look up safety scores and crime statistics for ZIP codes across all five boroughs. Click any ZIP code to see the full safety report including violent crime, property crime, home values, and more.
New York City represents the most populous urban area in the United States, with each of its five boroughs showing distinct safety characteristics shaped by population density, housing types, and economic factors. Manhattan's commercial core differs significantly from the more residential character of Staten Island, despite falling under the same citywide jurisdiction.
NYC has experienced significant long-term declines in violent crime since the 1990s, though conditions can still vary considerably block by block given how densely the city's neighborhoods are packed compared to almost any other U.S. metro area.
Cost of living is tightly linked to the safety conversation here — Manhattan rents run far above the national average, which pushes a lot of the safety-versus-affordability tradeoff out into the outer boroughs. Before assuming a "safer" neighborhood is out of reach, it's worth running the actual numbers for a specific ZIP code rather than going off borough reputation alone.
Flood risk is also easy to underestimate in a city this dense. Hurricane Sandy in 2012 flooded parts of Lower Manhattan, Red Hook in Brooklyn, the Rockaways in Queens, and Staten Island's East Shore — a reminder that "coastal flood risk" isn't just a concern for beach towns. Checking FEMA flood zone data alongside crime data is worth doing even for ZIP codes that don't feel waterfront.
The dense commercial and residential core, with the city's highest cost of living. Wide range from ultra-busy Midtown corridors to quieter Upper West and Upper East Side blocks.
The most populous borough. Huge range from gentrified Park Slope and Williamsburg to more affordable neighborhoods farther from Manhattan — price and safety score often track distance from the core.
The most ethnically diverse county in the country. Density and character vary sharply, from Long Island City's high-rises to the quieter residential streets of eastern Queens.
A mix of revitalizing waterfront areas like Mott Haven and historically higher-poverty neighborhoods. The north Bronx, including Riverdale, is comparatively suburban.
By far the most suburban of the five boroughs — lower density, different crime patterns than the rest of the city, and only reachable from Manhattan by ferry or a long drive through Brooklyn.
Crime score is one piece of the picture — these jump straight into weather, flood, and income data. Swap the ZIP for your own once you're on the tool page.
Crime in NYC has declined dramatically since its early-1990s peak, but safety varies enormously by block, not just by neighborhood. A single ZIP code can include both a quiet residential stretch and a busy commercial corridor with very different numbers. Look up your specific ZIP code above rather than relying on borough-wide reputation.
Based on the ZIP-level data in this tool, Staten Island and parts of eastern Queens tend to show stronger safety scores, generally correlating with lower density and more suburban housing stock than the rest of the city. Manhattan and parts of the Bronx show more variation block to block.
Yes. Coastal neighborhoods across all five boroughs are exposed, not just waterfront suburbs. Hurricane Sandy in 2012 flooded parts of Lower Manhattan, Red Hook in Brooklyn, the Rockaways in Queens, and Staten Island's East Shore. Check the flood tool for FEMA flood zone data on any specific ZIP code, even ones that don't feel coastal.
It depends heavily on borough and ZIP code. Manhattan rents run far above the national average, while parts of the outer boroughs are more attainable. Use the income calculator to see an estimate based on Census rent data for a specific ZIP code rather than a citywide average that can be misleading in either direction.
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