While Manhattan and Brooklyn are the prodigal children of NYC, Staten Island is like the forgotten step child. It doesn’t get any respect and many New Yorkers kind of throw it by the wayside. However, Staten Island is a nice refuge from the hustle and bustle of city life. It has over 170 parks and is one of the greenest boroughs. 59% of Staten Island is covered in either landscaped or natural greenery.
If you are thinking about visiting Staten Island and have some qualms about the safety of the area, we got you covered!
We are going to deep dive into the statistics, look at some maps and talk to the residents of the city to give you a better understanding of how safe the city really is.
Is Staten Island Safe?
Looking at the crime statistics, Staten Island is a very safe place to visit. It is one of the safest cities in the United States. In 2020, Staten Island had a violent crime rate of 184.16 per 100,000 people. Out of the 100 most populous cities in the United States, Staten Island’s violent crime rate is one of the lowest in the nation. Santa Clara, Henderson and Fremont all have similar crime rates as Staten Island.
Staten Island’s Crime Rate Map
Staten Island is patrolled by 4 precincts of the New York City Police Department. Here’s a table showing you the precincts and their crime rates.
Precinct | Area | Crime Rate Per 1000 residents |
120th Precinct | Castleton Corners, Westerleigh, Meiers Corners, Markham Gardens, Fort Wadsworth, Tompkinsville, Concord, Sunnyside, West Brighton, Livingston, Randall Manor, New Brighton, St. George, Ward Hill, Stapleton, Clifton, Silver Lake, Grymes Hill, Fox Hills, Shore Acres, and Rosebank. | 7.2119 |
121st Precinct | Willowbrook, Westerleigh, Port Richmond, Mariner’s Harbor, Elm Park, Port Ivory, Chelsea, and Bloomfield. | 6.2506 |
122nd Precinct | Eltingville, Great Kills, Bay Terrace, Oakwood Heights, Oakwood Beach, Lighthouse Hill, New Dorp, Grant City, Midland Beach, South Beach, Todt Hill, South Beach, Old Town, and Grasmere. | 4.0725 |
123rd Precinct | ottenville, Huguenot, Rossville, Annadale, and Eltingville. | 3.4785 |
The Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In Staten Island
Port Richmond – is located on the north shore of Staten Island and is one of the oldest neighborhoods on Staten Island. There is a lot of crime associated with the area.
Richmond Terrace – is a public housing projects located on the north shore of Staten Island. It is located on Jersey Street and has a reputation for being one of the sketchier parts of the city.
Jersey Street – Many residents advise walking anwhere on Jersey Street at night.
Park Hill – is a neighborhood located on the north shore of Staten Island and has a reputation for high crime.
(Check out our full write up about the safety of New York City)
Staten Island’s Population
The population for the Staten Island in 2020 is 495,747
Staten Island Crime Stats
Here’s a breakdown of all the crimes in Staten Island for 2020. We also included the crimes stats 1990 and 2001 to give you some perspective on how crime has evolved in Staten Island over the years:
|
1990 |
2001 |
2020 |
’20 vs ’90 |
Murder |
29 |
13 |
20 |
-31.0% |
Rape |
80 |
38 |
51 |
-36.3% |
Robbery |
1,035 |
381 |
245 |
-76.3% |
Fel. Assault |
1,225 |
637 |
597 |
-51.3% |
Burglary |
3,641 |
988 |
329 |
-91.0% |
Gr. Larceny |
2,075 |
963 |
977 |
-52.9% |
G.L.A. |
7,224 |
1,023 |
245 |
-96.6% |
TOTAL |
15,309 |
4,043 |
2,464 |
-83.9% |
Looking at the chart, you can see that crime in Staten Island has significantly decreased over a 30 year time period. Total crime has decreased 83% from 1990!
*All data is from the NYPD CompStat
Staten Island Crime Rate
In 2020 Staten Island reported 913 violent crimes and had a violent crime rate of 184.16 per 100,000 people. The national average for violent crime is 366.7 per 100,000 residents. Staten Island’s violent crime rate is half than the national average.
**Violent crimes include; homicides, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults and the violent crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.
Staten Island Murder Stats
In 2020 Staten Island reported 20 homicides, which gives it a murder rate of 4.03 per 100,000 residents. The national murder rate is 5 per 100,000 people. Staten Island’s murder rate is 25% less than the national average.
Staten Island vs The Other Boroughs
Looking at the table you can see that Staten Island had the lowest violent crime rate of all the boroughs.
City |
Population |
Number of violent crimes in 2020 |
Rate per 100,000 people |
1,472,654 |
9,766 |
663.15 |
|
1,694,251 |
7,081 |
417.94 |
|
2,736,074 |
10,619 |
388.11 |
|
2,405,464 |
7,170 |
298.07 |
|
Staten Island |
495,747 |
913 |
184.16 |
Staten Island vs The Most Dangerous Cities In The United States
Here’s a list of the top 10 most dangerous cities in the United States ranked by violent crime rate. It can give you some perspective on Staten Island’s violent crime rate, which is 184.16 per 100,000 people.
Staten Island’s violent crime rate is 13.1 times LESS than Memphis, the most dangerous city on the list.
City | Population | Number of violent crimes in 2020 | Rate per 100,000 people |
Memphis | 633,104 | 15,310 | 2,418.24 |
Detroit | 639,111 | 14,370 | 2,248.44 |
Baltimore | 2,707,064 | 9,273 | 2,027.01 |
St. Louis | 301,578 | 6,017 | 1,995.17 |
Little Rock | 202,591 | 3,657 | 1,805.11 |
South Bend | 103,453 | 1,765 | 1,706.09 |
Cleveland | 372,624 | 6,281 | 1,685.61 |
Milwaukee | 577,222 | 9,407 | 1,629.70 |
Kansas City | 508,090 | 7,919 | 1,558.58 |
Lansing | 112,644 | 1,699 | 1,508.29 |
Springfield | 169,176 | 2,545 | 1,504.35 |
*All data is from the 2019 FBI Crime Stats Report**
What do residents of Staten Island say about its safety
- " Staten Island is a soft borough. The only rough areas are New Brighton, Park Hill, Mariners Harbor, West Brighton."
- "There are very few neighborhoods I wouldn’t live in on Staten Island."
- "Staten Island is probably the safest borough. There’s very much a suburban feel here. There still some seedy places I wouldn’t walk through at 2am but for the most part its relatively safe.’
- "Staten Island is my comfort zone. I’ve tried living in other places before but I feel very safe on Staten Island."
- "There’s a couple of dicey areas but nothing as bad as the seedy parts of Harlem, Brooklyn or Bronx."
- "I have lived on Staten Island my entire 40 years and I have never felt unsafe living here once."
- "Quiet, good place to raise a family."
- "Victory from Bay to around Forest sucks, so does anything near Jersey Street or the projects."
- "Stay away from the projects. Otherwise you’ll be fine."
- "The only rough areas are around Jersey Street, Richmond Terrace, Park Hill and some spots in Port Richmond."
Is Staten Island safe at night?
Staten Island is safe at night. Avoid going into the neighborhoods mentioned above and avoid going into dark and desolate areas at night and you should be fine.
Is it safe to visit alone?
Staten Island is a safe place to visit alone. You can mitigate your chances of becoming a victim if you learn the layout of the city, avoid the bad areas and follow the safety tips posted below.
Driving tour of Staten Island:
Tips To Stay Safe In Staten Island
- Learn the layout of the city and avoid going to the sketchier parts of the city at night.
- Pay attention to your surroundings. Don’t mindlessly scroll your phone while walking around town.
- Don’t allow strangers to give you ‘free’ stuff. More often or not, they are trying to scam you.
- Avoid going out alone in an deserted or desolate area at night. Avoid walking through alleys and unlit areas.
- When going out, avoid excessive drinking. Always be in control.
- Try not to stick out like a sore thumb. Try to fit in.
Final Thoughts
Staten Island is a very safe place to visit. It’s crime stats are one of the lowest in the nation and many residents agree that Staten Island is a very safe place to visit.
There are only a few problems areas that you should avoid at night: Port Richmond, Park Hill, Richmond Terrace and Jersey Street.