Safety index · Ward 1, Washington, D.C. · data through July 2026
Is Howard University safe?
Howard University records a high level of reported crime for Washington, D.C.. Its SafeRoute safety index is 28 out of 100 — 25 points below the citywide median of 53, ranking 116th of 132 D.C. neighborhoods — based on 569 incidents reported to the DC Metropolitan Police within 1 km of the neighborhood center (data through July 2026).
Most of what's reported here is property-related — other theft alone is 43% of reports — rather than violence against strangers, though the full mix below is worth a look.
Incidents spread across the day here — roughly 33% of severity-weighted reports come in the evening (6 p.m.–midnight) and 24% overnight.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Other theft | 243 · 43% | |
| Vehicle crime | 209 · 37% | |
| Robbery | 62 · 11% | |
| Violent crime | 38 · 7% | |
| Burglary | 12 · 2% | |
| Sexual offences | 5 · 1% |
When it happens
Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from police incident timestamps.
Walking in Howard University at night?
SafeRoute scores every walking route against the same live crime data on this page — and shows how much of each route runs on lit streets. Pick the safer way, share your walk, and check in when you arrive. Free, no account.
Get SafeRoute on the App StoreNearby areas
- Le Droit Park27/100 · Elevated
- Pleasant Plains24/100 · High risk
- Bloomingdale42/100 · Elevated
- Cardozo/Shaw19/100 · High risk
- Stronghold61/100 · Moderate
Common questions
Is Howard University safe at night?
Elevated overall (safety index 28/100). About 57% of severity-weighted incidents in Howard University are reported between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. At night, prefer lit, busier streets — a block or two of detour often avoids the clusters on the map above.
What is the most common crime in Howard University?
Other theft — 243 of 569 incidents (43%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center through July 2026.
How is the Howard University safety index calculated?
SafeRoute weights each incident reported to the DC Metropolitan Police by severity (violence weighs more than shoplifting), sums the last available period within 1 km of the neighborhood center, and normalizes against citywide crime rates onto a 0–100 scale — higher is safer. It describes reported crime only; it is not a guarantee of safety.