SAFEROUTE

Safety index · Ward 1, Washington, D.C. · data through November 2026

Is Howard University safe?

Howard University records a high level of reported crime for Washington, D.C.. Its SafeRoute safety index is 30 out of 100 — 26 points below the citywide median of 56, ranking 116th of 132 D.C. neighborhoods — based on 949 incidents reported to the DC Metropolitan Police within 1 km of the neighborhood center over the 9 months to November 2026.

30/100
Elevated
SafeRoute safety index for the area within 1 km of the center of Howard University — higher is safer. 116th of 132 D.C. neighborhoods.

DATA THROUGH NOVEMBER 2026 · 9 MONTHS OF DATA

The 0–100 scale is calibrated to Washington, D.C. — a typical Washington, D.C. neighborhood sits near 56. It ranks Howard University against other neighborhoods here, and cannot be read against a score in another city.

Most of what's reported here is property-related — other theft alone is 42% of reports — rather than violence against strangers, though the full mix below is worth a look.

Incidents spread across the day here — roughly 31% of severity-weighted reports come in the evening (6 p.m.–midnight) and 23% overnight.

Where incidents cluster

North Capitol Street NorthwestFlorida Avenue Northwest neighborhood center 500 m N ↑
1 dot = 1 report · darker = more severe · rings every 250 m from the neighborhood center949 incidents reported within 1 km of the Howard University center (500 shown) · DC Police data through November 2026 · basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors. Reports cluster toward the south-west of the map — the area immediately around the neighborhood center is comparatively quiet.
Open Howard University on the live interactive map →

What's reported here

Other theft
399 · 42%
Vehicle crime
373 · 39%
Robbery
87 · 9%
Violent crime
62 · 7%
Burglary
23 · 2%
Sexual offences
5 · 1%

When it happens

6a–6p6p–12a12a–6aMON–FRI6a–6p6p–12a12a–6aSAT–SUN

Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from police incident timestamps.

Is Washington, D.C. safe at night? See which neighborhoods see the most reported crime after dark →

Walking in Howard University at night?

SafeRoute scores every walking route against the same official crime data on this page — and shows how much of each route runs on lit streets. Compare the routes and share your walk. Free, no account.

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Nearby areas

Common questions

Is Howard University safe at night?

Elevated overall (safety index 30/100). About 54% 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 — 399 of 949 incidents (42%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center over the 9 months to November 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. The scale is calibrated within Washington, D.C., so scores compare neighborhoods to each other and cannot be read against another city's.