Safety index · Ward 5, Washington, D.C. · data through July 2026
Is University Heights safe?
University Heights shows a typical level of reported crime for Washington, D.C.. Its SafeRoute safety index is 61 out of 100 — 8 points above the citywide median of 53, ranking 46th of 132 D.C. neighborhoods — based on 153 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.
Reported incidents here skew to daytime and evening hours — only about 10% of severity-weighted reports fall overnight (midnight–6 a.m.).
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Other theft | 66 · 43% | |
| Vehicle crime | 63 · 41% | |
| Robbery | 11 · 7% | |
| Violent crime | 6 · 4% | |
| Burglary | 6 · 4% | |
| Sexual offences | 1 · 1% |
When it happens
Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from police incident timestamps.
Walking in University Heights 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
- North Michigan Park68/100 · Moderate
- Pleasant Hill79/100 · Low risk
- Brookland57/100 · Moderate
- Michigan Park77/100 · Low risk
- Edgewood47/100 · Elevated
Common questions
Is University Heights safe at night?
Moderate overall (safety index 61/100). About 43% of severity-weighted incidents in University Heights 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 University Heights?
Other theft — 66 of 153 incidents (43%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center through July 2026.
How is the University Heights 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.