Safety index · Manhattan, New York · data through June 2026
Is Washington Heights (North) safe?
Washington Heights (North) records more reported crime than most New York neighborhoods. Its SafeRoute safety index is 39 out of 100 — 14 points below the citywide median of 53, ranking 140th of 197 NYC neighborhoods — based on 2,341 incidents reported to the NYPD within 1 km of the neighborhood center over the 6 months to June 2026.
DATA THROUGH JUNE 2026 · 6 MONTHS OF DATA
The 0–100 scale is calibrated to New York — a typical New York neighborhood sits near 53. It ranks Washington Heights (North) against other neighborhoods here, and cannot be read against a score in another city.
The largest reported category here is violent crime (15% of reports) — worth taking seriously when walking at night; the full mix is broken down below.
Incidents spread across the day here — roughly 32% of severity-weighted reports come in the evening (6 p.m.–midnight) and 19% overnight.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Violent crime | 359 · 15% | |
| Other theft | 815 · 35% | |
| Public order | 363 · 16% | |
| Drugs | 177 · 8% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 109 · 5% | |
| Robbery | 78 · 3% |
When it happens
Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from NYPD incident timestamps.
Walking in Washington Heights (North) 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
- University Heights (South)-Morris Heights28/100 · Elevated
- Inwood44/100 · Elevated
- Washington Heights (South)36/100 · Elevated
- Highbridge29/100 · Elevated
- Mount Eden-Claremont (West)21/100 · High risk
Common questions
Is Washington Heights (North) safe at night?
Elevated overall (safety index 39/100). About 51% of severity-weighted incidents in Washington Heights (North) 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 Washington Heights (North)?
Violent crime — 359 of 2,341 incidents (15%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center over the 6 months to June 2026.
How is the Washington Heights (North) safety index calculated?
SafeRoute weights each incident reported to the NYPD 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 New York, so scores compare neighborhoods to each other and cannot be read against another city's.