Safety index · Manhattan, New York · data through March 2026
Is Washington Heights (North) safe?
Washington Heights (North) records more reported crime than most New York neighborhoods. Its SafeRoute safety index is 28 out of 100 — 5 points below the citywide median of 33, ranking 144th of 197 NYC neighborhoods — based on 1,115 incidents reported to the NYPD within 1 km of the neighborhood center (data through March 2026).
Most of what's reported here is property-related — other theft alone is 35% of reports — rather than violence against strangers, though the full mix below is worth a look.
Incidents spread across the day here — roughly 32% of severity-weighted reports come in the evening (6 p.m.–midnight) and 20% overnight.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Other theft | 395 · 35% | |
| Violent crime | 154 · 14% | |
| Public order | 158 · 14% | |
| Drugs | 93 · 8% | |
| Other | 66 · 6% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 54 · 5% |
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 Heights24/100 · High risk
- Inwood30/100 · Elevated
- Washington Heights (South)27/100 · Elevated
- Highbridge24/100 · High risk
- Mount Eden-Claremont (West)20/100 · High risk
Common questions
Is Washington Heights (North) safe at night?
Elevated overall (safety index 28/100). About 52% 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)?
Other theft — 395 of 1,115 incidents (35%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center through March 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.