Safety index · Central, Philadelphia · data through August 2026
Is West Poplar safe?
West Poplar records more reported crime than most Philadelphia neighborhoods. Its SafeRoute safety index is 43 out of 100 — 12 points below the citywide median of 55, ranking 123rd of 151 Philadelphia neighborhoods — based on 1,733 incidents reported to the Philadelphia Police within 1 km of the neighborhood center (data through August 2026).
The largest reported category here is violent crime (24% of reports) — worth taking seriously when walking at night; the full mix is broken down below.
Reported incidents here skew to daytime and evening hours — only about 12% of severity-weighted reports fall overnight (midnight–6 a.m.).
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Violent crime | 423 · 24% | |
| Other theft | 384 · 22% | |
| Vehicle crime | 355 · 20% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 187 · 11% | |
| Other | 180 · 10% | |
| Burglary | 70 · 4% |
When it happens
Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from police incident timestamps.
Walking in West Poplar 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
- East Poplar48/100 · Elevated
- Callowhill40/100 · Elevated
- Francisville42/100 · Elevated
- Yorktown36/100 · Elevated
- Spring Garden50/100 · Moderate
Common questions
Is West Poplar safe at night?
Elevated overall (safety index 43/100). About 37% of severity-weighted incidents in West Poplar 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 West Poplar?
Violent crime — 423 of 1,733 incidents (24%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center through August 2026.
How is the West Poplar safety index calculated?
SafeRoute weights each incident reported to the Philadelphia Police Department 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.