Is Charlotte NC Safe?

For a city located in Southern North Carolina, on the border with South Carolina, Charlotte has an amazing history that combines the charm from the southern past with the eclectic nuances of the future generations. From historic NASCAR to futuristic Giga Coasters, Charlotte is mixing the opposites and comes up with an amazing blend of activities for its residents as well as visitors.

Those potential new residents and visitors, however, are interested in how safe it would be for them to live or be in Charlotte, NC. Safety is important for families, singles, as well as young professionals, so let’s see where this city ranks as far as safety goes.

Charlotte’s crime rate

Like any major city across the U.S., Charlotte, NC has been trying to improve its safety ratings over the years. The numbers have improved over the last 25 years but, unfortunately, Charlotte can not be considered one of the safest cities with crime rates higher than the national average. Throughout the North Carolina area, there are more than 91% of communities that are safer and have lower crime rates than Charlotte. Actually, for violent crimes, Charlotte ranks at the top of the most unsafe cities, regardless of size or population.

This can be seen as an effect of the large influx of residents that came to the city but, while trying to keep positive, we have to take into consideration the way in which the numbers decreased. The silver lining here is that while back in 1993 there were 129 homicides, the population was around 451,700 residents. In 2016 there were 67 homicides and in 2018 the number was at 56 with a population of over 873,000 residents. With population numbers doubling over the last approximately 25 years, the crime statistics did not double.

Property crimes are also decreasing. For example, in 2016 there have been around 37,000 property crimes in total, the numbers by 2018 were around 32,300 property crimes in total.

Safe neighborhoods in Charlotte

Some of the least dangerous areas in Charlotte, NC are either on the outskirts of the city in a soft perimeter within the circle drawn by the Interstate-485 Outer boundaries. The safest neighborhoods are those located in the opening from Uptown going south between Independence Boulevard and General Paul R. Younts Expy. If you’re thinking of relocating here then don’t hesitate to get in touch with the local real estate agents in Charlotte, NC for even more information about the best neighborhoods for families with kids in regards to safety.