Have you found yourself wondering just how safe your neighborhood really is? Whether you’re house hunting and trying to identify the best neighborhood for your family, a recent home break-in nearby has you spooked, or you’re simply trying to gain a better picture of the crime rate in your area, being aware of how safe your neighborhood is can help you make smart decisions to protect yourself, your household, and your home.
Fortunately, there are quite a few resources available to look up crime reports by address or view local, state, and national-wide crime maps to get a better picture of the crime in your area, or, hopefully, a lack thereof.
Here are some of the best tools to use to research crime near you:
- Municipality Crime Maps
- FBI Crime Data Explorer
- Federal and State Sex Offender Registries
- Crimemapping.com
- Spot Crime
- Area Vibes
Best Tools To View Crime Reports In Your Neighborhood
Often the best way to find your local crime map is to search “[your city or neighborhood] crime map” using your favorite online search engine. This will typically bring up your local law enforcement agency’s crime map, which will usually provide the most accurate data. However, not all areas and jurisdictions have the resources to build their own crime map, so you may need to use a third-party tool to view and analyze this data.
Below we’ve outlined the highlights and features of some of our favorite tools for understanding crime and crime rates in your neighborhood, city, county or state. These tools allow you to enter your state, city, zip code and, in some cases, even your address, to give you a clearer picture of home break-ins and other crime nearby so that you can stay aware and keep your home safe.
Crime Maps and Crime Statistics by Municipality
Looking for crime maps in a specific area? Below you’ll find crime maps for a few cities in some of our biggest markets.
- See Charlotte’s crime map at crimemapping.com.
- Raleigh, NC uses its own crime mapping tool, found here.
- See Asheville, NC’s crime map here.
- Atlanta provides three different types of crime maps for residents to view.
- Knoxville, TN’s crime map can be viewed here.
- View Charleston, SC’s crime map here.
- View Columbia, SC’s crime map here.
Visit your municipality’s government website to find crime data specific to your area.
FBI Crime Data Explorer
For a broader view of crime in your state or area, take a look at the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer tool. It offers detailed crime information and statistics by state and, in some areas, by local law enforcement agency. While it won’t give you information about crime in your specific neighborhood or area or show exactly where crimes are occurring, it does provide a detailed look at crime and crime trends in your town, city, county and/or state.
National and State Sex Offender Registry
It never hurts to know who lives in the neighborhood, especially if there are registered sex offenders living nearby. There are federal and state resources that can show you if there are any registered sex offenders living near you. For example, visit the Department of Justice’s National Sex Offender Public Website to search for registered sex offenders in all 50 states, The District of Columbia, U.S. Territories, and Indian Country. Each state also keeps track of registered sex offenders. You can search for your state’s sex offender registry using a search engine or visit the following links to view state registries that fall in CPI’s service area.
North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Agency
South Carolina Public Sex Offender Registry
Tennessee Sex Offender Registry
Crimemapping.com
Crimemapping.com partners with law enforcement agencies throughout North America to provide information about recent crime activity in neighborhoods. Crime for the last 6 months is obtained from law enforcement agencies and displayed by block. Crimes are categorized by type so that citizens can have a better picture of where crimes are occurring and what is happening, though specific details of each incident aren’t shared. For more detailed information about these incidents, you’ll need to contact your local law enforcement agency.
Crimemapping.com also offers the option of subscribing to email alerts to keep you aware of crime nearby so you can take preventative measures to keep yourself and your property safe.
Not every area can be found on crimemapping.com, as it leans on partnerships with local law enforcement. All information is collected directly from law enforcement agencies, rather than through data scraping and similar means.
SpotCrime
SpotCrime is a crime data aggregator, similar to crimemapping.com, although it also gathers data from verified news reports. This data is used to create crime maps that offer accurate, timely geocoded information to the public. It also offers the option to subscribe to crime alerts near you.
Because SpotCrime relies on news reports in addition to local law enforcement data, you may have luck finding your neighborhood crime map there, even if it’s not available on crimemapping.com. However, remember that not all crimes are reported by the media, so you’ll see an incomplete picture of crime near you if your local law enforcement agency isn’t partnering with SpotCrime.
AreaVibes
If you’re thinking of moving somewhere new and trying to get an idea of not only crime, but overall livability, check out AreaVibes. This tool’s algorithm looks at data in a variety of categories including amenities, cost of living, crime, employment, housing, schools and user ratings, then calculates a livability score. It also allows you to search by specific characteristics such as crime, cost of living, or whatever factors are most important to you as you consider a place to live. It is available for areas across the United States and Canada.
Factors That Make a Neighborhood Safer
As you research your neighborhood’s crime maps and consider local crime statistics, keep in mind that there are many factors that can contribute to making a neighborhood a safe place to live, such as nearby emergency services, availability of sidewalks and bike lanes, good lighting at night, fire hydrants close to homes, access to good schools and medical care, and more.
If you’re concerned about your neighborhood’s safety or even if you just want to take an extra step to protect your home, consider contacting CPI security to install a fully-integrated smart home security system customized for your property. We’ll ensure every door, window and blind spot is covered by sensors, monitors, cameras, motion detectors, smoke detectors and more.
Contact us today for a free quote.
