What Are The 9 Safest Neighborhoods In Albany, NY?

Albany, New York is the capital of the state located right in the heart of Tech Valley. Founded in 1686, this city sits along the Hudson River and is lush with breathtaking sights and rich in history. Albany is host to a number of exciting events year round, from striking holiday celebrations to the beautiful annual Albany Tulip Festival celebrating the area’s Dutch roots.

The top 3 safest neighborhoods in Albany, New York are Buckingham Lake-Crestwood, the Campus Area-University District, and Delaware Avenue. These neighborhoods have less than half of the violent crime rate of Albany City. Additionally, they all have attractive costs of living, median household incomes, and employment rates. They are very safe places to live and are great choices for students, families, and travelers alike.

Look and see how the top 9 safest neighborhoods in Albany compare in terms of cost of living, location, and more!

The #1 safest neighborhood in Albany, New York is Buckingham Lake-Crestwood. 2.8 miles from Albany City, this neighborhood is in close proximity to city conveniences and its namesake park.

The crime rate in Buckingham-Lake Crestwood is low by city, state, and national standards. With only 996 total incidents of crime per 100,000 people, residents have a very low 1 in 101 chance of becoming a victim of a crime.

The median household income in this neighborhood is very high. Additionally, the unemployment rate is low.

By New York standards, the cost of living in Buckingham Lake-Crestwood is low. The median home value of $219,386 is 23% lower than the New York average. The median rent price is $1,077.

The Campus Area-University District neighborhood is 3.8 miles from downtown Albany. The University of Albany area of the city is surrounded by other institutes of higher learning as well as state houses.

The crime rate in this neighborhood is actually lower than the overall crime rate of Buckingham Lake-Crestwood. However, there are more incidents of violent crime in the Campus Area, making it slightly less safe.

Residents of the University District enjoy a higher than average household income and low unemployment rates.

The cost of living in the Campus Area neighborhood is very low for the region. The median home value is $171,180 and the median monthly rent is $707, both low by both state and national standards. Economically, Campus Area is an attractive neighborhood.

The #3 safest neighborhood in Albany is Delaware Avenue. 1.6 miles from the city, Delaware Avenue is near the Hudson River and has a few public parks and community centers.

The crime rate in Delaware Avenue jumps significantly compared to our top 2 safest Albany neighborhoods. However, violent crime is still incredibly low with only 257 incidents per 100,000 people. It is a very safe neighborhood.

The median household income in Delaware Avenue is $54,873. This is higher than the Albany average, though below that of New York. It is about on par with national standards. Unemployment in this neighborhood is low.

Delaware Avenue is an inexpensive neighborhood with a median home value of $141,300 and median rent price of $666.

2.7 miles from the city of Albany is Melrose. This neighborhood sits along 85, north of Western Avenue. It is the fourth safest neighborhood in Albany.

There are an estimated 3,524 incidents of crime per 100,000 people in Melrose, giving you a 1 in 29 chance of becoming a victim of a crime. Violent crime is very low with only 239 estimated incidents.

Residents of Melrose have an average household income of $67,962. This is above city, state, and national averages. However, the unemployment rate in Melrose is slightly high.

Cost of living in Melrose is low for New York, though a bit high for the U.S. The median home value is $199,433 and the average rental cost of $944.

Normanskill is 3.6 miles from Albany City, along the NY State Thruway and close to Normans Kill creek. The New York State Correctional Services Training Academy is located in this neighborhood.

The overall crime rate in Normanskill is 2,602 per 100,000 people. Most of this is property crime. Normanskill is safer than 58% of cities in New York.

Normanskill’s unemployment rate of 1.5% is very low by all standards. Its median household income is high for the Albany area and by national standards, though low for New York State.

Cost of living in the Normanskill neighborhood is low for New York. Its median home value is $227,700 and its median rent price is $844, which is actually lower than the U.S average.

Just on the other side of the NY State Thruway is Whitehall, the #6 safest neighborhood in the Albany City area. 2.3 miles from downtown Albany, Whitehall is home to several places of worship and has a decent-sized population.

Whitehall sees more than 1,000 fewer incidents of crime than the city of Albany. The property crime rate is almost 4 times higher than its violent crime rate, which is only 534 incidents per 100,000 people.

Both the median household income and unemployment rate in the Whitehall neighborhood exceed local averages.

The median rent price in Whitehall is an extremely low $282 per month. However, available rental properties are few and far between. The median home value in this neighborhood is $182,500.

The North Albany-Shaker Park neighborhood is 1.7 miles from downtown Albany. It is located along the Hudson River and has several local amenities to enjoy.

The overall crime rate in North Albany-Shaker Park is low, though the rate of violent crime in the area is still slightly high, placing it further down on our list. However, the violent crime rate is still low at 603 incidents per 100,000 people.

The median household income in North Albany-Shaker Park is low for the city, state, and nation. However, the unemployment rate is slightly lower than all averages.

This has led to an agreeable cost of living in this neighborhood. The median home value is $130,350, and the median rent price is $853.

The penultimate entry on our list and 2 miles from Albany City is Helderberg, the eighth safest Albany neighborhood.

Helderberg is safer than 54% of New York cities. You have a 1 in 36 chance of becoming a victim of a crime. Violent crime is low, at a rate of 570 per 100,000 people.

Residents of Helderberg enjoy a very high-income rate. The median household income for the area is $76,828, high by all standards. Unemployment is also low at only 3.2%.

The cost of living in the Helderberg neighborhood is similar to those we have seen so far in terms of home value. However, rental prices are a bit higher than is typical for the area at $1,202 per month.

Finally, the #9 safest neighborhood in Albany, New York is the neighborhood of Dunes. It is 6.3 miles from the city and located near Excelsior college.

In the neighborhood of Dunes, you have a 1 in 34 chance of becoming a victim of any crime. Violent crime is still low, similar to all entries on this list, and the majority of crime is property crime.

The median household income in Dunes is $74,130, far above the city and state averages. It is also high compared to the overall U.S MHI. Additionally, unemployment in this neighborhood is low.

The median home value in Dunes is $152,500, lower than both the New York and U.S average. Rental prices, however, are higher than average at $1,213.