What Are The 10 Safest Neighborhoods In Detroit?

Ossiana Tepfenhart
by Ossiana Tepfenhart

Detroit is one of those cities that has a notoriety about it, especially when it comes to safety. I’m not going to mince words. Detroit, or “the D” as locals call it, is one of the most dangerous cities in America. With that said, it is undergoing a revival. Could this old Ford-based city be safe? Possibly, if you choose the right parts to move to.

Corktown, Millennium Village, and Sherwood Forest are all considered to be quality, safe neighborhoods in Detroit. Even certain parts of Midtown can be deemed safe, though it can vary greatly depending on the block.

If you want to move to the D, then you’re going to have a hard time finding a lot of information regarding safety. We’re here to help you out.

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What Are The Safest Neighborhoods In Detroit?

Unfortunately, we’re going to have to preface this with a major caveat. Through the course of our research, we have noticed that a lot of neighborhoods’ crime reports were either incomplete or inconclusive. In some cases, we’ve even seen accusations of police refusing to report on things in the area. So, please take these rankings and numbers with a grain of salt. We tried!

10. Midtown

We’re including this in our list because we’ve seen two different sets of data for Midtown floating around the net. Some have claimed above-average violent crime, while others claim it’s far below average. Regardless of the mish-mash, it is worth noting that Midtown can be a bit of a mixed bag.

This part of town has its great sides filled with luxury apartments and restaurants. Unfortunately, it also has parts that are very clearly gang-riddled. It all seems to depend on the block you go on. For the sake of this article, we’re going to include the less optimistic stat.

Note: As the author of this article, I strongly suggest that anyone who tries to move to Midtown take a close look at the security amenities of their building. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

  • Violent Crime: 2414 per 100,000 
  • Property Crime: 7435 per 100,000

9. Marina District

In most parts of the country, being near a marina tends to mean that you’ve got some money. Boats aren’t cheap, you know! This district of Detroit has less than 500 people who currently reside there, primarily due to zoning laws. However, it seems to be a pretty safe place to live.

Much like other listings on here, the Marina District has several different sets of numbers. Sometimes, it’s different on the same site! Some list the total crime per 100,000 as around 10,000. But, we’re going to go with the most widely-shared stats here.

  • Violent Crimes : 766 per 100,000
  • Property Crime: 1,721 per 100,000

8. Rivertown

Here’s another option for people who want to get a little view of the waterfront: Rivertown. This Detroit suburb-neighborhood is still small at under 1000 residents. Even so, it remains a low crime area. Though it’s definitely one of the safer places to live, it still has a way to go before it can be considered upscale.

The median home price here is $119,000. Unemployment is above average, but the one thing we can say with some surety is that you won’t hate your neighbors. People are pretty quiet and welcoming here.

  • Violent Crimes: 786 per 100,000
  • Property Crime: 1,721 per 100,000

7. Corktown

If you ask most locals about Corktown, they’ll tell you that it’s a nice place to live. The area is fairly suburban in ambiance, with tons of beautiful homes to buy or rent. This small neighborhood is family-friendly, sure, but it’s mostly known for the active nightlife in the area. It’s a fun place to be if you’re local.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to check out the homes here. At a median price of $150,000, they are not bad and they might actually be a fairly excellent investment for people who want to chase the American dream.

  • Violent Crimes: 796 per 100,000
  • Property Crime: 1,721 per 100,000

6. Millennium Village

In a lot of ways, Millennium Village is a unique case as far as statistics go. On one hand, the stats we found revealed that it’s one of the safest affordable neighborhoods in Detroit. On the other hand, it also states that the area has an 11.2 percent unemployment rate. Unemployment, of course, tends to bring higher crime rates. So, it’s an odd area.

There’s not much information to be found online about this neighborhood, but it appears to be a development. So, that’s something that you may want to take into account when you are trying to find a place nearby.

  • Violent Crimes: 776 per 100,000
  • Property Crime: 1,721 per 100,000

5. Virginia Park

Virginia Park is right on the outskirts of Detroit, and it’s home to quite a few up-and-coming families. This quiet neighborhood has all the feel of an idyllic suburb, but still remains affordable to the average family at a median price of $200,000. Unsurprisingly, you also can expect some decent amenities in and around this region.

The truth is that this is one of the better neighborhoods to live in when it comes to Detroit real estate. You get good schools, a good community, and a good piece of property, too. We are not 100 percent certain how accurate the stats sent here are, but that’s still what we got.

  • Violent Crime: 150 per 100,000
  • Property Crime: 514 per 100,000

4. Joseph Berry

If you love the idea of city living but don’t want to have the violent crime of city life, check out Joseph Berry. This up-and-coming neighborhood has a little nightlife, a lot of amenities, and a stellar track record for safety. Nestled close to the Mayor’s home, police are always patrolling this riverside area.

Many families who move here are young professionals as well as new business owners. Needless to say, it’s a good area to raise kids and also get a brand new lease on education. Since police are fairly active here, you also don’t have to worry about walking around at night.

  • Violent Crime: 262 per 100,000
  • Property Crime: 1,494 per 100,000

3. Sherwood Forest

No, there’s no Robin Hood here. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some cool and quirky legends surrounding the place. Or rather, this place is fairly legendary when it comes to its reputation for safety. Affordable housing, a respectable amount of diversity, as well as decent schools make this place an outlier when it comes to Detroit’s rep.

As one of the safest neighborhoods in Detroit, it comes as no surprise to anyone that Sherwood Forest has a somewhat steep price for housing. The median home price here is $329,000, making it one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the area. If you can afford it, it’s safe to say that you will enjoy your time here.

  • Violent Crime: 150 per 100,000
  • Property Crime: 2,267 per 100,000

2. Arden Park

A favorite location for retirees, Arden Park is a quiet neighborhood that has an urban ambiance. Here, you get to enjoy tons of little cafes, cozy restaurants, and entertainment venues. However, don’t let that fool you. It’s a very close-knit community that prides itself on keeping streets safe for everyone around.

A median price of $106,000 makes this a great pick for people who want to retire, or for young professionals that want to save up for a nicer area elsewhere. Rent is cheap, too. While the school systems are not the best in the city, they’ll give your kids adequate care. With that said, this area has some of the lowest crime rates in Detroit.

  • Violent Crime: 160 per 100,000
  • Property Crime: 800 per 100,000

1. Brewster Douglas

With a name like Brewster Douglas, it’s kind of hard not to feel like you’re going into some nice area on a college campus. Honestly, this part of Detroit doesn’t just sound fancy. It kind of is fancy. As the safest part of the Detroit suburbs, we can’t help but fall in love with its urban-suburban charm.

There are occasional coffee shops here. You can find study groups and very professionally-inclined families here. Needless to say, the affordable rents here are actually a good thing. This might just be the place where the revival of Detroit starts to kick off. Both violent and property crime are at an all-time low here.

  • Violent Crime: 150 per 100,000
  • Property Crime: 678 per 100,000

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Related Questions

Is Detroit’s crime rate getting better?

Detroit has a longstanding issue with crime, and that’s been its stigma for ages. However, law enforcement has been working to decrease crime. In recent years (aside from 2020) the overall crime rate has been steadily decreasing. This is both due to law enforcement’s arrest quotas as well as active attention from the community.


Why is Detroit’s crime rate so high?

There are a number of reasons why Detroit has a high crime rate. The biggest issues include a steadily high unemployment rate, a lack of mental health care, as well as underfunded school systems. High addiction rates have also been cited as a primary cause as well as a lack of attention to gang activities that help fund addictions.However, there is another issue that has been brought to light in recent years: lead. Detroit has a high level of lead in the water and air. Lead has been linked to higher rates of impulsivity as well as worse rates of crime. However, this, too, is being addressed by both state and local authorities.


How dangerous is Detroit compared to other cities in the United States?

Recent statistics from the FBI placed Detroit as the most dangerous city in the entire country. Part of the reason for this is the violent crime rate, which currently stands at 2,000 per 100,000 people. It’s also considered to be one of the 25 most dangerous cities in the world, though those statistics are often skewed.

Ossiana Tepfenhart
Ossiana Tepfenhart

Ossiana Tepfenhart is an expert writer, focusing on interior design and general home tips. Writing is her life, and it's what she does best. Her interests include art and real estate investments.

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