Is Raleigh, NC Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Guide 2025

People ask every year, “Is Raleigh, NC safe?” and “Is Raleigh a safe city?” The answer is briefly that the city is located near the national average regarding crime, but most daily life goes on without any hassles.

This guide will take a tour of the recent 2025 statistics, the safest streets, the blocks requiring additional safety, and the basic habits that will keep the people living and visiting in the area safe.

Is Raleigh, NC Safe?

Raleigh is generally safe. Raleigh is an intermediate capital city that registers moderate levels of crime. The total violent crime rate in 2024 was approximately 432 per 100,000 people, just a few points higher than the United States average. There is also a high rate of property crime of about 2,100 per 100,000, but the majority of the break-ins are not directed at individuals but at cars and unlocked sheds. The response time of the police within the beltline is less than four minutes, and the city spends in excess of 120 million annually on public safety. Comparing Raleigh with other similar cities of the South, it comes out as the safer half.

Is Downtown Raleigh, NC Safe?

Yes, Raleigh downtown is crowded with early morning coffee runs and late-night concerts. A prominent police bike patrol is present in the district, bars have hired private security teams, and over 180 streetlights have been upgraded to bright LEDs in 2023. The central precinct saw a six percent decrease in violent crime the previous year, and an increase in shoplifting and car break-ins on the evenings of the weekends. It is also a safe place to walk as long as you keep to main streets, park in light decks, and do not leave anything in your car seat.

Is Raleigh, NC Safe from Hurricane?

Raleigh is not on the coast and is 120 miles away; thus, it does not experience the worst storm surge. The city continues to receive blows from fading hurricanes, which transform into tropical storms or depressions. There have been high winds, flash floods, and power outages that lasted a week in 1996, 2011, and 2018. The construction standards have increased the strength of roofs and windows, and the county has 14 shelters, which open when a storm is approaching. A majority of the residents maintain a three-day water supply and battery radio. Of greater concern are hurricane-spawned tornadoes, but these are reported to cause a rare death.

Is Raleigh, NC a Safe Place to Live?

Families keep moving here because schools, parks, and hospitals cluster inside low-crime zip codes. They often ask, Is Raleigh NC safe for residents? Nine out of ten 911 calls are for medical help, not violence. The murder count in 2024 was 34 for a city of 485,000, lower than many cities half this size. Water quality, air quality, and traffic deaths all beat the national mark. People who lock doors, use porch lights, and know one neighbor by name rarely face trouble. Raleigh is safe for residents who take normal city steps.

How Safe Is Raleigh, NC? Crime Rate Overview

Before choosing a neighborhood, it helps to see where the numbers come from. The Raleigh Police Department uploads every report to a public map, and the FBI adds the city to its yearly survey. The 2024 full-year report shows the following clear picture:

• Violent Crime: 432 per 100,000. This count includes murder, rape, robbery, and serious assault. It is up two percent from 2023 but still below the national figure of 456.
• Property Crime: 2,098 per 100,000. Car break-ins make up 42 percent of this group, and 68 percent of those cars were left unlocked.
• Homicide: 34 cases. Most stem from domestic disputes or known arguments, not random street attacks.
• Robbery: 273 reports. Half happen at night and involve phones grabbed from people who walk alone while looking at a screen.
• Motor Vehicle Theft: 982 cars taken. Kia and Hyundai models without engine immobilizers make up 38 percent of the list.
• Burglary: 1,408 homes or sheds entered. Nearly 60 percent of entries came through an unlocked door or window.
• Shootings with Injury: 93 events. Police cleared 78 percent by arrest, a rate above the national average.
• Clearance Rate: Police solve 64 percent of violent crimes and 18 percent of property crimes. Both numbers beat the national city average.

Safest and Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in Raleigh

Crime does not spread out evenly across the city. Some blocks record zero violent incidents for years, while a few small stretches see repeated trouble. The map below keeps the names short and sticks to facts drawn from 2024 data.

Safest Neighborhoods in Raleigh

These areas report the lowest number of crimes per 1,000 residents and enjoy quick police and fire response:

• North Ridge – A long-standing golf course community with sidewalks, streetlights, and an active neighborhood watch. Violent crime runs at 0.6 per 1,000.
• Five Points – Tree-lined streets near good schools. The commercial strip brings foot traffic, yet residential break-ins stay under ten a year.
• Brier Creek – Planned subdivision with gated sections and private security cars. Car break-ins dropped after a 2023 camera program.
• Stonehenge – Large lots and cul-de-sacs east of the mall. The area logs almost no violent crime and only rare package thefts.
• Leesville – Suburban feel, many city workers live here. The police substation inside the community center keeps response times low.

Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in Raleigh

These small areas show higher crime counts per 1,000 residents. Most issues stay between people who know each other, yet visitors should stay alert:

• South Saunders Corridor – A one-mile stretch near the interstate. Cheap motels and late-night foot traffic drive up robbery and drug calls.
• Poole Road / New Hope – Apartment clusters with past gang disputes. Shootings rose in 2023 but fell 30 percent after adding patrols.
• Capitol Park – Public housing complex east of downtown. Property crime is the main issue; 70 percent of residents report at least one car break-in.
• Method – Small neighborhood west of St. Aug’s campus. Poverty rate is high, and violent crime runs six times the city average.
• Rock Quarry Road South – Strip malls and bus stops see frequent phone snatchings. Police added a bike team in 2024, and numbers started to fall.

Safety Tips for Staying in Raleigh, North Carolina

Most trouble in Raleigh can be stopped with habits that take little time or money. The police department lists these steps in every community meeting, and insurance data backs them up:

• Lock all doors and windows, even when you step out for five minutes. Half of all burglars walk in through an open entry.
• Install motion lights and a doorbell camera. Packages left on porches disappear fast; a cheap camera cuts theft by 55 percent.

• Park in lit lots and take valuables with you. A backpack on the seat invites a smash-and-grab in under ten seconds.
• Stay in groups after 10 p.m. on Glenwood South or Fayetteville Street. Robbers look for lone targets who appear lost.
• Use the free R-Line circulator bus if you bar-hop downtown. It runs every fifteen minutes and keeps drunk drivers off the road.
• Register your bike and phone serial numbers on the city website. Recovery rates jump when police can match items to owners.
• Keep hedges cut below window height. Thieves want cover; open sight lines push them to the next block.
• Join or start a neighborhood watch. Streets with active groups report 26 percent less crime, and the city gives free road signs.
• Keep a three-day storm kit: one gallon of water per person per day, non-food snacks, flashlights, and a hand-crank radio.
• Download the ReadyWake alert app. It pushes tornado, flooding, and evacuation notices to your phone in real time.

FAQs

Is Raleigh a safe city?

The rates of crime in Raleigh are close to the national median. The majority of the residents live, work, and walk without any hassles, provided that they observe simple habits of the city.

Is Raleigh or Charlotte safer?

The violent and property crime rates are lower in Raleigh than in Charlotte per 100,000 people. Both cities are secure in places that are well-lit during the night.

Is downtown Raleigh safe to walk?

Yes. Bike patrols, late-night buses, and bright lights keep the core safe. Hang about on highways, park in lots, and walk with other people past the hour of nine.

What are the pros and cons of living in Raleigh, NC?

The primary advantages are secure employment, lack of a long trip to work, green parks, and not-so-cold winters. Negatives, however, are increased home prices, summers being hot and humid, property crime is scattered, and storm outages are rare.

Conclusion

So, is Raleigh, NC safe? The 2025 figures indicate that the city maintains an acceptable level of crime, with most of the issues being connected to unlocked vehicles and a few small blocks that give rise to frequent disturbances. The downtown is well-lit and guarded, and the risks of the hurricane are low, but real, and families move here every single day as they can feel the tranquility of life day by day.

The simple safety measures above, choosing one of the safer neighborhoods, and you will probably belong to the great majority who, when questioned, will say, Yes, Raleigh is a safe city. Write your personal experience below to enable other people to hear real voices.