Whether you are planning a vacation or thinking of moving to Philadelphia, you are probably somewhat concerned about the overall safety.
The Philadelphia area can be very safe, but of course, there are some things that you need to watch out for.
For many years, Philadelphia has had a bad reputation of being unsafe, but there are plenty of positives about this great city.
Philadelphia has been a staple in American society for hundreds of years.
With so much history and tourism, there are some great things about Philadelphia.
Let’s take a look at ten of the reasons Philadelphia is safe.
Is Philadelphia Safe? (10 Reasons It Is)
1. Police Presence
For many years, Philadelphia was thought of as a dangerous city.
There are, without a doubt, some very rough areas where you will still need to stay aware when you go into these parts of town.
However, there are also some beautiful areas in Philadelphia that are well known for their history and culture.
The idea is that in order to keep the city safe overall, the police presence had to increase.
Police officers have taken a very active role in ensuring that Philadelphia becomes a safer city and that people want to move there and visit as well.
Police presence is strong in Philadelphia.
Sometimes a great part of the country will not have much police presence, and it can quickly turn bad.
However, in certain areas where the people and citizens have recognized that there are problems, police presence will have been expanded.
When police are around, people will respond appropriately and most often won’t even try to get involved in any trouble.
The great thing about having police around is that it helps prevent further crime and keeps a city safer overall.
Don’t be surprised to see plenty of police around the Philadelphia area.
2. Historical Sites
Philadelphia is home to many historical sites.
Perhaps one of the most famous of these historical sites is the Liberty Bell, but that is just one of the many things you can see in Philadelphia.
Many of these sites are national monuments, and they are well protected by rules, regulations, and frequent policing.
If you are going to be visiting these parts of Philadelphia, the chance of you getting into a situation where crime is involved should be relatively slim.
There are going to be many people around who are mostly interested in history, and a strong security and police presence will help protect these historical sites.
For those who are worried about the outskirts of Philadelphia, try to choose an area to stay in that is going to be closer to some of the historical sites.
When you take tours and support tourism, there is quite a bit of money involved.
Those who run these facilities and events will want to ensure that you are safe so that they can continue to collect money.
Collecting money from tourism in Philadelphia is a huge win for the city.
Therefore, it makes sense for the area that helps bring money to the city to assure its visitors that it is safe there.
The more that people can trust a location, the easier time they have returning and recommending it to other people.
If these people experience a bad time, they are not going to keep funding the city.
The historical sites in Philadelphia help to keep the city safe.
3. Good And Bad Parts
Every city in America is going to have good and bad parts associated with it.
In order to keep yourself safe, you need to know these good and bad parts.
It is wrong to say that all of Philadelphia is bad because this is just not true.
Like any major city in America, there are good and bad sections.
The overall city is not bad at all, but there are pockets that you must watch out for.
If you have friends or family who live in the area, they would likely be able to tell you where to stay and where to move to.
People quickly learn about the good regions and those that are bad.
One of the exciting things about the city of Philadelphia and its environs is that as crime has improved in the heart of the city, these good areas where people want to live have started to expand and grow outside of the city.
You will see the edges or the outskirts of the bad areas start to improve, and then the good area continues to improve.
Essentially, what happens is that as one person crosses over into a bad neighborhood, purchases a house, and fixes it up, other people start to do the same.
Then, all of a sudden, you will see completely new locations start to develop in and around the city, creating a completely different feel in the general space in and around Philadelphia.
This is a very interesting process to watch and one where you can learn quite a bit about people and how they can work to live together and clean up the bad parts of town.
When these cities expand in this way, there is also a greater sense of community, and that helps to improve the overall feel and safety in those parts as well.
The good and bad parts of Philadelphia will absolutely exist for years to come.
The goal, however, is to see less and less of the bad.
This has been the way the city has evolved for the last few years, and we hope to see it continue for years to come.
4. Increased Awareness
One of the best ways to reduce the crime rate in a city is when people have increased awareness about the crime that goes on.
When you are aware that a place may be unsafe, and you keep your eyes open and make sure to follow safety tips, you can help increase the overall safety in the area.
People are going to look for those who are easy to prey on.
When they do this, they can easily get away with some serious crimes.
If you have increased awareness about Philadelphia as a whole and you are careful when you are spending time in this area, you will help to lower the crime rate in the city.
If you are completely unaware of the crime, it can actually put you more at risk.
Increased awareness is something that has happened in cities all over the country, including New York City.
Residents and citizens have changed the way they look at these areas, and it has helped to make them safer for all that is around them.
This does not mean that you will have to stay on high alert when you visit Philadelphia.
In fact, you can relax and enjoy all that is around you.
However, when you are doing your planning and preparation for your trip, ensure that you have the best knowledge possible about all that can and does happen in the city.
The more awareness you have, the better the chance you have of staying safe.
5. Lots Of Activity
Philadelphia is a busy city.
There are 1.5 million people living in Philadelphia, and this population continues to grow.
In addition to the 1.5 million who are living there, the number of tourists that this city sees every year is quite impressive.
More than 40 million visitors make it to Philadelphia each year, making it an extremely busy city.
With activity going on at all times of the year, the city can remain relatively safe.
Even though you may think that more activity brings more crime, this is typically not the case.
Activity can bring too much attention to a neighborhood and actually make it a place that criminals want to stay away from.
The activity you see in the Philadelphia area is a good thing, and it helps to reinforce the fact that people should be continuing to see this city and see all that it has to offer.
When you start to see tourist rates start to decrease and more people moving out of a city than moving in, you will know that there are some major issues.
As long as the popularity of Philadelphia increases, expect to see the crime rates get better and better.
6. Access To Crime Map
A crime map has been one of the best additions to the Philadelphia region.
With a crime map, people can log in and see what is going on in certain locations around the Philadelphia area.
Although there won’t be full details about each of the events that occurred, there is information that will let you know the type of crime that is happening around there.
This has helped both visitors and potential homeowners get an idea of what the neighborhood is like as far as the crime rate is concerned.
Many times, these crime maps will show that a majority of the crimes that are taking place are domestic disturbances.
Although this is still an issue, it is not going to be quite the same as some of the other random crimes or acts of violence that you can see in a certain part of town.
Having access to a crime map also lets people feel more at ease about the overall control they have over their own safety.
When you can look at a map and plan out accordingly where you will frequent and where you may want to live, it feels a little better than a statistic being handed to you.
All of this crime information is public knowledge and something that Philadelphia residents should pay careful attention to.
7. Increase In Real Estate Pricing
The price of real estate has been increasing all around the nation.
This is not coming as a surprise to anyone as interest rates are at historic lows.
When it is cheap to borrow money, more people will borrow it, and they will use this money to purchase the home of their dreams.
When you are not paying much interest on a loan, you can have a larger mortgage but still get the home that you have always dreamed of.
The real estate pricing in Philadelphia is has gone up about 12% over the last year.
This is incredibly high when compared to the averages that we typically see from homes in Philadelphia.
The increase in real estate pricing is actually good for crime rates.
When people pay more money for their homes, chances are they will also pay higher taxes.
In addition, these people are going to have to have higher incomes to be able to afford these homes, and that leads again to more taxes.
This tax money can go back into the town or area of Philadelphia and, in turn, help to increase parks, grow the police presence, and help to ensure that people are happy and safe in their communities.
Any city that is experiencing this increase in real estate pricing will typically see a decrease in the crime rate.
It is very interesting to see how these things work together and how people learn to improve the cities that they love.
8. Unemployment Rate Decreasing
When the unemployment rate is higher, people are on edge, and they are typically stressed out.
There are also situations where people do not have enough money to purchase food for their families.
The unemployment rate is decreasing in Philadelphia, and this is a good thing for the crime rate.
When the unemployment rate goes down, people will find that they are happier, calmer, and better able to provide for their families.
The Philadelphia unemployment rate is still higher than it is in other parts of the country, but it has started to move in the right direction.
If the unemployment rate continues to decrease in the Philadelphia area, we can expect to see that even more of the city will be safe, and it will just continue to grow opportunities.
Keep an eye on all the economic factors in a city when you are trying to ensure that you are in the right place and that the region is safe enough for you to live long term.
The statistics about unemployment rates both locally and nationally are easy to find.
Staying knowledgeable and informed helps improve any living situation or vacation.
9. University Areas
Philadelphia is well known for its colleges.
The colleges in the city help to ensure that people are safe and that their campus grounds are always a good place for students and visitors.
The University of Pennsylvania, Drexel, and even Temple University are all located in Philadelphia and the vicinity.
In addition to the traditional police presence in Philadelphia, the campus police are also going to help ensure that the area is safe.
Many campuses have security call boxes with a direct line to the campus security headquarters.
If you stay in the general vicinity of any of these colleges, you may deal with a rowdy college kid from time to time, but the crime rate will be relatively low.
Campuses must report their crime rates, and they want to ensure that they stay as low as possible.
Enrollment will increase if people feel safe and want to be at that school.
The universities in and around Philadelphia work quite hard to ensure that everything about each campus is safe and enjoyable for the people who are living and working there.
As a visitor or even a new homeowner in the Philadelphia area, you can benefit from this same level of safety and peace of mind just from living near there.
This concept of the university district being a safer place to live is not only going to apply to the Philadelphia area.
Ensure that you are checking into this regardless of where you travel or decide to live.
10. Increase In Popularity Of Urban Lifestyle
Last but certainly not least is consider the popularity of the Urban lifestyle.
People are starting to really enjoy living in these cities and towns that are just on the edge of the city.
They find that there is almost no reason for a car, and there is always something going on.
Having the ability to head into town for live entertainment, a show, or simply a great dinner is very appealing.
People have less and less time to enjoy the things they want to do and are spending so much time working and doing the things they have to do.
With the ability to run into the city that is just a few steps from your front door, the urban lifestyle can be very appealing.
In addition to young people starting to enjoy this lifestyle, so are retirees and even young families.
The urban lifestyle typically means smaller living spaces yet more active lifestyles.
It is an entirely new revolution in the United States, but it is happening quite often in cities across America.
There are very often new home buying incentives and discounts for those who are purchasing in urban areas.
These are well worth taking advantage of and will help increase the overall care that people take over their communities, which leads to increased safety.
Tips To Stay Safe In Philadelphia
Even though we have given you ten reasons Philadelphia is safe, it is also important to understand how to keep yourself safe in an area like this.
There are great things about certain parts of Philadelphia, but you must be sure that you are also being safe.
We have come up with some tips to help ensure that you are able to stay safe in Philadelphia.
By following these tips, your time spent in the area will likely be quite uneventful from a safety standpoint.
1. Be Careful At Night
One of the most important ways to stay safe in Philadelphia is to be careful at night.
If you are not careful at night, there are things that could happen due to your lack of awareness.
Try not to walk around in neighborhoods that are a bit rough at night.
The other important aspect is to stay with other people.
There is no reason to be alone at night, and you are much better off having others around you.
Being careful is not all that difficult, but you must ensure that you are aware of your surroundings and try to take a car or safe type of transportation as opposed to walking around.
Do some research about individual neighborhoods in Philadelphia and make sure you know where you are.
2. Don’t Look For Trouble
Some people are great at bringing trouble to themselves.
If you are looking for trouble, you will find it.
Try to respect the people of Philadelphia as much as possible and be courteous when you move in and when you are visiting the area.
People who live in Philadelphia care very much about their city, so if you show that same respect when you visit, it will help you stay safer.
3. Take Out Headphones
If you decide to take a jog or a run in or around Philadelphia, make sure that you take your headphones out first.
Wearing headphones and going for a walk or a run can be dangerous.
Not only can you not hear traffic, but you also won’t be able to hear if someone is coming up behind you.
This is easy to avoid if you are careful and simply remove the headphones.
Keep this in mind not just in Philadelphia but in all areas.
4. Try Not To Look Like A Tourist
When you are visiting a new locale, it can be quite easy to appear like a tourist.
Sometimes people who are looking to steal will be able to see that you are a tourist, and they will try and steal from you or mislead you.
The best way to avoid this is to ensure that you don’t let people know you are a tourist.
Ensure that people think you are confident in what you are doing, and you know where you are going.
By doing this, your chance of staying safe is greatly increased.
5. Put Valuables Away
You must put valuables away if you want to avoid them getting stolen.
Keeping your valuables stored and secured is smart.
In addition, if you are just traveling, don’t take any valuables with you.
There is no reason to have expensive items on you when you are trying to enjoy traveling and enjoying an area.
Putting valuables away ensures that you are not setting yourself up as a target.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you now understand why Philadelphia is safe.
Of course, in the end, you are going to have to make your own decisions about whether or not the city is safe enough.
Try to keep in mind that even if crime rates are calculated and averaged out, there is no absolute way to know how you are going to be impacted by crime in your area.
Ensuring that you know what the crime rates are and how you can avoid the bad spots in the city is your responsibility.
Overall, Philadelphia has a lot to offer, and the safety of the city should not be something that discourages you completely from being able to enjoy it.
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