The city of New York is not all Broadway, Times Square, and the Statue of Liberty: the Big Apple has some pretty scary neighborhoods and RoadSnacks is here to tell you just where they are located.
But first, we need to tell you how we got our hands on the top ten list of the worst neighborhoods in NYC for 2024. In order to determine New York City’s worst neighborhoods, we had to give each neighborhood an actual concrete score: we call this a neighborhood’s overall ‘Snackability’. To get this score, we looked at the latest census data on income levels, unemployment rates, crime, and home prices for 122 New York City neighborhoods with over 0 residents. Incidentally, this is our tenth time ranking NYC’s worst neighborhoods, so trust us when we say that these are the worst of the worst.
People, the places that made our list can’t seem to stay out of the news.for the wrong reasons. The locals in the Brownsville neighborhood apparently think it’s okay to shoot police officers and the Mott Haven neighborhood is currently experiencing an uptick in violent crimes. And for some reason, most of NYC’s worst neighborhoods are centered around the Bronx.
Funny thing, however, NYC’s list of worst neighborhoods and cheapest places to live had no overlapping. We consider this a win. You don’t have to sacrifice your safety if you’re on a budget.
So, want to know where New York City’s worst neighborhoods are located? Keep reading.
Table Of Contents: Top 10 | Methodology | Summary | Table
HomeSnacks is not your just your average website. We’ve been researching and ranking states and cities based on all types of criteria since 2015. We’ve had more than 50 million people read our published articles and we’ve been featured in hundreds of media outlets for our rankings, including this feature by the Hudson Valley Post So, yes we know what we’re talking about.
So, what’s the worst neighborhood in New York City for 2024? That would be Hunts Point.
To see what other NYC neighborhoods made this list, take a look below; and if you can’t find what you’re looking for there, head to the bottom.
For more New York reading, check out:
The 10 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In New York City For 2024
/10
Population: 11,425
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,944
Property Crime Per 100k: 2,613
Median Home Value: $352,400 (13th worst)
Median Income: $34,456 (4th worst)
More on Hunts Point: Data
Where’s the worst hood in New York City? Hunts Point is. Located in the Bronx, right along the East River, this ghetto little area of about 11,425 people takes the prize as being the worst place you can live in our nation’s biggest city.
The aggravated assault rate an insane hundred and fifty-one people per hundred thousand, and the arrest rate for rape has gone up by a factor of five. And more than 1 in 100 people here has been arrested and found guilty.
Like the rest of the city, for now, overall crime has gone down, but we’ll see what happens when the NYPD backs off. I mean can you imagine?
There’s a lot of homeless here too, and the homeless shelters are in terrible shape. Residents here have sort of tried – they’ve at least fought off plans to open more strip clubs in the area. And many complained about the crime for ages, but no one’s really done anything. In fact, while other New York City boroughs have gentrified and improved crime rates, the Bronx has been kinda neglected.
About 30 percent of Bronx County residents live below the poverty line, the largest share of any of New York’s 62 jurisdictions. And the Bronx remains one of the largest outdoor shooting ranges in the nation.
/10
Population: 10,349
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 532
Property Crime Per 100k: 2,058
Median Home Value: $230,318 (4th worst)
Median Income: $63,730 (39th worst)
More on Woodlawn-Nordwood: Data
Located in the northwest part of the Bronx, Woodlawn-Nordwood sits on the outer edges of New York City. A little further along the road will take you to Yonkers and points north. The area also stands as the number 2 worst neighborhood in New York.
The 10,349 residents of the area often struggle to make ends meet. The economy is relatively healthy, but much of the locals’ median income of $63,730 gets eaten up by a high standard of living. The median home value stands at $230,318.
Woodlawn-Nordwood isn’t without its charms. It serves as home to many examples of unique architecture, such as the stunning St. Brendan’s Church. For a sample of old-time New York, you can also head to Valentine–Varian House, which dates back to 1758.
/10
Population: 3,226
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 968
Property Crime Per 100k: 1,547
Median Home Value: $428,400 (26th worst)
Median Income: $55,488 (22nd worst)
More on Clifton: Data
/10
Population: 147,562
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,095
Property Crime Per 100k: 2,176
Median Home Value: $354,964 (14th worst)
Median Income: $40,728 (9th worst)
More on East Brooklyn: Data
/10
Population: 55
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 649
Property Crime Per 100k: 1,750
Median Home Value: $335,250 (12th worst)
Median Income: $62,031 (33rd worst)
More on Steinway: Data
/10
Population: 39,750
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 729
Property Crime Per 100k: 1,728
Median Home Value: $285,142 (7th worst)
Median Income: $47,945 (17th worst)
More on Union Port: Data
/10
Population: 108,756
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,005
Property Crime Per 100k: 1,748
Median Home Value: $330,776 (11th worst)
Median Income: $51,245 (19th worst)
More on Wakefield-Williamsbridge: Data
/10
Population: 56,005
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 717
Property Crime Per 100k: 1,213
Median Home Value: $239,389 (5th worst)
Median Income: $43,368 (11th worst)
More on Williams Bridge: Data
/10
Population: 36,668
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 514
Property Crime Per 100k: 2,638
Median Home Value: $127,395 (worst)
Median Income: $54,734 (2worst)
More on Kings Bridge: Data
/10
Population: 47,457
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,264
Property Crime Per 100k: 1,546
Median Home Value: $460,138 (36th worst)
Median Income: $36,522 (5th worst)
More on Brownsville: Data
Back on the subway we go. We’re on the 3 train, just minding our own business. Worried about how safe it will be when we arrive.
We’re here. This is the Rockaway Ave Station in Brooklyn. We’re in Brownsville.
This neighborhood is down near Crown Heights, East Flatbush and East New York.
Brownsville is one of the few neighborhoods in New York that has remained relatively untouched by gentrification. The buildings in this area are older and the crime rate’s lower than its peak in 2012 when Time magazine called it one of the most dangerous hoods in the whole city.
Brownsville’s getting a little better. The hope is that gentrification will reach deep into this neighborhood. Since the Barclays Center was built in Brooklyn, neighborhoods have improved. When gentrification does take hold in Brownsville, that’s just going to push the poor people here up to the Bronx, into Westchester County into areas like Mt. Vernon, or even send them far away into places like South Philly.
Train’s leaving. I’m sure we’ll be back to Brooklyn at some point.
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous New York City neighborhoods in 2024
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We plugged the following criteria into Saturday Night Science to get the worst neighborhoods in New York City:
- High crime (Estimated)
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one’s willing to pay to live here)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in New York City, New York for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criterion into a “Worst Score.”
The neighborhood with the lowest “Worst Score” ranks as the most dangerous neighborhood of New York City.
The article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2024. This report is our time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in New York City.
Skip to the end to see the list of all 122 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around New York City
Well, there you have it — the worst of the neighborhoods in New York City with Hunts Point landing at the bottom of the pack.
The worst neighborhoods in New York City are Hunts Point, Woodlawn-Nordwood, Clifton, East Brooklyn, Steinway, Union Port, Wakefield-Williamsbridge, Williams Bridge, Kings Bridge, and Brownsville.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in New York City aren’t all bad. Carnegie Hill takes the cake as the best place to live in New York City.
The best neighborhoods in New York City are Carnegie Hill, Battery Park, Cobble Hill, Upper East Side, and North Sutton Area.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more New York reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In New York
- Safest Places In New York According To Science
- Worst Places To Live In New York State
Most Dangerous Neighborhoods To Live In New York City For 2024?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hunts Point | 11,425 | $352,400 | $34,456 |
| 2 | Woodlawn-Nordwood | 10,349 | $230,318 | $63,730 |
| 3 | Clifton | 3,226 | $428,400 | $55,488 |
| 4 | East Brooklyn | 147,562 | $354,964 | $40,728 |
| 5 | Steinway | 55 | $335,250 | $62,031 |
| 6 | Union Port | 39,750 | $285,142 | $47,945 |
| 7 | Wakefield-Williamsbridge | 108,756 | $330,776 | $51,245 |
| 8 | Williams Bridge | 56,005 | $239,389 | $43,368 |
| 9 | Kings Bridge | 36,668 | $127,395 | $54,734 |
| 10 | Brownsville | 47,457 | $460,138 | $36,522 |
| 11 | Mott Haven | 51,253 | $490,343 | $30,394 |
| 12 | High Bridge | 39,263 | $460,450 | $31,864 |
| 13 | The Rockaways | 119,512 | $297,562 | $63,514 |
| 14 | Bedford-Stuyvesant | 234,457 | $467,116 | $44,779 |
| 15 | South Bronx | 94,230 | $481,247 | $32,781 |
| 16 | Howland Hook | 3,871 | $157,420 | $64,184 |
| 17 | Soundview | 84,966 | $448,668 | $43,105 |
| 18 | Bedford Park | 55,901 | $178,830 | $45,401 |
| 19 | Yorkville | 56,751 | $330,640 | $46,148 |
| 20 | Tremont | 55,743 | $446,900 | $37,660 |
| 21 | Morris Heights | 43,069 | $453,080 | $39,507 |
| 22 | Astoria-Long Island City | 126,283 | $397,118 | $57,906 |
| 23 | Port Richmond | 17,368 | $401,650 | $77,048 |
| 24 | Fordham | 48,002 | $518,950 | $37,284 |
| 25 | Bloomfield-Chelsea-Travis | 10,884 | $374,558 | $75,810 |
| 26 | Saintalbans | 73,668 | $395,594 | $71,773 |
| 27 | Tottensville | 15,609 | $399,725 | $78,173 |
| 28 | Parkchester | 40,838 | $281,648 | $59,426 |
| 29 | Jamaica | 131,773 | $492,953 | $68,501 |
| 30 | Mariners Harbor | 33,993 | $316,042 | $70,893 |
| 31 | Eastchester | 11,257 | $430,033 | $84,107 |
| 32 | University Heights | 53,395 | $575,333 | $44,030 |
| 33 | Nkew Gardens | 90,685 | $376,981 | $67,182 |
| 34 | Sunny Side | 60,580 | $410,644 | $67,936 |
| 35 | Morris Park | 36,251 | $479,960 | $68,130 |
| 36 | Woodhaven-Richmond Hill | 121,346 | $461,136 | $62,501 |
| 37 | Rosebank | 11,991 | $481,956 | $77,571 |
| 38 | Richmondtown | 38,728 | $481,561 | $79,373 |
| 39 | New Brighton | 6,741 | $457,300 | $62,832 |
| 40 | Fort Green | 120,941 | $663,709 | $71,767 |
| 41 | East Harlem | 121,147 | $843,575 | $46,861 |
| 42 | Springfield Gardens | 19,098 | $509,200 | $86,749 |
| 43 | Inwood | 40,035 | $425,657 | $65,039 |
| 44 | Gravesend-Sheepshead Bay | 255,533 | $545,099 | $58,223 |
| 45 | Flushing | 78,900 | $657,454 | $53,919 |
| 46 | Washington Heights | 170,572 | $554,229 | $60,340 |
| 47 | Baychester | 18,238 | $453,325 | $89,569 |
| 48 | College Point | 26,932 | $733,374 | $63,320 |
| 49 | Throggs Neck | 36,390 | $516,032 | $78,092 |
| 50 | Ettingville | 34,729 | $458,711 | $87,429 |
| 51 | City Island | 4,322 | $590,067 | $107,660 |
| 52 | Mapleton-Flatlands | 206,460 | $610,874 | $56,352 |
| 53 | Midland Beach | 9,559 | $489,467 | $85,664 |
| 54 | Jackson Heights | 63,293 | $503,525 | $66,127 |
| 55 | Queens Village | 56,496 | $498,356 | $89,618 |
| 56 | Harlem | 131,215 | $978,624 | $64,830 |
| 57 | Westerleigh-Castleton | 29,688 | $449,604 | $85,305 |
| 58 | Bushwick | 110,855 | $869,402 | $64,602 |
| 59 | Ardon Heights | 23,582 | $408,846 | $87,757 |
| 60 | Douglastown-Little Neck | 82,321 | $518,824 | $83,053 |
| 61 | Maspeth | 55,134 | $696,249 | $76,126 |
| 62 | Glendale | 35,623 | $654,182 | $82,011 |
| 63 | South Beach | 8,036 | $454,100 | $88,241 |
| 64 | Midtown | 16,642 | $1,458,940 | $137,325 |
| 65 | Chinatown | 10,815 | $1,053,520 | $72,970 |
| 66 | Williamsburg | 157,050 | $1,095,912 | $75,970 |
| 67 | Laurelton | 27,665 | $488,835 | $97,949 |
| 68 | Lower East Side | 79,738 | $885,206 | $57,235 |
| 69 | Sunset Park | 93,293 | $943,771 | $57,733 |
| 70 | Hamilton Heights | 48,477 | $910,682 | $62,103 |
| 71 | Oakwood | 11,113 | $533,914 | $87,079 |
| 72 | Clearview | 28,704 | $555,508 | $81,878 |
| 73 | Queensboro Hill | 75,376 | $521,976 | $57,190 |
| 74 | Riverdale | 14,118 | $405,592 | $104,116 |
| 75 | Charlestown-Richmond Valley | 1,829 | $565,767 | $82,504 |
| 76 | Annandale | 9,989 | $523,892 | $95,729 |
| 77 | Corona | 107,981 | $707,427 | $60,039 |
| 78 | Canarsie | 86,694 | $579,181 | $76,372 |
| 79 | Spuyten Duyvil | 16,320 | $359,578 | $110,042 |
| 80 | Ridgewood | 69,396 | $756,326 | $76,103 |
| 81 | West Village | 22,170 | $1,251,481 | $140,741 |
| 82 | Greenwood | 17,307 | $948,600 | $98,534 |
| 83 | Auburndale | 28,366 | $790,259 | $75,551 |
| 84 | Bensonhurst | 96,974 | $883,397 | $58,789 |
| 85 | Woodside | 46,363 | $648,903 | $69,068 |
| 86 | Boerum Hill | 12,717 | $1,506,009 | $135,172 |
| 87 | Dyker Heights | 36,602 | $956,217 | $73,713 |
| 88 | Great Kills | 23,788 | $559,585 | $111,056 |
| 89 | Country Club | 7,843 | $579,543 | $92,363 |
| 90 | Rossville | 9,736 | $500,567 | $91,484 |
| 91 | Whitestone | 39,821 | $838,977 | $87,013 |
| 92 | Soho | 10,621 | $1,694,001 | $137,313 |
| 93 | Bay Ridge | 50,752 | $879,942 | $84,100 |
| 94 | Borough Park | 92,564 | $1,008,418 | $48,705 |
| 95 | Clinton | 35,153 | $1,207,833 | $117,139 |
| 96 | Greenwich Village | 44,403 | $1,236,862 | $155,690 |
| 97 | Forest Hills | 72,632 | $580,702 | $94,597 |
| 98 | Murray Hill | 10,008 | $992,218 | $148,759 |
| 99 | East Village | 65,898 | $829,305 | $90,545 |
| 100 | Prince’s Bay | 9,669 | $668,967 | $109,917 |
| 101 | Woodrow | 6,116 | $551,250 | $108,279 |
| 102 | Middle Village | 34,717 | $725,579 | $89,872 |
| 103 | Chelsea | 49,712 | $1,087,861 | $131,352 |
| 104 | Huguenot | 11,609 | $740,786 | $105,264 |
| 105 | Todt Hill | 4,467 | $812,500 | $142,381 |
| 106 | Little Italy | 8,216 | $1,770,800 | $107,048 |
| 107 | Downtown | 15,186 | $1,074,885 | $134,995 |
| 108 | Financial District | 31,183 | $1,221,787 | $175,518 |
| 109 | Gramercy | 56,008 | $836,188 | $143,821 |
| 110 | Morningside Heights | 39,365 | $1,033,354 | $98,486 |
| 111 | Tribeca | 21,871 | $1,862,334 | $205,908 |
| 112 | Carroll Gardens | 14,535 | $1,715,847 | $159,531 |
| 113 | Utopia | 2,341 | $834,900 | $136,933 |
| 114 | Central Park | 2,973 | $1,669,593 | $136,230 |
| 115 | Garment District | 4,863 | $1,244,975 | $118,290 |
| 116 | Park Slope | 66,947 | $1,541,846 | $155,486 |
| 117 | Upper West Side | 209,387 | $1,520,156 | $137,257 |
| 118 | North Sutton Area | 17,279 | $763,965 | $147,814 |
| 119 | Upper East Side | 187,724 | $1,412,032 | $152,408 |
| 120 | Cobble Hill | 7,702 | $1,715,909 | $156,340 |
| 121 | Battery Park | 15,714 | $1,546,050 | $211,402 |
| 122 | Carnegie Hill | 13,630 | $1,925,601 | $204,127 |
Why isn’t Stapleton and New Brighton on this list??? Cops don’t even respond to calls!!!
You can’t buy a house anywhere in NY for less than $100k idk where you got that information
Very biased article. Should read 10 worst nabes for hipsters.. There are a lot of nice affordable areas here. Woodlawn, really? Median #s are better than alot of the country. SMH…
The 10 are in the Bronx. Woodlawn? Lmao there’s about 0 violence in that area.
It’s half lies concealing half truth and half lies, making it one big lie to conceal the drug money Capitol harlem.
This article should just be titled “The Bronx Sucks”.
This was the most biased thing I’ve ever read. How is safety an 8 but it’s the worse neighborhoods in NYC? If you hate the Bronx sure, by all means express that but I have my parents relying on this fake news to keep me from going out.
downtown flushing
southern flushing
the rest of flushing.except for parts of broadway
ave f McDonald avenue Brooklyn- a real souk!
west side manhattan -times square
5th avenue (YES! insane traffic nonsensical construction and tourists)
elmhurst avenue queens
corona -Roosevelt avenue from shea stadium to sunnyside
Lived in New York City for 35 years, Bronx 149 between Tinton and wales ave. Raised 3 children there. I love the city and although there is a lot of action and noise, most people just trying to make it . I currently reside in P.A but, still work in the city, Tremont Ave and will not have it some other way. Walk around the neigborhood for shopping and, never experience anything negative. I will say if, something is going to happen it can happen anywhere whether is classified good or bad. If, wondering why I moved outside N.Y, homes are cheaper in price and, as I gotten older less noise is much better.
This list left out all of Mid-town, which to be honest, is probably one of the worst neighborhoods in all of NYC.
Midtown? Are you serious?! Have you ever been to East New York or Crotona? Midtown is a resort in comparison.
White people just decide that the Bronx is terrible but they want to come here and use it for cheap rent.
This is a total lie?
My block was shown.
The homes are worth more than 600,000.
You cannot buy a home in NYC for less than 300,000.
Wow. All lies? I hate NYC too. I was born & raised here, but it surely isn’t because house are less than $80 grand in the Bronx. Lmbo. You wish. In fact, we wish.
Mott Haven is prime Real Estate.a studio apartment is going for 550,000 on EAst 138th.
You must be from some small town we never heard of & your list is 100% innacurate.
In fact, the worst place anyone can live in NYC is Manhattan. It’s where I live, Harlem.
It’s run over with people, crowds, Restaurants, shopping, noise & at minimum – homes are $3 million on my street.
Boy bye.
Woodlawn-Norwood should be labelled South Woodlawn to distinguish it from Woodlawn Heights, several miles away and a 400 acre cemetery between. WH is a true homogeneous neighborhood with distinguishable boundries. Its’ area is small, people happy, water clean, children educated and homeless at a minimum. All things no so in South Woodlawn-Norwood. Do a little homework.
Bayridge is the safest place to live, just keep to your self and try not to make friends, just smile back at who ever smiles at u got to admit there racist people, once they see you more often they’ll get used to you. And start treating you with respect and kind, gotta admit rent is very high/
Worst part of my is most of Brooklyn except for the heights and a few other hipsters areas. I like visiting LONG ISLAND . Not the city anymore!