Jackson Heights Life

Hello JH community.

I will be moving into the neighborhood during the summer and had a question about safety.
I live around 37th ave and 85th street and on Trulia the crime rating is highest.
Are there some streets or blocks of JH that are not as safe as others?
I was surprised to see the crime rating this high.
What does it feel like on the street as someone who lives in the neighborhood?
Just thought I would ask to get a feel of peoples' personal experience.

Agreed....as well as above 90th street after dark. 85 and 37th is relatively safe.

Roosevelt has a bajillion bars on it, which is what I think makes the crime rate so high on those real estate apps. I don't feel any less safe here than I did when I lived in Sunnyside. It's NYC though, so you want to mindful of your surroundings. Keep earbuds out of your ears at night, and be mindful that some of those quiet residential streets have really significant hedges in front of the houses, which is a great hiding place for someone with bad intent.

Don't want to scare you, but hey, it's a big city. Keep your eyes open, and consider a cab if you've had too much too drink.

Welcome to JH.

I live in Roosevelt Terrace Coop on 85th and 35th. Yes, we do have a night guard that patrols the property - we have had this service for over 50 years. So, this is not in response to any issue. Our son commutes to school and now work via the trains. He walks home from 82nd St and / 74th Street evenings and late without issues. He does walk on 82nd 0r 74th Street and then along 37th Ave which has open stores and population in the evenings and even late. I would definitely avoid Roosevelt Avenue for various reasons - darker because of the elevated train, very noisy and not comfortable there because there are many bars.

Hope that helps

I would just keep your wits about you. I tend to avoid Roosevelt at night due to the heavy amount of drunks and sex trafficking/drugs/gang activity in the area. Just get off the train at 74th and take the bus directly to your street, or get off at 82nd and immediately walk away from Roosevelt, walking down 82nd to 37th Ave. Be aware. I've been followed on occasion but that has happened to me in Astoria and in Manhattan as well.  37th Ave is fine - but it's the dark, desolate streets off of it where I've found the most aggressive of drunks. So I just don't tend to walk home after a certain hour and always stay alert and ready to fight back.

I don't mean to scare you. Overall, it's fine. Roosevelt seems to be the worst, and then you walk over one avenue to 37 and it's a nice shopping district and then to 35 more residential but pretty and 34 is beautiful. It's very strange but a lot of NYC is that way. I think as long as you stay alert at night, and take cabs or buses after midnight you should be fine.

As a woman living here I haven't had any issues besides the occasional catcalling, which can happen anywhere. I've never been physically threatened or felt like I was in danger in any way. To me Roosevelt Avenue is really not that bad - sure, there can be rowdy drunks later in the evening, but I generally feel safer on streets that have a lot of foot traffic. Like anywhere in the city, I feel a little less safe walking alone on ANY street past midnight or so, but I do my best to walk fast and stay alert. To me this is just part of living in a large city. 

We've lived here for 10 years and feel quite safe. I lived on 82nd between 35th and 37th Avenues and was always comfortable walking home.  I recently moved in with my partner though and have a shorter walk from the subway. I believe the problems with crime primarily happens in the early morning hours and seem to be common on Roosevelt and up around 90th Street.  Since I'm never out walking around then, crime has not been on my mind. I think you have to be aware of your surroundings no matter where you live these days though.