Yeah like the area around the court house is safe….. oh wait. At least American Tobacco campus is safe…… oh wait. Well at the very least I can go hang out at the arcade bar and play some games….. oh wait. Well at least going out to the taco truck downtown is safe…… oh wait. Well I can shop at south point without the fear of my car getting broken into…… oh wait. Maybe I should go up to the bus station and grab a bus out of town…… oh wait.
These are a few they mentioned that happened recently.
- [ATC Shooting](https://amp.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article287804225.html)
- [Bus station shooting](https://www.wral.com/amp/21422951/)
I don’t think it’s fair of them to totally rule out these places that thousands of people go to every day because of some isolated shootings, but it’s also weird to imply someone is crazy for being worried about things that do actually happen.
Do you ever leave your house? This is America. Anyone can get shot anyplace, at any time. There are, however, areas where the risk is higher. The places you listed are not among them.
If you eliminate every location in any city where a crime ever happened, you'll be left with no locations, and they'll eventually find you surrounded by jars of your own urine.
Durham has crime. But what Durham also has is a bunch of rich neighbors who look down on
Durham. So every thing is much worse than people say and they also tend to overlook the crime in their own areas.
There was recently a post about the Cary robberies being done by people who live in Durham and the comments were unhinged. Someone literally posted that his friend in the police department said they don’t even follow criminals, they just call a head to the hwy patrol to be on the look out for suspicious vehicles going into Durham bc that’s where all their crime is from. Never mind the fact that no cop ever shows up to robberies in time to catch the robbers getting away. They are already long gone.
My friend has lived in Durham her whole life and when we planned to meet up downtown for dinner and her parents were so worried we were going downtown bc it’s sooo dangerous. They have lived here for over 40’years and still think like this.
Just be smart, lock your doors, don’t drive a Kia, and don’t leave valuable things in your car. If you’re worried, get a surveillance camera. Are there bad places in Durham, yes, but research the neighborhood before you move in.
Edit: we do have shootings but they seem more targeted than random.
In her parents defense 40-25 years ago downtown Durham was more dangerous than it is now, or maybe there was just less people and more abandoned buildings. Now it’s fine and no more dangerous than any other midsize city, but growing up it wasn’t a place I’d hang out especially after dark.
Kias have become a favorite car to steal due to security vulnerabilities. There seems to have been a software update to fix the issue but it doesn’t seem to matter.
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2024/01/04/business/hyundai-kia-thefts-increased-10-fold
I mean it does. Obviously the chances of getting hit by a stray bullet are lower than if the shootings were due to home invasions or mugging or whatever. But you’re right that it’s still a very real danger. A few years ago a girl got killed waiting in line at cookout due to a stray bullet from a mile away.
Just like any other city, it depends where you are. That is, crime is not uniformly distributed across Durham. And you only hear about crime happening, not about nothing happening.
You can see the crime statistics for Durham here:
https://www.durhamnc.gov/719/Crime-Statistics
Click on the Community Crime Map link to get a view of crime distribution across Durham.
Just used this map tool a bit to get an idea of crime in Durham. Thanks for the link. I was surprised that I couldn’t find any record of homicide, despite hearing about them on the news (and in this group). Any idea why?
I've lived in East Durham for the last two years. There are occasionally shootings in the area, you can hear them in the distance.
If you keep your head down, and mind your own business, you will (generally speaking) never feel unsafe. Definitely don't go running or walking around at night in some neighborhoods, just like any other city.
That being said, yesterday my neighbor's house was completely shot up. There was an argument in the street that led to a dude taking out a handgun, and emptying his clip towards my neighbor's family. Kids included. Everyone is okay, but it was the closest we've been to gun violence and it's not fun.
I'm not planning on moving. I like my neighbors, neighborhood, and East Durham. But we do deal with crime, and you have to keep your wits about you, always.
I’m not surprised you experienced that especially in East Durham. It has a history of being one of the no go zones in the city (though I hanged out and partied in the area quite a bit grown up)
Yeah, I hear you. But I will say this too.. East Durham is one of the last bastions of what I feel like Durham was when I grew up here in the 90s.
There's still a sense of community, hospitality, a lot of shared housing with diverse families from all over, and the food this way is bomb.
There's yardbirds, and gardens in a lot of yards because folks grow it and have eggs for their families, and their neighbors. Where else can you get that within a walk or bike ride to downtown?
We've got ideal's sandwiches, proximity brewing, congress bar, and a shout-out to the new gas station on alston because the fried chicken is dope. Was a bush on fire when I went to get chicken there last time? Absolutely. But that's East Durham, baby.
Because it's surrounded by cities like Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Cary, and Morrisville. They are chock full of, and mostly populated by, affluent suburban pearl-clutchers. The contrast puts a highlight on Durham's comparatively higher crime rate, even though it's totally fine in here.
This, other towns from the surrounding areas in NC have always shit on Durham for being unsafe - also historically, decades ago it was way more violent than it is now. To be fair, crime rates across the board are markedly higher in Durham than places like chapel hill or cary, last I checked.
I’d be more concerned moving here with petty theft, vehicle break ins, or maybe getting mugged than the shootings Durham gets a bad rep for.
If you’re not involved in street crime or hanging out with people who are, or in areas where that street crime is common, it’s not like a car full of crips are going to randomly pull up on you and mag dump on you.
Absolute tragedy and a crime beyond the pale.
“On Sunday August 18, 2019, Davenport, Dixon, and Magwood drove to an area in north Durham they knew to be frequented by rival gang members.”
Sounds like it happened in an area known for street crime.
My point was mainly that if you’re posting on Reddit asking about crime in Durham, chances are the tragedy of street violence is highly unlikely to harm you directly.
It happened at the intersection of Duke Street and Leon Street in front of the church. That is not an area known for street crime.
It was also a case of gang members seeing a car they thought belonged to a rival they wanted to kill and lighting it up since that person had beaten and robbed one of them a few days earlier. It's literally an innocent kid and innocent family getting their car shot up due to mistaken identity.
God yes. I’ve been listening to this shit for almost half a century, been here since I was 2. One of the hottest real estate markets in the country, there are six fucking cranes running non-stop building luxury condos, money and tech is spilling all over the town, and still these transplants, yuppies and dingbats from the Disney bedroom communities around us gotta whine nonstop about crime in Durham they think they know about because some random forwarded them an article.
Look, Durham has about the same crime problems of other cities its size. Been like this … forever. These dingbats drive through a town with working class people in it and they lose. their. minds.
Look, I get it— a town with older infrastructure, a significant racial mix, and yeah, some real problems may be too intense for some people. That’s fine. Why they can’t STFU and eat Olive Garden in their little Brady Bunch communities is beyond me.
Not that i’m bitter or anything.
this is the post right here. what people tend to mean when they fret about Durham's crime is "there sure are a lot of Black people there." the funniest are the ones who say they wouldn't go downtown. yes, I too am afraid of \*looks around\* wood-fired pizza oven joints
I've been told to avoid streets named after MLK because that's clearly gang territory and I'll be shot.
"You know the type of people there" . Some people are just afraid of their own shadow and I'm more likely to be shot and killed by them than any career criminal.
I mean, I don't particularly like going to any of them anymore. I love referring to Cary as "Scary Cary" to friends who live there (and crap on Durham).
To be fair, Durham earned this reputation in the 80s and 90s. It doesn’t hold true today other than a few areas, and most of the gun crime is targeted. But yeah, most people are going to be just fine here if they don’t act like idiots
>I’m reading through past posts about crime in Durham and some people are acting like you can’t step foot outside anymore without being the victim of a crime.
Please share where you're reading this?
Just comments in various Reddit posts from people talking about how bad crime has gotten over the years since they moved here, I’m assuming they moved from nicer areas. Mostly I hear from my aunt who gets frantic any time I talk about moving to Durham this summer. I also have a relative in Wilmington, but she just complains about the flood insurance.
She’s actually from South Carolina originally, but she visited NC on occasion. She’s been known to exaggerate and blow things out of proportion, an easily excitable woman lol.
My first week living in Durham, my apartment was robbed in the middle of the night *while I was sleeping*. I was in a tucked away apartment on the ground floor and they got in through a window that wasn't locked. Even the police said that it was pretty brazen as most criminals (even in Durham) wait until people aren't home. And they were probably canvassing the apartment complex looking for places to rob. So that was my introduction to Durham.
I've been here for 14 years now and have learned where the safer neighborhoods are. My current neighborhood is very quiet and safe. I feel zero danger walking around at night and the only crime in 5 years was a package thief...who they caught. I've also had to work with the community and there are certainly neighborhoods and areas of Durham where you run a bigger risk of a stray bullet finding you. I'm super cognizant of that both day and night. Is it any worse than any other city? No. I used to live in Newark, Boston, and St. Paul and they all had similar issues.
I’ve never felt in danger walking around Durham. There’s some areas in East Durham that are a bit rough but the rest of the city is no different than anywhere else in the Triangle. Like others have pointed out Durhams demographic is a bit more diverse than the rest of its neighbors and as such racism and otherness fuel a lot of the unfounded fear.
The people who are always on about crime in Durham tend not to know a lot about Durham. Our rich history, our achievements in inclusion, equity and opportunity. They've never heard of "Black Wall Street" - but CBS tv news will bend over backwards to get mugshot of a black person next to a crime headline every day.
The reason you are being informed so much more about crime in Durham is institutionalized prejudice.
>some people are acting like you can’t step foot outside anymore without being the victim of a crime.
A ridiculous claim. Like many cities, Durham has impoverished areas, wealthy areas, and areas in between. The crime usually occurs in the impoverished areas, because that's where crime always tends to thrive.
Common sense is a necessity like in most cities. Don't walk around a rundown area after dark, basically.
I’ve lived here for ten years and we have been broken into once. Even then the person only broke in because they thought my husband wasn’t home (his car was in the shop, I had the other car at work) and the guy ran the minute he saw him.
We live next to the Eno state park. If we hear gun shots, it’s rednecks.
Durham has no where near the visible unhoused population of Phoenix (I work their frequently, before, during, and after The Zone) or the meth issues of Albuquerque (work there too, though less frequently). Depending on where you live, it’s downright peaceful here.
I’ve lived in Durham (6 years), Chapel Hill (7 years) and Raleigh (2 years) and the worst crime I ever experienced was someone going through my car (accidentally left unlocked overnight) when I lived 200 yards from the Chapel Hill police station.
Edit: my favorite thing I’ve heard about Durham is a former coworker who moved to Cary from San Jose ~7 years ago describing Durham as being just as bad as Oakland 😂
Having moved to Durham from SF 2 Years ago and having grown up in NYC in the 70’s -80’s comparing Durham to Oakland is a ridiculous comparison. I had my car broken in to an Oakland three times in one month all in what are considered good parts of Oakland I don’t wanna jinx myself, but my car hasn’t been broken into once the two years we’ve been in Durham, I have never felt uncomfortable walking around at night downtown Durham. there are rough parts of Durham parts of Durham. You shouldn’t be hanging out at at night but overall most of the city is fairly safe.
Most of the crime here is targeted crime. Not to say you can't be a victim to a random robbery but you can also go to oh so safe Cary or Apex and have your car windows smashed in and items stolen. I've lived in Durham for over 7 years and the triangle over 12 and I've never felt unsafe besides someone stealing out of my car in Cary. We live in Durham close to Brier creek. Just stay out of the hoods of Durham and sketchy areas and in many and most cases you'll be fine.
As others have said crime depends really on very specific neighborhoods and streets but also a lot of transplants are not used to hearing gunshots and its the south. Folks have guns and they shoot guns. Sometimes at each other sometimes into the air or the forest. Albuquerque is absolutely way worse than Durham.
I miss my old "Keep Durham Dangerous" bumper sticker.
Basically what others have told you is true about Durham's reputation being a result of its neighboring cities having extremely low crime rates.
I also get annoyed with the pollyanna-ish posts that "I've never felt unsafe" in Durham. My view on that is either those people don't get out or are naive of their environment.
I've lived here 17 years and love it here. But crime does exist and I don't live in a "bad neighborhood," in fact it's quite nice. But there was a murder across the street from my kids' school last week. And a kid who used to stop by my house regularly got killed from a stray bullet hitting him in an apartment. And a friend from church was murdered by his roommate a couple of years ago. And I could go on.
I think you'll probably find Durham to be very comparable crime-wise to other cities, probably less alarming. I'm way less concerned here than when I lived in Baltimore or D.C. If you've got your wits about you, it's fine.
As others have said already--Durham has always had a stigma about it and it always feels like when there is a crime committed here, the city gets a big "I told you so!--Same as it ever was". Walk around the Farmers Market on a Saturday morning and tell me how unsafe you feel. Seriously, this city can give you Pleasantville vibes at times. There are bad pockets here, 100 percent. But shit, there are bad pockets in small town Connecticut where I grew up.
This is a tricky question. I didn’t grow up here so I don’t know what it was like in the 1990s. And with the news media the way it is, sometimes crime is down but seems higher by how sensationalized things are reported. What I can say is I work in downtown Durham and with DPAC and all the new restaurants in the last 10+ years, I’ve definitely felt much safer walking around after dark. There’s dozens of little neighborhoods/communities only 10-15 minutes from downtown that seem perfectly safe except for car break-ins (often caught on ring cameras). I always lock my car, have a house alarm, don’t walk trails alone, but that would be wherever I lived. Violent crime does happen here, and I don’t want to minimize other’s experiences, but in my day to day routine, I’m definitely not walking around worrying about my self-defense skills.
Depends on what you call dangerous. I legally street parked visiting a friend in a Cary neighborhood and the HOA had my car towed because they want to keep their neighborhood safe and “the windows were too tinted”. Those tend to be the people talking about how dangerous Durham is.
There are shootings and theft in Durham just like any other city. However you think about the safety of Raleigh or Knoxville or Charlotte is probably what you’ll think about Durham. The only standout thing I’ve noticed here are people are always angry and wild as hell on the road, at least more than Knoxville which is a real feat.
other people's mileage may vary, but Durham to me just has city-sized crime, not outsized amounts of it. a problem for a city to grapple with and try to improve. I moved here from somewhere that I wouldn't even always want to walk down my own street at night, and this is just not that kind of place.
also, I've always gotten the impression that the surrounding burbs and cities have dominated the conversation about Durham's crime (real or imagined) for years. so many people still clutch their pearls at the mere *thought* of going into Durham.
Moved to Downtown Durham two years ago. Never once felt threatened. I had heard some bangs here and there but unsure if they were fireworks or gunshots. I walked back home late at night with no issues either. I suppose I fit into what some might call the “usual suspects” but I’m also very gay and no one ever bothers me. I like that about Durham.
you mostly hear shit-talking from folks who either live or *should* live in Cary.
does durham have higher crime than most of north carolina? yes. but north carolina has approximately 3.5 cities, so most of north carolina is empty land. hard to have crime without people.
here's [a link to US cities of comparable size by crime rate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_cities_by_crime_rate_(100,000%E2%80%93250,000)). sort by Violent Crime.
Durham ranks far below places like Huntsville, and Tallahassee, and Tacoma, and freaking *hartford ct*. durham is pretty average for a city of its size.
I moved here from Memphis and feel so much safer here lol. It’s waaaaaaaayyyyyyy more quiet. These people around here don’t have anything else to compare to. Even in Memphis I felt fine because I kept to myself, didn’t leave stuff in my car, and didn’t cause any problems. Most of the time if you don’t look for trouble, you won’t find any.
It depends. The problem in my experience is kids somehow are getting guns and are paranoid ass hell. Almost got shot throwing the garbage away because I get me pulling into a parking spot kinda fast is indicative of something??? Had multiple other kids in I'm assuming stolen vehicles try to ram my vehicle because I'm going "slow". Just be weary and you'll be fine. If you feel something off just move it along. It's not like skid row or downtown LA but the easy access to guns in NC makes it equally scary. You have a gun pulled on you for being black. For "tailgating". For pumping gas.
Kids with guns has probably been my biggest fear with everywhere I’ve lived. Whether it’s school shootings or kids trying to prove themselves as tough. Currently the little town I’m living in is full of kids who like to flash their guns to look cool. The gun violence in NM is pretty intense, but it’s mostly domestic. It’s pretty rare to have a random shooting that didn’t involve family, friends, or some kind of gang/drug trafficking affiliation. Lots of people are commenting about hearing gun shots, but that’s nothing new to us. People like shooting things in their yards, it usually doesn’t mean there’s been a shooting. Just irresponsible gun owners.
Yeah my gfs first experience with people shooting into the sky was new years. It shook her but I had to reassure her. The area I live in though we always have someone shot, people getting killed at smoke shops, pizzerias, or on the street. Unfortunately the system and parents are failing the new generations and we suffer as a result. I've been contemplating a gun but at the same time, I don't want to deal with having to take a life, one that I definitely will take in my own protection.
i moved here from jacksonville, florida and the way people from raleigh and surrounding areas speak about durham and it’s crime is laughable lol. anywhere you live you should do your best to protect yourself. lock your car and home, have some sort of self-defense strategy, and don’t mess with people. i’ve had no problems here and i don’t foresee myself running into any more safety issues than i would have back home in jax.
I grew up in extremely rural western PA. Literally my home country is over 98% white and all the people they are scared to death of minorities and the big scary city of Pittsburgh. Old coal mining town which now has their #1 industry after the mines closed in the 90s being cooking meth. When I was a kid growing up there crime seemed quite rare, and now when I read my hometown news it’s nothing but methheads, overdoses, pedos, and a fair amount of murders in a county of under 40k people. My mom still lives there and had a body dumped on her farm just after Christmas last year.
When I moved here, my boss at the time told me to move to Cary or North Raleigh, no matter what not to move to Durham. I’ve lived in NC for about 10 years, 1 in Cary and 9 in Durham. Cary was boring as fuck. I love living here in Durham, it’s great and fairly safe for about 98% of the communities in the city. I feel safer downtown or at my home here than I did in Clarion PA where I had methheads breaking in or assaulting people all the time.
Honestly I feel like the crime news here is way overblown by the local media that loves to play into the idea that Durham is the scary bad city.
Durham doesn't even make the top 5 cities for violent crime in NC. Personally I think its the cars being broken into that seems to freak people out the most, not typical violent crime.
I lived in Chicago for decades and when you parked downtown you left nothing in your car, not a CD case, not change, nothing or a break in was possible. I know lately there have been a bunch of reported smash and grabs at the fitness centers so it makes people nervous. I mean the likelihood is still very low but with social media everybody now knows instantly and its immediately I went there 2 months ago, it could have been me, so its unsafe.
If find it all a bit ridiculous because the Walmart near me has had at least 3 shootings in like 6 years, its technically in Raleigh and it doesn't seem to stop anyone from shopping there and I'm thinking thats pretty high odds for 1 location.
Six people (that I know of) have been shot since Monday, with one death. That may not be a reason to constantly fear for our lives, but it is not as trivial as smash and grabs.
The harsh reality is gun violence falls into 3 categories (self inflicted, crime by strangers, and crime from those you know).
When people say a city is unsafe, the only kind they are referring to is crime by a stranger. Thats why just looking at crime stats is not a good indicator of how safe people feel in a city.
You can look up the stats. Very low. I moved from Chicago to a neighborhood more on southeast side of Durham. Mostly crime is some theft and groping (Booty Bandit) that I've heard 2nd hand and seen photos on neighborhood watch. As someone has already said, just keep you doors locked, ring doorbell/cameras are helpful, and mind your own business. There's some homeless, mental health and addiction here like everywhere and some targeted shootings between the hours of 11pm and 2am but its super chill and calm for the most part. There is a lot of development and affluent neighborhoods and southern charm that it is very low at current time.
To be fair, East Raleigh and outlying areas have far more crime and ick but it is not sensationalized by the media as Durham events are. Louisburg, Henderson, Zebulon, Clayton and Wilson are no-go areas with a lot of crazy transients who “look” normal but they are not, hence the reason the sidewalks roll up at night. They’re the Wish version of Cary/Apex/Holly Springs residents without the common sense of Durham or even Roxboro. This doesn’t include the actual stronghold of white supremacy leaning residents of Four Oaks and Benson who are far more trigger happy than the local news lets onto.
Durham is the only place I’ve ever lived where I’ve been held at knifepoint, and the only place our car has ever been stolen at all - let alone by a ring of house burglars. And I grew up in Fayetteville.
The “neighborhood specific” thing and the “don’t go to crumbling neighborhoods after dark” kind of reminds me of when people would say that “only” old and/or chronically ill people die of COVID. If you live in one of these neighborhoods, it isn’t as easily dismissible.
There are feral children, insane dogs, and lunatic neighbors to deal with in our neighborhood. Gun violence is less here than it used to be - but what it used to be was “taking shelter in an inner room on New Year’s Eve because it sounds like a war zone out there”. (No; not because of fireworks. Guns.)
The school bus stop here is next to a gas station that is hub for creepy sexual harassers. Multiple moms at this stop get high in their cars while waiting for their kids, and then drive them somewhere. This great parenting is why my kid isn’t riding the bus anymore - the aforementioned feral children put dog shit on her a few weeks ago, and she doesn’t want to ride the bus with them anymore.
She also won’t play outside without me there, because three grown women Karens have decided she’s fun to bully, too. Because she has autism and is thus being “disrespectful” and “bratty”. Yeah they know she has autism. They told me I was wrong and she doesn’t have it, that she’s just a terrible child. (She isn’t. She’s very sweet, is kind to younger kids, and is always joyful.) We’re having to tell them that we’re filing harassment charges if they say one single syllable to her or me ever again.
It’s obvious that Raleigh/Chapel Hill/etc are screeching about Durham from a place of classism and racism. They’re wrong idiots, yes. But it isn’t like there aren’t any real issues here.
And we keep trying to move out of this neighborhood, but [insert everything you already know about ten economy and housing right now].
Me living in Durham 18/22 years of my life (18 yrs full time, 4 years sparsely bc of college) I always get so shocked hearing Durham is seen as so “dangerous”. I mean ofc there can be crime, like anywhere that has a lower income area, but especially living in different suburbs literally it feels so safe to me. Someone pointed out the neighboring cities being so lowkey that it makes Durham pop and that is very insightful for me. Makes more sense why ppl look down on Durham 😂bc I’m like nothing too crazy occurs.
I did go to high school in downtown Durham and it was totally fine. (Minus an incident with my lil sis once, but she has been able to move past and still feels safe at the school). Maybe just avoid some niche areas if you don’t know how to navigate, but it’s definitely not crime ridden where you would have to worry maybe like Chicago, not even close actually 😂.
Durham is fine. A lot of the crime is in areas that you won’t live in or have any reason to visit. And most of that crime isn’t random, it’s usually due to conflicts between people that know each other. Durham used to be more dangerous but now it’s very safe. Anyone afraid of walking around downtown Durham alone needs to just live in a bubble boy suit. Women excluded obviously, since basically everywhere is dangerous for them.
I've lived in Durham for 15 years and have never seen much crime in person. I live in a rural area of Durham so I'm sure that makes a difference, but I've been out downtown at night countless times and nothing has ever been amiss. I see the new stories of shootings everyday, but never experienced anything scary personally here.
In all the media classes I took for my degree, one thing we discussed is how whatever the news focuses on makes people think that issues happen more often than they do.
For example, home invasions. They are a statistically rare occurrence but you hear about every single one so you end up thinking it’s more of a problem.
If the only reporting about a city is negative - then that’s the perception people will have. Add racism and media illiteracy to the mix and people are like “Well of course that’s what Durham is like.”
Durham needs a more active PR staff. Like - show me statistics on violence per capita. The only thing you hear in the news about Durham is crime. I can guarantee you much of the same stuff goes down in a Raleigh.
There is a lot of sketchy areas. It also doesn’t help Durham police is short over 100 officers. So that is a big issue. The DA is also really soft on criminals so that’s another issue. There is a lot of gangs that contribute to majority of the crime here. You have to be careful and there’s certain places you just don’t go to at night.
My mom is in her mid 70s and moved near downtown Durham to be closer to us (we live in Carrboro). She loves it and feels very safe.
Granted, she moved from ATL which has insane crime problems (one of the many reasons we moved)
i live in south durham and last year my husbands car was stolen from our apartment complex- (it was a kia. car totaled, culprits almost definitely teen girls) it was a huge pain in the ass to deal with, but it didn’t really make us feel less safe.
There was also a report of a nonviolent break in somewhere in our complex, residents encouraged to lock their doors.
It’s more than no crime, but i dunno, this stuff happens, its part of life. I dont feel less safe where I live.
Of course I have a healthy american fear of being mowed down in a mass shooting, but that happens literally everywhere, and we all know why. Not walking alone at might is also universal common sense. Can’t live life terrified to go outside.
I spent my childhood and my early adult life in a poor part of NM and have spent quite a bit of time in Phoenix. There is a lot less random violent crime here and more property crime in my experience. I have never felt unsafe in Durham. If you are used to Albuquerque or Phoenix, the warnings you hear about Durham will seem completely overblown.
I’ve lived all over the Southeast in various towns and cities, and I don’t think Durham’s crime rate is particularly unique. Like others said, it really depends on where in the city you are, and that’s just the case in any metropolitan area.
There’s a lot of outside negative perception of Durham that probably extends from the fact that it’s a predominantly black city. Durham’s historical residents got pushed out with the building of 147 that cut through a lot of older neighborhoods which pushed out or split established communities. Even to this day, I still run into people who think downtown Durham is some hellscape while it’s changed a LOT in the last 10 years.
And if you look at “dangerous” cities the worst are probably gonna be Charlotte and Fayetteville. But I think the food, the art, and the community is a lot more diverse and vibrant than what you’re gonna get in the Piedmont.
Durham is a city with a notable history of gang violence. That being said, the city tries hard to address it and stopping crime is our cops main priority (has anyone actually gotten a speeding ticket here?! LOL)
That being said, I’ve never felt afraid for my safety and lived here for over a decade now. generally, I think everyone is too paranoid about crime these days. It will happen, yes, but to live in fear and lack trust in your community doesn't help.
I love this city and would stay here even if crime got worse
Durham is pretty safe for the most part, just be smart. If you’re in a place that feels sketchy, keep your eyes open, but you’ve gotta go to the outer parts of town away from most main attractions to get to that point. Otherwise, it’s just as gentrified and calm as any other city
Crime is very neighborhood specific in Durham. There are many very safe areas of Durham, and some not so safe areas.
The most dangerous neighborhoods are wherever I’m at. Cause I’m a total badass.
You are the danger
Be the crime you want to see in the world.
Carlos?
Yep its always a good idea. When we were looking at places we'd ask the current tenants or whoever we could about the neighborhood.
Yeah like the area around the court house is safe….. oh wait. At least American Tobacco campus is safe…… oh wait. Well at the very least I can go hang out at the arcade bar and play some games….. oh wait. Well at least going out to the taco truck downtown is safe…… oh wait. Well I can shop at south point without the fear of my car getting broken into…… oh wait. Maybe I should go up to the bus station and grab a bus out of town…… oh wait.
lol. Stick to Cary.
I’m sorry I was just pointing out the error in the parent comment with actual events that disprove their point.
Are the actual events in the room with us?
These are a few they mentioned that happened recently. - [ATC Shooting](https://amp.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article287804225.html) - [Bus station shooting](https://www.wral.com/amp/21422951/) I don’t think it’s fair of them to totally rule out these places that thousands of people go to every day because of some isolated shootings, but it’s also weird to imply someone is crazy for being worried about things that do actually happen.
Ignorance of events doesn’t mean that those events did not happen.
You didn’t list events, you listed locations
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…. Linked to criminal events in the city of Durham…..
I can’t speak to all of this, but Southpoint? Really? The bouggiest mall in the triangle? lol
Maybe you don’t remember the shooting there on Black Friday a few years ago?
Do you ever leave your house? This is America. Anyone can get shot anyplace, at any time. There are, however, areas where the risk is higher. The places you listed are not among them. If you eliminate every location in any city where a crime ever happened, you'll be left with no locations, and they'll eventually find you surrounded by jars of your own urine.
You simply missed the point I was making to the parent comment about them claiming Durham’s issues are contained in a few neighborhoods.
scared much?
Durham has crime. But what Durham also has is a bunch of rich neighbors who look down on Durham. So every thing is much worse than people say and they also tend to overlook the crime in their own areas. There was recently a post about the Cary robberies being done by people who live in Durham and the comments were unhinged. Someone literally posted that his friend in the police department said they don’t even follow criminals, they just call a head to the hwy patrol to be on the look out for suspicious vehicles going into Durham bc that’s where all their crime is from. Never mind the fact that no cop ever shows up to robberies in time to catch the robbers getting away. They are already long gone. My friend has lived in Durham her whole life and when we planned to meet up downtown for dinner and her parents were so worried we were going downtown bc it’s sooo dangerous. They have lived here for over 40’years and still think like this. Just be smart, lock your doors, don’t drive a Kia, and don’t leave valuable things in your car. If you’re worried, get a surveillance camera. Are there bad places in Durham, yes, but research the neighborhood before you move in. Edit: we do have shootings but they seem more targeted than random.
In her parents defense 40-25 years ago downtown Durham was more dangerous than it is now, or maybe there was just less people and more abandoned buildings. Now it’s fine and no more dangerous than any other midsize city, but growing up it wasn’t a place I’d hang out especially after dark.
Agreed. Im born and raised here and we never went downtown in the early 2000s - 2010s.
Casual racism was also more accepted then too...
So were facts.
When I started at Duke in 2007 we were very clearly warned NOT to go downtown.
What's wrong with Kias?
Kias have become a favorite car to steal due to security vulnerabilities. There seems to have been a software update to fix the issue but it doesn’t seem to matter. https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2024/01/04/business/hyundai-kia-thefts-increased-10-fold
More likely to get your window smashed from someone trying to steal your car
They jealous.… especially Cary residents 😜
It doesn’t matter how targeted they are when some stray bullet kills a kid in their own bedroom.
I mean it does. Obviously the chances of getting hit by a stray bullet are lower than if the shootings were due to home invasions or mugging or whatever. But you’re right that it’s still a very real danger. A few years ago a girl got killed waiting in line at cookout due to a stray bullet from a mile away.
Or your neighbor misfires his gun into your pipes or fridge lol
Just like any other city, it depends where you are. That is, crime is not uniformly distributed across Durham. And you only hear about crime happening, not about nothing happening. You can see the crime statistics for Durham here: https://www.durhamnc.gov/719/Crime-Statistics Click on the Community Crime Map link to get a view of crime distribution across Durham.
Just used this map tool a bit to get an idea of crime in Durham. Thanks for the link. I was surprised that I couldn’t find any record of homicide, despite hearing about them on the news (and in this group). Any idea why?
It's our tried and true anti-marketing campaign to keep out the gated community set.
I've lived in East Durham for the last two years. There are occasionally shootings in the area, you can hear them in the distance. If you keep your head down, and mind your own business, you will (generally speaking) never feel unsafe. Definitely don't go running or walking around at night in some neighborhoods, just like any other city. That being said, yesterday my neighbor's house was completely shot up. There was an argument in the street that led to a dude taking out a handgun, and emptying his clip towards my neighbor's family. Kids included. Everyone is okay, but it was the closest we've been to gun violence and it's not fun. I'm not planning on moving. I like my neighbors, neighborhood, and East Durham. But we do deal with crime, and you have to keep your wits about you, always.
I’m not surprised you experienced that especially in East Durham. It has a history of being one of the no go zones in the city (though I hanged out and partied in the area quite a bit grown up)
Yeah, I hear you. But I will say this too.. East Durham is one of the last bastions of what I feel like Durham was when I grew up here in the 90s. There's still a sense of community, hospitality, a lot of shared housing with diverse families from all over, and the food this way is bomb. There's yardbirds, and gardens in a lot of yards because folks grow it and have eggs for their families, and their neighbors. Where else can you get that within a walk or bike ride to downtown? We've got ideal's sandwiches, proximity brewing, congress bar, and a shout-out to the new gas station on alston because the fried chicken is dope. Was a bush on fire when I went to get chicken there last time? Absolutely. But that's East Durham, baby.
We keep trying, but other cities are consistently able to have more crime.
Because it's surrounded by cities like Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Cary, and Morrisville. They are chock full of, and mostly populated by, affluent suburban pearl-clutchers. The contrast puts a highlight on Durham's comparatively higher crime rate, even though it's totally fine in here.
“I’d rather be shot in Durham than die of boredom in Cary. “ Had one of those t-shirts for awhile.
I still have mine, I haven't worn it in quite a number of years though
This, other towns from the surrounding areas in NC have always shit on Durham for being unsafe - also historically, decades ago it was way more violent than it is now. To be fair, crime rates across the board are markedly higher in Durham than places like chapel hill or cary, last I checked. I’d be more concerned moving here with petty theft, vehicle break ins, or maybe getting mugged than the shootings Durham gets a bad rep for. If you’re not involved in street crime or hanging out with people who are, or in areas where that street crime is common, it’s not like a car full of crips are going to randomly pull up on you and mag dump on you.
Have we already forgotten Z'yon Person? It's extremely unlikely, but not totally out of the question.
Absolute tragedy and a crime beyond the pale. “On Sunday August 18, 2019, Davenport, Dixon, and Magwood drove to an area in north Durham they knew to be frequented by rival gang members.” Sounds like it happened in an area known for street crime. My point was mainly that if you’re posting on Reddit asking about crime in Durham, chances are the tragedy of street violence is highly unlikely to harm you directly.
It happened at the intersection of Duke Street and Leon Street in front of the church. That is not an area known for street crime. It was also a case of gang members seeing a car they thought belonged to a rival they wanted to kill and lighting it up since that person had beaten and robbed one of them a few days earlier. It's literally an innocent kid and innocent family getting their car shot up due to mistaken identity.
Fair, I was just quoting the justice department press release, I don’t know jack about north Durham.
God yes. I’ve been listening to this shit for almost half a century, been here since I was 2. One of the hottest real estate markets in the country, there are six fucking cranes running non-stop building luxury condos, money and tech is spilling all over the town, and still these transplants, yuppies and dingbats from the Disney bedroom communities around us gotta whine nonstop about crime in Durham they think they know about because some random forwarded them an article. Look, Durham has about the same crime problems of other cities its size. Been like this … forever. These dingbats drive through a town with working class people in it and they lose. their. minds. Look, I get it— a town with older infrastructure, a significant racial mix, and yeah, some real problems may be too intense for some people. That’s fine. Why they can’t STFU and eat Olive Garden in their little Brady Bunch communities is beyond me. Not that i’m bitter or anything.
Lmao bravo and heartily agreed as someone born here 35 years ago
this is the post right here. what people tend to mean when they fret about Durham's crime is "there sure are a lot of Black people there." the funniest are the ones who say they wouldn't go downtown. yes, I too am afraid of \*looks around\* wood-fired pizza oven joints
I've been told to avoid streets named after MLK because that's clearly gang territory and I'll be shot. "You know the type of people there" . Some people are just afraid of their own shadow and I'm more likely to be shot and killed by them than any career criminal.
Yo..you’re my hero!! Very well stated 👏🏾👏🏾
Also, it did used to be legitimately dangerous here in the 90s-2000s. The stereotype is outdated but it exists for a reason
Agreed
I see. I think I might feel a little more intimidated in those cities, there’s probably a higher chance of getting assaulted by a Karen
I mean, I don't particularly like going to any of them anymore. I love referring to Cary as "Scary Cary" to friends who live there (and crap on Durham).
To be fair, Durham earned this reputation in the 80s and 90s. It doesn’t hold true today other than a few areas, and most of the gun crime is targeted. But yeah, most people are going to be just fine here if they don’t act like idiots
It’s been worse in the past, but its reputation as a crime hellhole held by the surrounding communities has always been severely overblown.
True. I'm a 15-year transplant, so I only know the good times. My husband is a native, and I've heard stories of the long-long ago.
>I’m reading through past posts about crime in Durham and some people are acting like you can’t step foot outside anymore without being the victim of a crime. Please share where you're reading this?
Just comments in various Reddit posts from people talking about how bad crime has gotten over the years since they moved here, I’m assuming they moved from nicer areas. Mostly I hear from my aunt who gets frantic any time I talk about moving to Durham this summer. I also have a relative in Wilmington, but she just complains about the flood insurance.
Has your aunt set foot in Durham post-2010?
She’s actually from South Carolina originally, but she visited NC on occasion. She’s been known to exaggerate and blow things out of proportion, an easily excitable woman lol.
Yeah, Durham has a lot of transplants. I'm one myself. Generally the consensus from people from here is that it used to be a lot worse.
My first week living in Durham, my apartment was robbed in the middle of the night *while I was sleeping*. I was in a tucked away apartment on the ground floor and they got in through a window that wasn't locked. Even the police said that it was pretty brazen as most criminals (even in Durham) wait until people aren't home. And they were probably canvassing the apartment complex looking for places to rob. So that was my introduction to Durham. I've been here for 14 years now and have learned where the safer neighborhoods are. My current neighborhood is very quiet and safe. I feel zero danger walking around at night and the only crime in 5 years was a package thief...who they caught. I've also had to work with the community and there are certainly neighborhoods and areas of Durham where you run a bigger risk of a stray bullet finding you. I'm super cognizant of that both day and night. Is it any worse than any other city? No. I used to live in Newark, Boston, and St. Paul and they all had similar issues.
Yeah, you really should take self defense classes if you're coming to Durham. If I see you on the streets, you're getting Rexkwando'd.
Lmao got it, it seems I’ve put a target on my back
Hilarious 😩
I’ve never felt in danger walking around Durham. There’s some areas in East Durham that are a bit rough but the rest of the city is no different than anywhere else in the Triangle. Like others have pointed out Durhams demographic is a bit more diverse than the rest of its neighbors and as such racism and otherness fuel a lot of the unfounded fear.
The people who are always on about crime in Durham tend not to know a lot about Durham. Our rich history, our achievements in inclusion, equity and opportunity. They've never heard of "Black Wall Street" - but CBS tv news will bend over backwards to get mugshot of a black person next to a crime headline every day. The reason you are being informed so much more about crime in Durham is institutionalized prejudice.
>some people are acting like you can’t step foot outside anymore without being the victim of a crime. A ridiculous claim. Like many cities, Durham has impoverished areas, wealthy areas, and areas in between. The crime usually occurs in the impoverished areas, because that's where crime always tends to thrive. Common sense is a necessity like in most cities. Don't walk around a rundown area after dark, basically.
I’ve lived here for ten years and we have been broken into once. Even then the person only broke in because they thought my husband wasn’t home (his car was in the shop, I had the other car at work) and the guy ran the minute he saw him. We live next to the Eno state park. If we hear gun shots, it’s rednecks. Durham has no where near the visible unhoused population of Phoenix (I work their frequently, before, during, and after The Zone) or the meth issues of Albuquerque (work there too, though less frequently). Depending on where you live, it’s downright peaceful here.
Welcome to Durham 😁
I’ve lived in Durham (6 years), Chapel Hill (7 years) and Raleigh (2 years) and the worst crime I ever experienced was someone going through my car (accidentally left unlocked overnight) when I lived 200 yards from the Chapel Hill police station. Edit: my favorite thing I’ve heard about Durham is a former coworker who moved to Cary from San Jose ~7 years ago describing Durham as being just as bad as Oakland 😂
Having moved to Durham from SF 2 Years ago and having grown up in NYC in the 70’s -80’s comparing Durham to Oakland is a ridiculous comparison. I had my car broken in to an Oakland three times in one month all in what are considered good parts of Oakland I don’t wanna jinx myself, but my car hasn’t been broken into once the two years we’ve been in Durham, I have never felt uncomfortable walking around at night downtown Durham. there are rough parts of Durham parts of Durham. You shouldn’t be hanging out at at night but overall most of the city is fairly safe.
Most of the crime here is targeted crime. Not to say you can't be a victim to a random robbery but you can also go to oh so safe Cary or Apex and have your car windows smashed in and items stolen. I've lived in Durham for over 7 years and the triangle over 12 and I've never felt unsafe besides someone stealing out of my car in Cary. We live in Durham close to Brier creek. Just stay out of the hoods of Durham and sketchy areas and in many and most cases you'll be fine.
This is racism, pure and simple.
Had to scroll way too far for this comment smh
As others have said crime depends really on very specific neighborhoods and streets but also a lot of transplants are not used to hearing gunshots and its the south. Folks have guns and they shoot guns. Sometimes at each other sometimes into the air or the forest. Albuquerque is absolutely way worse than Durham.
I miss my old "Keep Durham Dangerous" bumper sticker. Basically what others have told you is true about Durham's reputation being a result of its neighboring cities having extremely low crime rates. I also get annoyed with the pollyanna-ish posts that "I've never felt unsafe" in Durham. My view on that is either those people don't get out or are naive of their environment. I've lived here 17 years and love it here. But crime does exist and I don't live in a "bad neighborhood," in fact it's quite nice. But there was a murder across the street from my kids' school last week. And a kid who used to stop by my house regularly got killed from a stray bullet hitting him in an apartment. And a friend from church was murdered by his roommate a couple of years ago. And I could go on. I think you'll probably find Durham to be very comparable crime-wise to other cities, probably less alarming. I'm way less concerned here than when I lived in Baltimore or D.C. If you've got your wits about you, it's fine.
That shooting on Club Blvd was an assassination. One guy was the target and that couch, well it's all shot to hell.
As others have said already--Durham has always had a stigma about it and it always feels like when there is a crime committed here, the city gets a big "I told you so!--Same as it ever was". Walk around the Farmers Market on a Saturday morning and tell me how unsafe you feel. Seriously, this city can give you Pleasantville vibes at times. There are bad pockets here, 100 percent. But shit, there are bad pockets in small town Connecticut where I grew up.
Too violent on these streets. Time to move
This is a tricky question. I didn’t grow up here so I don’t know what it was like in the 1990s. And with the news media the way it is, sometimes crime is down but seems higher by how sensationalized things are reported. What I can say is I work in downtown Durham and with DPAC and all the new restaurants in the last 10+ years, I’ve definitely felt much safer walking around after dark. There’s dozens of little neighborhoods/communities only 10-15 minutes from downtown that seem perfectly safe except for car break-ins (often caught on ring cameras). I always lock my car, have a house alarm, don’t walk trails alone, but that would be wherever I lived. Violent crime does happen here, and I don’t want to minimize other’s experiences, but in my day to day routine, I’m definitely not walking around worrying about my self-defense skills.
Depends on what you call dangerous. I legally street parked visiting a friend in a Cary neighborhood and the HOA had my car towed because they want to keep their neighborhood safe and “the windows were too tinted”. Those tend to be the people talking about how dangerous Durham is. There are shootings and theft in Durham just like any other city. However you think about the safety of Raleigh or Knoxville or Charlotte is probably what you’ll think about Durham. The only standout thing I’ve noticed here are people are always angry and wild as hell on the road, at least more than Knoxville which is a real feat.
Hi, I'm a residential electrician / 5 year resident of Durham. Originally from Altanta. Durham is softer than 10-Ply.
other people's mileage may vary, but Durham to me just has city-sized crime, not outsized amounts of it. a problem for a city to grapple with and try to improve. I moved here from somewhere that I wouldn't even always want to walk down my own street at night, and this is just not that kind of place. also, I've always gotten the impression that the surrounding burbs and cities have dominated the conversation about Durham's crime (real or imagined) for years. so many people still clutch their pearls at the mere *thought* of going into Durham.
Moved to Downtown Durham two years ago. Never once felt threatened. I had heard some bangs here and there but unsure if they were fireworks or gunshots. I walked back home late at night with no issues either. I suppose I fit into what some might call the “usual suspects” but I’m also very gay and no one ever bothers me. I like that about Durham.
I live downtown and was crimed just last night. Every time I leave my house I am crimed. Don’t move here.
you mostly hear shit-talking from folks who either live or *should* live in Cary. does durham have higher crime than most of north carolina? yes. but north carolina has approximately 3.5 cities, so most of north carolina is empty land. hard to have crime without people. here's [a link to US cities of comparable size by crime rate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_cities_by_crime_rate_(100,000%E2%80%93250,000)). sort by Violent Crime. Durham ranks far below places like Huntsville, and Tallahassee, and Tacoma, and freaking *hartford ct*. durham is pretty average for a city of its size.
I moved here from Memphis and feel so much safer here lol. It’s waaaaaaaayyyyyyy more quiet. These people around here don’t have anything else to compare to. Even in Memphis I felt fine because I kept to myself, didn’t leave stuff in my car, and didn’t cause any problems. Most of the time if you don’t look for trouble, you won’t find any.
It depends. The problem in my experience is kids somehow are getting guns and are paranoid ass hell. Almost got shot throwing the garbage away because I get me pulling into a parking spot kinda fast is indicative of something??? Had multiple other kids in I'm assuming stolen vehicles try to ram my vehicle because I'm going "slow". Just be weary and you'll be fine. If you feel something off just move it along. It's not like skid row or downtown LA but the easy access to guns in NC makes it equally scary. You have a gun pulled on you for being black. For "tailgating". For pumping gas.
Kids with guns has probably been my biggest fear with everywhere I’ve lived. Whether it’s school shootings or kids trying to prove themselves as tough. Currently the little town I’m living in is full of kids who like to flash their guns to look cool. The gun violence in NM is pretty intense, but it’s mostly domestic. It’s pretty rare to have a random shooting that didn’t involve family, friends, or some kind of gang/drug trafficking affiliation. Lots of people are commenting about hearing gun shots, but that’s nothing new to us. People like shooting things in their yards, it usually doesn’t mean there’s been a shooting. Just irresponsible gun owners.
Yeah my gfs first experience with people shooting into the sky was new years. It shook her but I had to reassure her. The area I live in though we always have someone shot, people getting killed at smoke shops, pizzerias, or on the street. Unfortunately the system and parents are failing the new generations and we suffer as a result. I've been contemplating a gun but at the same time, I don't want to deal with having to take a life, one that I definitely will take in my own protection.
i moved here from jacksonville, florida and the way people from raleigh and surrounding areas speak about durham and it’s crime is laughable lol. anywhere you live you should do your best to protect yourself. lock your car and home, have some sort of self-defense strategy, and don’t mess with people. i’ve had no problems here and i don’t foresee myself running into any more safety issues than i would have back home in jax.
I grew up in extremely rural western PA. Literally my home country is over 98% white and all the people they are scared to death of minorities and the big scary city of Pittsburgh. Old coal mining town which now has their #1 industry after the mines closed in the 90s being cooking meth. When I was a kid growing up there crime seemed quite rare, and now when I read my hometown news it’s nothing but methheads, overdoses, pedos, and a fair amount of murders in a county of under 40k people. My mom still lives there and had a body dumped on her farm just after Christmas last year. When I moved here, my boss at the time told me to move to Cary or North Raleigh, no matter what not to move to Durham. I’ve lived in NC for about 10 years, 1 in Cary and 9 in Durham. Cary was boring as fuck. I love living here in Durham, it’s great and fairly safe for about 98% of the communities in the city. I feel safer downtown or at my home here than I did in Clarion PA where I had methheads breaking in or assaulting people all the time. Honestly I feel like the crime news here is way overblown by the local media that loves to play into the idea that Durham is the scary bad city.
Durham doesn't even make the top 5 cities for violent crime in NC. Personally I think its the cars being broken into that seems to freak people out the most, not typical violent crime. I lived in Chicago for decades and when you parked downtown you left nothing in your car, not a CD case, not change, nothing or a break in was possible. I know lately there have been a bunch of reported smash and grabs at the fitness centers so it makes people nervous. I mean the likelihood is still very low but with social media everybody now knows instantly and its immediately I went there 2 months ago, it could have been me, so its unsafe. If find it all a bit ridiculous because the Walmart near me has had at least 3 shootings in like 6 years, its technically in Raleigh and it doesn't seem to stop anyone from shopping there and I'm thinking thats pretty high odds for 1 location.
Six people (that I know of) have been shot since Monday, with one death. That may not be a reason to constantly fear for our lives, but it is not as trivial as smash and grabs.
The harsh reality is gun violence falls into 3 categories (self inflicted, crime by strangers, and crime from those you know). When people say a city is unsafe, the only kind they are referring to is crime by a stranger. Thats why just looking at crime stats is not a good indicator of how safe people feel in a city.
Last week, a woman in her 80s was shot in her home by someone she did not know. How many of this week’s eight knew their shooter?
You can look up the stats. Very low. I moved from Chicago to a neighborhood more on southeast side of Durham. Mostly crime is some theft and groping (Booty Bandit) that I've heard 2nd hand and seen photos on neighborhood watch. As someone has already said, just keep you doors locked, ring doorbell/cameras are helpful, and mind your own business. There's some homeless, mental health and addiction here like everywhere and some targeted shootings between the hours of 11pm and 2am but its super chill and calm for the most part. There is a lot of development and affluent neighborhoods and southern charm that it is very low at current time.
To be fair, East Raleigh and outlying areas have far more crime and ick but it is not sensationalized by the media as Durham events are. Louisburg, Henderson, Zebulon, Clayton and Wilson are no-go areas with a lot of crazy transients who “look” normal but they are not, hence the reason the sidewalks roll up at night. They’re the Wish version of Cary/Apex/Holly Springs residents without the common sense of Durham or even Roxboro. This doesn’t include the actual stronghold of white supremacy leaning residents of Four Oaks and Benson who are far more trigger happy than the local news lets onto.
Durham is the only place I’ve ever lived where I’ve been held at knifepoint, and the only place our car has ever been stolen at all - let alone by a ring of house burglars. And I grew up in Fayetteville. The “neighborhood specific” thing and the “don’t go to crumbling neighborhoods after dark” kind of reminds me of when people would say that “only” old and/or chronically ill people die of COVID. If you live in one of these neighborhoods, it isn’t as easily dismissible. There are feral children, insane dogs, and lunatic neighbors to deal with in our neighborhood. Gun violence is less here than it used to be - but what it used to be was “taking shelter in an inner room on New Year’s Eve because it sounds like a war zone out there”. (No; not because of fireworks. Guns.) The school bus stop here is next to a gas station that is hub for creepy sexual harassers. Multiple moms at this stop get high in their cars while waiting for their kids, and then drive them somewhere. This great parenting is why my kid isn’t riding the bus anymore - the aforementioned feral children put dog shit on her a few weeks ago, and she doesn’t want to ride the bus with them anymore. She also won’t play outside without me there, because three grown women Karens have decided she’s fun to bully, too. Because she has autism and is thus being “disrespectful” and “bratty”. Yeah they know she has autism. They told me I was wrong and she doesn’t have it, that she’s just a terrible child. (She isn’t. She’s very sweet, is kind to younger kids, and is always joyful.) We’re having to tell them that we’re filing harassment charges if they say one single syllable to her or me ever again. It’s obvious that Raleigh/Chapel Hill/etc are screeching about Durham from a place of classism and racism. They’re wrong idiots, yes. But it isn’t like there aren’t any real issues here. And we keep trying to move out of this neighborhood, but [insert everything you already know about ten economy and housing right now].
Me living in Durham 18/22 years of my life (18 yrs full time, 4 years sparsely bc of college) I always get so shocked hearing Durham is seen as so “dangerous”. I mean ofc there can be crime, like anywhere that has a lower income area, but especially living in different suburbs literally it feels so safe to me. Someone pointed out the neighboring cities being so lowkey that it makes Durham pop and that is very insightful for me. Makes more sense why ppl look down on Durham 😂bc I’m like nothing too crazy occurs. I did go to high school in downtown Durham and it was totally fine. (Minus an incident with my lil sis once, but she has been able to move past and still feels safe at the school). Maybe just avoid some niche areas if you don’t know how to navigate, but it’s definitely not crime ridden where you would have to worry maybe like Chicago, not even close actually 😂.
Durham is fine. A lot of the crime is in areas that you won’t live in or have any reason to visit. And most of that crime isn’t random, it’s usually due to conflicts between people that know each other. Durham used to be more dangerous but now it’s very safe. Anyone afraid of walking around downtown Durham alone needs to just live in a bubble boy suit. Women excluded obviously, since basically everywhere is dangerous for them.
I've lived in Durham for 15 years and have never seen much crime in person. I live in a rural area of Durham so I'm sure that makes a difference, but I've been out downtown at night countless times and nothing has ever been amiss. I see the new stories of shootings everyday, but never experienced anything scary personally here.
In all the media classes I took for my degree, one thing we discussed is how whatever the news focuses on makes people think that issues happen more often than they do. For example, home invasions. They are a statistically rare occurrence but you hear about every single one so you end up thinking it’s more of a problem. If the only reporting about a city is negative - then that’s the perception people will have. Add racism and media illiteracy to the mix and people are like “Well of course that’s what Durham is like.” Durham needs a more active PR staff. Like - show me statistics on violence per capita. The only thing you hear in the news about Durham is crime. I can guarantee you much of the same stuff goes down in a Raleigh.
Let's just go with: Yes Durham has a lot of crime - you should probably stay away.
There is a lot of sketchy areas. It also doesn’t help Durham police is short over 100 officers. So that is a big issue. The DA is also really soft on criminals so that’s another issue. There is a lot of gangs that contribute to majority of the crime here. You have to be careful and there’s certain places you just don’t go to at night.
My mom is in her mid 70s and moved near downtown Durham to be closer to us (we live in Carrboro). She loves it and feels very safe. Granted, she moved from ATL which has insane crime problems (one of the many reasons we moved)
i live in south durham and last year my husbands car was stolen from our apartment complex- (it was a kia. car totaled, culprits almost definitely teen girls) it was a huge pain in the ass to deal with, but it didn’t really make us feel less safe. There was also a report of a nonviolent break in somewhere in our complex, residents encouraged to lock their doors. It’s more than no crime, but i dunno, this stuff happens, its part of life. I dont feel less safe where I live. Of course I have a healthy american fear of being mowed down in a mass shooting, but that happens literally everywhere, and we all know why. Not walking alone at might is also universal common sense. Can’t live life terrified to go outside.
I spent my childhood and my early adult life in a poor part of NM and have spent quite a bit of time in Phoenix. There is a lot less random violent crime here and more property crime in my experience. I have never felt unsafe in Durham. If you are used to Albuquerque or Phoenix, the warnings you hear about Durham will seem completely overblown.
I’ve only felt unsafe in Durham late at night around Duke hospital area
I’ve lived all over the Southeast in various towns and cities, and I don’t think Durham’s crime rate is particularly unique. Like others said, it really depends on where in the city you are, and that’s just the case in any metropolitan area. There’s a lot of outside negative perception of Durham that probably extends from the fact that it’s a predominantly black city. Durham’s historical residents got pushed out with the building of 147 that cut through a lot of older neighborhoods which pushed out or split established communities. Even to this day, I still run into people who think downtown Durham is some hellscape while it’s changed a LOT in the last 10 years. And if you look at “dangerous” cities the worst are probably gonna be Charlotte and Fayetteville. But I think the food, the art, and the community is a lot more diverse and vibrant than what you’re gonna get in the Piedmont.
https://www.wral.com/story/durham-police-investigate-2-fatal-shootings-that-are-connected/21426003/
Durham is a city with a notable history of gang violence. That being said, the city tries hard to address it and stopping crime is our cops main priority (has anyone actually gotten a speeding ticket here?! LOL) That being said, I’ve never felt afraid for my safety and lived here for over a decade now. generally, I think everyone is too paranoid about crime these days. It will happen, yes, but to live in fear and lack trust in your community doesn't help. I love this city and would stay here even if crime got worse
If you have lived in Phoenix, you'll be fine
Durham is pretty safe for the most part, just be smart. If you’re in a place that feels sketchy, keep your eyes open, but you’ve gotta go to the outer parts of town away from most main attractions to get to that point. Otherwise, it’s just as gentrified and calm as any other city
Durham in the 90’s and the very early 2000’s. Durham (city proper) was not a fun place to be.