Dallas Neighborhoods to Avoid – The Most Dangerous and Safest

For your next trip to Texas, you want to know which areas in Dallas to avoid, the most dangerous and the best to stay in.

Indeed, nowadays, faced with the increase in violence in many American, European and South American cities, it is better to find out in advance.

It's safe to ask whether Dallas is a dangerous city, what its crime level is in 2024, and which neighborhoods to avoid.

Because in fact, you should not deprive yourself of enjoying the tourist and cultural riches of Dallas because, as in all megacities, you just have to avoid a few districts.

So, to anticipate and have a good stay in Dallas, here is a guide with a map of the main districts of Dallas. It will allow you to identify the best areas to stay but above all to avoid the most dangerous areas of Dallas.

The information in this article is sourced from economic media, local press, rankings and statistics. It is therefore only a summary of data that does not involve any judgment or discrimination.

Dallas dangerous city in 2024?

NO in 2024 Dallas is not one of the most dangerous cities in the United States.

This is confirmed in the following rankings and statistics:

Statistics Most Violent Cities in America published by worldpopulationreview where Dallas does not appear in the 20 most dangerous cities in the United States;
The latest ranking neighborhood scout which lists the 100 most dangerous cities in the USA. There, unlike Memphis, Sound, Saint Louis ou Houston, Dallas is not included in this ranking.
The 2024 ranking of the most criminal cities of america site Numbeo.com. Indeed, Dallas is in 30th position out of 51 cities ranked by crime level. With a fairly low crime index, Dallas is therefore in the low average. Compared to other American cities, its crime index is lower than those of Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Atlanta and New Orleans.

Worldwide, again according to the site Numbeo.com, Dallas is also positioned at the bottom of the table. According to these figures, Dallas would be less dangerous than Paris, Athens, Rome ou Brussels.

Is Dallas safe for tourists?

Yes, but like in all big cities, as long as tourists remain careful.

In the city of Dallas, violent crime does not directly affect tourists. Indeed, crime is not very high and is linked to the settling of accounts, gang wars and drug trafficking. It is therefore concentrated in certain areas where tourists generally do not go.

In addition, the tourist or cultural sites of Dallas are far from dangerous neighborhoods and are completely safe for tourists.

Map of Dallas Neighborhoods

To locate yourself geographically, you should know that Dallas is divided into 7 major areas:

Central Dallas which includes the Downtown, Deep Ellum, Expo Park, Medical District, Oak Lawn, Old East, South Dallas, Fair Park, Design District and Uptown neighborhoods
North central
North West
North East
South West
south central
South east

Each large area is itself divided into numerous districts and sub-districts, the complete list of which you will find on Wikipedia.

To better identify areas to avoid, dangerous neighborhoods and the best areas to stay, here is the map of central Dallas: Google Maps

Most Dangerous Areas in Dallas

According to official figures published on the Dallas police statistics website, the area with the most violent crime is located in South Dallas.

According to this data, the South East and South Central areas are the most dangerous in Dallas.

See the map online on the Dallas police website:

Dallas' Most Dangerous Neighborhoods

By synthesizing the information published on specialized sites such as areavibes ou crimegrade, here are the most dangerous neighborhoods in Dallas in 2024 (the links take you to their Google Maps locations):

South Boulevard-Park Row
Cedar Crest
south dallas
Convention Center District which is south of downtown Dallas and south of the government district
Cockrell Hill
Northwest Dallas
W
Oak Cliff

These neighborhoods are known to be dangerous because they have the highest per capita rates of violent crime and property crime.

Red-light districts to avoid in Dallas

Without being dangerous neighborhoods, here are the main areas of Dallas to avoid especially at night because they are very poorly frequented and unsavory:

Best neighborhoods to stay in Dallas

It's not easy to find a neighborhood for your stay in Dallas because many neighborhoods are attractive, safe and very pleasant to stay in. But all of them have their own atmosphere and particularity. In addition, choosing the best neighborhood in Dallas is based on your tastes, your desires and the type of stay you are going to have.

So here are, according to real estate agencies, forums, blogs, the best neighborhoods to stay in Dallas depending on your type of stay.

Downtown Dallas : Best area for tourists;
Uptown/Deep Ellum : Best neighborhoods for restaurants, music and nightlife;
Gallery / North Dallas : Best neighborhoods for shopping and luxury stay;
Victory Park : Best area to stay with family, to go to concerts or sporting events.

Dallas' Best Neighborhood for Tourists

The favorite area for tourists is Downtown Dallas. This is where all the finest hotels, the main tourist attractions, the best museums and the most convenient public transport are located.

But Downtown is a large district of which 2 parts are particularly interesting for tourists:

Main Street and Arts District Dallas' most touristy neighborhoods

Neighborhood Main Street is the most central part of the historic district in downtown Dallas. It's a small little strip of skyscrapers, luxury hotels, upscale restaurants, trendy bars and beautiful designer boutiques. See location of this street

This district is located right next to the sad and famous Dealey Plaza where US President John F. Kennedy was killed in 1963.

All around this place are the attractions related to John F. Kennedy:

the Sixth Floor Museum;
the John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza.
the small Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum

A little further north, there is also the district Arts District which attracts many visitors.

It is a district renowned for its museums and world-famous cultural sites such as:

Dallas Museum Of Art,
the Crow Museum of Asian Art,
the Nasher Sculpture Center,
the Morton Meyerson Symphony Center,
or the Perot Museum of Nature and Science.

Where to stay in Dallas?

To stay near the most beautiful tourist attractions and in a historic building full of charm, I recommend the hotel The Joule. Indeed, this magnificent hotel is located in the tourist district of Main Street.

Staying at this hotel allows you to walk to the JFK Memorial in a few minutes (750 meters from the hotel) or to the Dallas Museum of Art in 15 minutes on foot.

Best hotel to visit Dallas