Neighborhoods to Avoid in Seattle – The Most Dangerous and the Best to Stay

You will soon be staying in the Emerald City and want to know the neighborhoods to avoid in Seattle, the most dangerous and the best places to stay. It is true that nowadays, it is better to find out about the neighborhoods where you will be staying, especially in the big American or European cities.

Even if Seattle is not among the most dangerous cities in the United States, there are still neighborhoods to avoid.

So, to help you spot the most dangerous and best neighborhoods to stay in Seattle, here is a guide with a map of the city's main neighborhoods.

All the information in this article comes from the web (economic media, local press, world rankings and statistics). This guide is a synthesis of data and therefore does not involve any judgment or discrimination.

Is Seattle a dangerous city in 2024?

NOT, we can say that in 2024 Seattle is not one of the most dangerous cities in the United States. You will be able to see this yourself by consulting the statistics of the FBI, city-data.com or Seattle Police official report.

This is also what we see on the Numbeo ranking of the most criminal cities of America updated in 2024. Indeed, Seattle is positioned in 14th position out of the 32 American cities classified according to their level of crime. With a crime index of 54.88, Seattle is therefore average.

In comparison, Seattle would be less dangerous than many other American cities like Sound, Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia ou New Orleans.

And if we compare the figures to world level, Seattle is much safer than cities like Cape Town, Sao Paulo, Naples, Marseille ou Lima.

However, Seattle's crime rate has risen sharply:

Police Chief Adrian Diaz said: We had an increase of more than 95% in the number of shots fired and a 171% increase in the number of people shot compared to last year" Source: Newspaper article The Seattle Times


Is Seattle dangerous for tourists?

NOT but, as in all major cities, tourists should exercise caution.

Indeed, travelers will simply have to avoid a few less safe or less interesting neighborhoods for tourism and remain vigilant on tourist sites (risk of pickpockets, scams, phone theft, for example).


Map of neighborhoods to avoid in Seattle

There are 7 districts in the city of Seattle numbered from 1 to 7, which are themselves divided into neighborhoods (see details on the site of the city ​​of seattle).

To help you locate the Seattle neighborhoods to avoid (list below), here is the map of the main neighborhoods:


Seattle's Most Dangerous Neighborhoods

You can check the map of the most dangerous areas of Seattle in 2024 on the official site: Seattle Police Department.

And, cross-referencing with other online statistics, without being very unsafe neighborhoods, here are the neighborhoods considered to be the least safe in Seattle:

Dangerous is defined as the Seattle neighborhoods that have the highest per capita rates of violent and property crime. Click on their links to locate them on Google Maps.

Neighborhoods to avoid in Seattle

In addition to these neighborhoods listed above, here is a list of places to avoid in Seattle especially at night:

Seattle Red Light Districts

Among the neighborhoods to avoid in Seattle, we should also mention the red light districts even if they are not necessarily dangerous. Among those with the worst reputation is the area aroundAurora Avenue which is located in the Liton Springs neighborhood.

Is Downtown Seattle safe?

During the day, the downtown seattle is safe. The tourist and lively areas (Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, Denny Regrade, Seattle Center) are very busy and carry no risk during the day. However, in the middle of the night, it is better to remain cautious and avoid walking there alone, especially in certain deserted or poorly lit streets.

Downtown Seattle

Best neighborhoods to stay in Seattle

Impossible to say which is the best or the most beautiful neighborhood in Seattle. Indeed, the city of Seattle has many beautiful neighborhoods that all have their own identity. Some specificities will be appreciated by some and perhaps not by others. Choosing the best neighborhood depends on tastes and the type of stay planned.

But, as in all cities, there are neighborhoods that are more popular and more fashionable than others. Among the best and safest neighborhoods, professionals and real estate agencies in Seattle cite the following:

  • Blue ridge
  • North Beach
  • Ballard
  • Hawthorne Hills
  • Matthews Beach
  • Arbor Heights
  • View Ridge
  • Wedgwood
  • Bryant
  • laurelhurst

Where to stay in Seattle for tourists?

For tourists looking for where to stay in Seattle, the most touristic area is Downtown.

Downtown tourist district of Seattle

This area of ​​downtown Seattle is home to the Central Waterfront, Aquarium, Space Needle, Pike Place Market, historic Pioneer Square, Museum of Pop Culture, Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Children's Museum, the Olympic Sculpture Park, the Paramount Theater, the Alaskan Way, and more.

Best area to stay in Downtown Seattle

Downtown has several sub-districts (Pioneer Square, International District, Pike Place Market, First Hill, Yesler Terrace, Belltown) and some areas to avoid (see above). So, we can ask ourselves where is the best place to stay in Downtown Seattle?

Faced with the immense hotel offer found in Downtown Seattle, the best location in a safe area for tourists is on the Waterfront.

Here is the hotel that I recommend for its services and its ideal location close to the tourist sites of Seattle: The Edgewater a Noble House Hotel.

far from the neighborhoods to avoid in Seattle here is the recommended hotel

And for those looking for a good hotel a little cheaper, here is the Homewood Suites by Hilton Seattle Downtown.

How to visit Seattle?

Here are some ideas for interesting and practical excursions to visit Seattle:

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