What Makes a Place “Safe” to Live In?

Looking for somewhere to live is a task that can seem fun on the face of things, but which not many of us truly envy. Whatever your personal circumstances, choosing somewhere to live is a major decision with both short and long-term impacts – and there are many factors to take into account when making such a decision, safety being a key one. But what makes somewhere safe?

Safety as Search Criterion

Safety is a leading criterion for families and individuals when looking for places to live. Whether a student booking viewings for their first rental home, or a growing family looking for a starter home in which to raise children, safety is a crucial consideration. How safe are you in navigating your neighbourhood in the day or after dark, and how safe are your belongings from the threat of theft or burglary?

In the latter case, safety is defined not purely by the region but also by the infrastructure of individual properties – something which will be addressed shortly. But even then, no matter how secure entryways to a given property are, there are no guarantees of safety from burglary or attempted intrusion – making renters insurance all the more useful an expense to offset potential personal costs.

But what exactly is it that makes a place “safe”? What are the sub-criteria that you should be looking at in order to ensure an area or home is safe to live in? It can be easy to get carried away with certain notions or even misconceptions about safety, but what follow are some simple ways to approach the concept of safety with regard to location.

What Makes Somewhere Safe?

Crime statistics naturally form the meat of any deliberations over the safety of a region or neighbourhood. They are powerful ballpark figures that illustrate the scope not only of criminal activity, but also of social care and community outreach. However, relying solely on crime statistics is a flawed methodology, particularly when taking into account the heightened police presence in certain areas – and the disproportionate charging of certain communities over others.

Safety can perhaps be more accurately, qualitatively discerned through more positive attributes. For example, a suburban area with a primary school might demonstrably safer than one built next to a main road. Speaking of which, safety does not have to mean safety from crime. It can also cover health risks and hazards, some of which may be particularly important to new families hoping to safeguard their children. A home might be safer if it does not adjoin a main road, or if it is in close proximity to public and emergency services.

The Safest Cities in the UK

Of course, for a ballpark reckoning of where in the UK might be safer to move, crime statistics cannot be avoided. Still, outlets like Country Living use a variety of attributes – including proximity to hospitals and fire stations, flood risk levels and even streetlight budgets – to figure out the UK’s safer locations. According to Country Living, the safest place to live in the UK is Manchester, closely followed by the East Riding of Yorkshire.