Spot Crime map

[OmahaNewB]

I'm excited to be moving to Omaha this fall, but the stats on http://www.spotcrime.com are freaking me out...a lot.  It looks like Omaha has more shootings than cities I typically think of as exceptionally dangerous like Baltimore and St. Louis.  It also looks like there are a ton of forced entry type burglaries and theft crimes also.  The thing is when you looks closely, some of the shootings are not actually shootings (not that stabbings are better, but still) or sometimes there are 2 targets listed for the same shooting.  Also the details for the month of February 2011 are pretty crazy in terms of thefts and robberies and such.  You have to sign in to really look at the crime maps on the site, but I am just wondering if anyone has anything to say about the crime rates presented there?  Is it really that bad?

I've gathered the Northeast part of the city is to be avoided.  But I'm wondering how safe the area around UNMC is, since that's where I will be going to school and it's not that far away from the "bad area".  Would it be safe to walk a mile to UNMC from Poppleton and 42nd for example?  Or would it be better to drive in from somewhere out of the chaos?  I'd like to enjoy the benefits of a city (like not having to rely on a car so much), but don't really want to risk my life.  I am a young female and will carry mace, but don't want to use it!

Anyway I appreciate the input and I'm sorry my first post about your city is about something negative.  Like I said the spotcrime website is just freaking me out.

[iamjacobm]

I'll just give my experience of the area.

I live one block north of UNMC on 42nd street and have for the past 9 months.  In all my time walking, biking and just hanging out in the area I have been asked for cash maybe a half dozen times total nothing else to speak of.  Never once felt threatened either.  Most crimes in Omaha aren't random.

Now I am sure to not carry a ton of cash on me or leave valuables in my car, but that is common sense for most neighborhoods.

[almighty_tuna]

Yeah, what JacobM said. I don't know that there would be any "risking of one's life". Eventually, Streets will show up on this thread and tell you that you're more at risk from getting hit by a car than any sort of crime. I would have to concede that he would be correct in this case. Nothing wrong with that part of town at all. Plus, there are two bus lines (#3 and 15/55) which go right down 42nd that you could take straight to UNMC on bad weather days.

[OmahaNewB]

Thanks.  Not to make light of the crime, but the spotcrime website seems to be wrong in a few instances anyway.  I think the Midtown area has houses with much better character than La Vista or Papillion, so I'd rather be there anyway.

[BRoss]

Midtown is really actually a pretty good part of town - especially around Midtown Crossing at 33rd and Farnam. I'd say that as long as you stay south of Cuming, you shouldn't have any problems. Even with that, I used to have friends live at 41st and Binney and never had any kind of problems. Like iamjacobm said, most crimes are not random. The violent ones (like shoots and stabbings) are usually gang related. As long as you're not involved with a gang, you shouldn't ever get caught up in any of that.

[lisanstan]

I also live in the Midtown/Dundee area. Some streets are better than others, but you can usually figure that out as you explore the neighborhood. I would say dont let the stats scare you. I live in a nice neighborhood about a mile west of UNMC and there was a murder at the end of my street few years ago. Bad things happen (even in West Omaha).

[Seth]

My wife and I lived at an apartment at 31st and Jackson for the first year after we moved to Omaha.  We walked around the area from there to downtown, around the UNMC campus, and to Midtown Crossing a lot, often coming home from a bar or movie late at night and never felt unsafe.  Just like any city (or small town, for that matter) you have to be sensible and not put yourself in risky situations, but as long as you're not looking for trouble, I haven't observed much random crime beyond a few car break-ins.

If you want any more endorsement from me for the area, my wife and I currently live in the house we bought just six blocks away, near Leavenworth and Park Ave.