Where you live makes a huge difference in your family’s comfort, safety, and peace of mind.
Constantly looking for ways to handle toxic neighbors, keep your kids safe, and protect your property is not something you want to spend your time, energy, and money on in the long run. But, unfortunately, this is the plight of many people living in unsavory neighborhoods.
But how do you know if your Northcentral Pennsylvania neighborhood is safe? Whether you just moved into a new property or plan to buy one soon, this is a question you must know how to answer if you want to avoid unpleasant surprises down the line.
Here are nine signs that could hint you are living in a safe neighborhood in Northcentral Pennsylvania.
1. Good Upkeep
Abandoned or neglected properties are hotbeds for seedy individuals, especially drug addicts, squatters, and burglars. Research also confirms a clear link between low-income communities and crime, particularly those violent in nature.
This is why unkempt yards, broken fences, peeling paint, and derelict and boarded-up houses serve as common indications of an unsafe area.
Neighborhoods with properly maintained homes, on the other hand, suggest the opposite. They are also more likely to have homeowners than renters living in them—another vital factor that could hint at a safer residential area.
2. Clean Surroundings
What do you see when you take a walk around public areas in your neighborhood in Northcentral Pennsylvania? Is there garbage at every corner? Are walls covered with graffiti?
This is what happens when people care less about their surroundings. And when residents are not concerned about their living environment, it creates an opportunity for vandalism and crime to thrive.
But streets, parks, bus stops, and playgrounds that are clean and spotless discourage bad actors from taking root. So, safe neighborhoods will always look homely and looked after and feel more welcoming.
3. Outdoor Activities
Are local parks bustling with people on the weekends? Do you see kids cycling on the street or playing outdoors? Are there dog parents walking their pups or moms taking their kids for strolls?
When a community is safe, people are more willing to spend time outdoors and let their children go outside, too.
They have less fear of dangers like burglaries, violence, and hit-and-runs. These neighborhoods usually have a livelier, laid-back, and carefree vibe.
4. Neighborhood Events
In highly livable areas, neighbors are friendlier. They make an effort to get to know each other and go out of their way to build and nurture relationships with their fellow residents.
This kind of community will see more collective activities like barbecues, kids’ parties, fundraisers, volunteering work, book clubs, craft fairs, food festivals, and the like.
These allow people to bond, share interests, and, more importantly, keep a vigilant eye on suspicious individuals and activities around them.
5. Flourishing Local Economy
Safe neighborhoods attract more businesses, whereas unsafe ones drive them away.
Think about it for a moment: When there is gun violence, burglaries, vandalism, and similar crimes, small shop owners are constantly in fear of protecting their businesses. They need to bear a higher risk and spend more on tightening security. They are also likely to have fewer walk-ins as local residents move away to more livable communities.
So, to set up shop, they will often go in search of secure areas that can bring in more customers and allow them to grow their enterprises.
6. Presence of Good Schools
Safe communities generally have excellent educational institutes, both public and private.
This attracts more families with kids to these areas, giving rise to family-friendly neighborhoods that are highly livable.
Another important impact of having good schools and colleges is that they tend to drive home prices up as demand increases. As a result, such places could have a greater concentration of high-income-earning households—no doubt a sign of security and stability.
In Northcentral Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Bucknell University, and Pennsylvania College of Technology are just some of the schools that signal the prestige of the region.
7. Reasonable Property Prices
In undesirable areas that are unsafe, you will find more “for sale” signs as residents look elsewhere to make their home. And when there is less demand for such properties, homeowners are compelled to lower their asking price.
So, take note if you find that home prices are lower in a particular area compared to similar neighboring communities.
In safer neighborhoods, there will be fewer homeowners looking to move out. And their properties are usually listed at regular market rates or higher.
According to UPMC, some areas in Northcentral Pennsylvania, such as Lock Haven, Wellsboro, and Williamsport, are nationally recognized for both affordable and quality housing.
8. Street Signs and Lighting
Road signs, speed limits, speed bumps, traffic lights, crosswalks, and the like ensure residents’ safety, whether they are driving, walking, or cycling.
Therefore, the presence of these is a positive sign if you are concerned about your safety and that of your family.
Streetlights are another factor to pay attention to. Walk around the neighborhood in the evenings to see how well-lit the streets and walking paths are. The more illuminated your community is, the less chance there is of criminal activities like theft and vandalism taking place.
9. Low Crime Rates
Safer areas have fewer reported incidents of property crime, burglaries, assault, vehicle theft, and other crimes.
You can get an idea about these on the FBI Crime Data Explorer—a free tool that maps crime across the US. There are other free and paid apps and platforms, too, such as AreaVibes and Family Watchdog, that can help you keep a tab on incidents in your community.
Checking the national sex offenders’ registry is also useful for identifying any registered individuals living nearby.
To Conclude
Safety and security are top priorities for any homeowner.
If you are wondering how safe your community in Northcentral Pennsylvania is, there are several factors you must take note of.
The general upkeep of neighboring properties, clean public areas, outdoor activities, community events, thriving local businesses, and excellent schools can all signal a safe residential area for you to live in.
Other factors to look for include property prices on par with or above the average market rates, the availability of street signs and lighting, and low crime rates.
If your neighborhood ticks all the boxes, you can rest easy knowing you live in a secure community. However, this doesn’t mean you should take personal safety any lightly. No matter how livable your area is, it is important to ensure you take sufficient precautions in and outside your home.
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