Is the West Harlem area around 118th Street in New York City a safe place to stay for tourists?

Answer 1

There's no place on Earth that is totally crime-free. You can never be guaranteed of your safety. However, New York City is currently the safest major city in the United States, so I really wouldn't worry about it.

I mean, how would you define "safe?" If safe means, "there is absolutely zero chance of being mugged or attacked," then no, it's not safe. But if "safe" means, "there is some crime, but overall the crime rate is very low," then yes, it is safe.

Just like everywhere else on Earth, New York City isn't totally safe. But it certainly is not dangerous. Furthermore, you are just as likely to be mugged in West Harlem as in, say, the Upper East Side, or Times Square, or Tribeca, or the West Village.

There's really no such thing as a "bad" neighborhood in New York City, or at least, not in Manhattan. Because all parts of New York City are easily accessible by subway or bus, criminals don't need to stay within one neighborhood. They can easily live in, say, Queens, and take the subway to the Upper East Side to rob people.

So, West Harlem is just as safe as any other Manhattan neighborhood. There is no reason to be afraid of staying in that area. Anyone who tells you otherwise is clearly relying on outdated information and racial stereotypes (i.e., "White people aren't safe in Harlem" or "New York City has a very high crime rate.")

New York City had a serious crime problem in the 1970s through the early 1990s, and the image of New York as a crime-infested cesspool still has not faded from people's minds. Even though New York City is currently the safest city in the U.S., a lot of people still seem to be operating on the assumption that New York is a very dangerous city.

So, don't be fooled by the bigotry and the erroneous assumptions. There is nothing wrong with Harlem. It's a beautiful and vibrant neighborhood, and it is absolutely NOT dangerous for white people to stay there.