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Is Jersey City safe? 🇺🇸
United States · Safety report last updated
As of October 2026, Jersey City scores 75/100 on the IsMyTripSafe composite safety index — verdict: yes — generally safe. Yes, Jersey City is generally safe for visitors who stay in well-trafficked areas and avoid certain neighborhoods after dark. The main risks for visitors are pickpocketing (moderate risk) and robbery (moderate risk). The U.S. State Department rates it Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution).
Safety Report
IsMyTripSafe.com
Jersey City 🇺🇸
United States · Assessed 18 October 2026
75
/ 100
What drives this score
Crime68/100FairCrime index 39.9 / 100 · city-level
Sentiment66/100FairMostly positive
Advisories85Good
Stability72Good
Health77Good
01 · Official Guidance
Advisories
Good
No advisory against travel
“This travel advice also covers American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and United States Virgin Islands. Before you travel No travel can be guaranteed safe.”
Updated 2026-10-07T10:48:24Z
Full advisory →Exercise normal security precautions
“Canada's official risk level for United States: exercise normal security precautions.”
Updated 2026-10-15T08:53:58.290000-04:00
Full advisory →02 · Evidence Signals
Crime
Fair
Mugging & robbery risk
Moderate risk
62
City SignalCity Web Research
Pickpocketing & theft risk
Moderate risk
78
City SignalCity Web Research
Visitor safety sentiment
65 / 100 (Mostly positive)
65
City SignalCity Web Research
Urban scale factor
264k residents
81
City SignalCity Geocoding
Homicide rate
5.8 / 100kHomicide rate · per 100kJapan0.2Switzerland0.6World avg5.2United States5.8Brazil19.3South Africa43.7
62
Robbery / mugging
ModerateMugging risk is higher in southern neighborhoods like Greenville, particularly after dark; infrequent in tourist zones.
Pickpocketing
ModeratePickpocketing occurs in crowded areas such as Journal Square and PATH stations; keep bags secured.
03 · Environment
Health & Air
Good
04 · Institutions
Stability
Good
05 · Field Research
Current Situation
Moderate
Traveller sentiment score
Mostly positive
66/100
Reported feel65Mostly positive
Robbery risk62Moderate risk
Pickpocket risk78Moderate risk
Recent visitor reports indicate feeling safe during daylight in waterfront and downtown areas, but caution is advised at night in less frequented neighborhoods.
Yes, Jersey City is generally safe for visitors who stay in well-trafficked areas and avoid certain neighborhoods after dark.
Jersey City's composite safety index of 78/100 indicates it is safer than most global destinations, with improving crime trends per official city data through August 2026. Violent and property crime have decreased double digits year-over-year, though risks remain higher in southern and eastern neighborhoods like Greenville and Bergen-Lafayette. Visitors should exercise standard urban precautions, particularly regarding petty theft and scams.
Recent developments
- Jul 2026Man wanted for fatal Jersey City shooting apprehended by U.S. Marshals in North Carolina— Hudson County View
- Jun 2026Jersey City launched JC IMPACT, a public crime dashboard for real-time safety data— The Jill Biggs Group
- May 2026Officers warned organized crime remains a strong presence in New Jersey— New Jersey Monitor
- Aug 2026Ex-postal worker admitted to repeatedly stealing mail from Jersey City post offices— Hudson County View
Common scams
- fake remote job offers
- fraudulent municipal alerts
- QR code parking payment scams
Full briefing
Jersey City has seen measurable safety improvements, with violent and property crime down double digits year-over-year through August 2026, according to the city’s own JC IMPACT dashboard. The waterfront and Downtown areas, including Paulus Hook and Hamilton Park, report far fewer incidents and are considered safe for visitors, especially during daylight hours. However, the southern and eastern neighborhoods such as Greenville and Bergen-Lafayette continue to experience higher rates of property crime and assaults, and visitors are advised to avoid these areas after dark.
Recent incidents highlight ongoing concerns: a fatal shooting suspect was apprehended in July 2026, and organized crime remains a noted presence statewide as of May 2026. Additionally, an ex-postal worker was convicted in August 2026 for repeated mail theft from local post offices. These events underscore the importance of staying alert, particularly in less populated or poorly lit areas.
Scams targeting residents and visitors include sophisticated financial frauds such as fake remote job offers and deceptive municipal alerts, often delivered via text or email. QR code scams related to parking payments have also been reported. To stay safe, travelers should keep valuables out of sight in vehicles, use official transit apps to reduce station interactions, and remain skeptical of unsolicited job or financial requests. Walking alone at night is safest when confined to well-lit, major streets in tourist-friendly zones.
Was this Jersey City, United States report helpful?
06 · Neighbourhoods
Safest areas and areas to avoid
Our field research rated 8 Jersey City districts for visitors: 4 safer, 3 needing caution and 1 best avoided. See them plotted on the Jersey City safety map.
GreenvilleavoidSouthern neighborhood with higher violent crime rates; avoid MLK Drive and Ocean Avenue corridors, particularly at night.
Journal SquarecautionTransit-heavy area with moderate pickpocketing risk; avoid isolated side streets after dark.
Bergen-LafayettecautionResidential zone with elevated property crime; exercise caution after 9 PM, especially near Martin Luther King Drive.
The HeightscautionMixed-use area with sporadic theft reports; stay on main avenues like Kennedy Boulevard and avoid poorly lit side streets after dark.
Paulus HooksaferWaterfront district with low crime, well-lit streets, and strong police presence; ideal for visitors.
Hamilton ParksaferResidential area with historic homes, active community watch, and minimal reported incidents in 2026.
Downtown Jersey CitysaferCommercial hub with high foot traffic, CCTV coverage, and regular patrols; safe during day and evening.
Liberty State Park vicinitysaferWell-maintained park with ranger patrols; safe for daytime visits, but avoid isolated trails after dusk.
07 · After Dark
Is Jersey City safe at night?
60% of people in United States say they feel safe walking alone at night in their area (UN SDG survey, 2023).
Mugging risk is higher in southern neighborhoods like Greenville, particularly after dark; infrequent in tourist zones.
After dark, be most careful around Greenville, Journal Square, Bergen-Lafayette, The Heights. Stick to busy, well-lit streets and licensed taxis or ride-hail late at night.
08 · Questions
Jersey City safety FAQ (2026)
Is Jersey City safe right now (2026)?
Yes, Jersey City is generally safe for visitors who stay in well-trafficked areas and avoid certain neighborhoods after dark. Jersey City's composite safety index of 78/100 indicates it is safer than most global destinations, with improving crime trends per official city data through August 2026. Violent and property crime have decreased double digits year-over-year, though risks remain higher in southern and eastern neighborhoods like Greenville and Bergen-Lafayette. Visitors should exercise standard urban precautions, particularly regarding petty theft and scams. (Assessed 18 October 2026.)
Is Jersey City safe for women, families and solo travelers?
Safety is not one number, and this Jersey City report does not pretend it is: the score is re-weighted for who is travelling. A woman travelling alone, a family with children and a solo backpacker face different street-level risks, so the headline score shifts and the report leads with the findings that matter for that group. Personalize this report in one click to see the 2026 score and safety briefing for your specific travellers.
Which areas of Jersey City should tourists avoid?
Field research flags Greenville as best avoided. See the district-by-district safety map.
What are the most common scams in Jersey City (2026)?
- fake remote job offers
- fraudulent municipal alerts
- QR code parking payment scams
How does Jersey City compare with other places in United States (2026)?
Jersey City ranks #9 of 9 United States destinations we've assessed, scoring 75/100. See the United States safety overview for the full list.
How is this jersey-city safety score calculated (2026)?
The score blends 14+ public data sources — government advisories, UNODC/World Bank crime statistics, FBI crime data for U.S. cities, WHO health data, live air quality and disaster alerts — with AI field research over current local reporting. The databases carry the bulk of the weight (and U.S. reports lean more on the latest field research); the traveller-sentiment score from field research carries the rest. Full methodology.
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Raw data: jersey-city.json (CC BY 4.0).