The most dangerous places in the Bronx by reported violent crime are Mott Haven and Melrose in the South Bronx, followed by Belmont and East Tremont, then Fordham and University Heights. Mott Haven’s 40th Precinct reports 15.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents in NYPD data through Nov. 1, 2026. That is nearly double the Bronx average of 7.8.
Most of these areas are getting safer, and major crime in the Bronx is down 11.3% this year. Still, one precinct is moving sharply the other way. This guide ranks all 12 precincts so you can see the full picture.
Key takeaways
- Mott Haven has the highest violent crime rate in the Bronx, at 15.1 per 1,000 residents.
- The 46th Precinct has the most murders, with 14, up from 6 at this point in 2025.
- The 47th Precinct in the north Bronx has the most shooting incidents, with 30.
- Major crime is down in 11 of 12 Bronx precincts.
- The Bronx still has a much higher violent crime rate than Brooklyn, Manhattan, or Queens.
The Bronx areas with the highest violent crime rates
These five precincts have the highest rates of violent crime per 1,000 residents in the Bronx so far in 2026.
| Rank | Area | NYPD precinct | Violent crimes per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mott Haven, Melrose, Port Morris | 40th | 15.1 |
| 2 | Belmont, East Tremont, West Farms | 48th | 10.4 |
| 3 | Fordham, University Heights, Morris Heights | 46th | 10.3 |
| 4 | Morrisania, Claremont, Crotona Park East | 42nd | 9.8 |
| 5 | Bedford Park, Norwood, Kingsbridge | 52nd | 8.8 |
Violent crime here means NYPD’s murder, rape, robbery, and felony assault counts for Jan. 1 to Nov. 1, 2026. We divided those counts by each precinct’s 2020 census population. The method is explained below the full table.
7 facts about the most dangerous places in the Bronx
1. Mott Haven has the Bronx’s highest violent crime rate
The 40th Precinct has reported 1,521 violent crimes this year, or 15.1 per 1,000 residents. It leads the Bronx with 488 robberies and 976 felony assaults.
The trend is mixed. Murders fell from 11 to 6, and robberies fell 9.3%. Felony assaults rose 10.3%, however, so this precinct’s biggest category is still growing.
2. Fordham and University Heights are going the wrong way
The 46th Precinct is the only Bronx precinct where major crime rose this year. It is up 8%, from 2,076 to 2,243 reported crimes.
It also has the most murders in the borough. The count rose from 6 to 14, and felony assaults rose 24.6%, from 736 to 917.
3. Shootings reach well beyond the South Bronx
The 47th Precinct, covering Wakefield and Edenwald in the north Bronx, has the most shooting incidents, with 30. Its overall violent crime rate of 7.0 ranks only eighth, which shows why one number can’t tell the whole story.
The 40th, 46th, and 48th precincts follow with 24 incidents each. The 44th Precinct, in the Highbridge and Concourse area, has 23 incidents but the second-most shooting victims, at 33.
4. Hunts Point has fallen fast
Hunts Point and Longwood’s 41st Precinct is often named among the Bronx’s worst areas, but it now ranks sixth by rate. Major crime is down 22.2% this year, and robberies are down 32.8%.
Its rate of 8.6 is still above the Bronx average. A reputation can lag behind the numbers, so it’s worth checking the current data.
5. The Bronx is improving faster than its reputation suggests
Major crime in the Bronx fell from 25,938 to 23,012 this year, a drop of 11.3%. Robberies fell 15.3%, and grand larceny auto (vehicle theft) fell 26.2%.. Murders only edged down, from 89 to 84, and felony assaults were nearly flat, at 7,491 versus 7,438.
The long view is more striking. The 12 precincts reported 79,825 major crimes in 1990 and 30,314 in 2025, a drop of 62%. Murders fell from 653 to 101, about 85%.
6. Small Base Numbers Cause Extreme Statistical Swings
This total is confirmed in official NYPD reports, though the underlying case files were not researched to determine whether the surge stems from isolated individual incidents or a concentrated multi-victim event.
The 50th Precinct, which covers Riverdale and Kingsbridge, has one of the lowest violent crime rates in the Bronx, at 3.6. Its murders still jumped from 1 to 10 this year.
The 45th Precinct went the other way, falling from 9 murders to 1. A big percentage change on a small number may not show a lasting trend, so look at several years before drawing conclusions.
7. Violence is a bigger share of crime here
Violent crime makes up about half of major crime in the Bronx, compared with about 43% in Brooklyn. Felony assault is the borough’s largest category, at 32.6% of major crime. Grand larceny is 28.6%.
The Bronx rate of 7.8 is also well above Manhattan at 4.5, Brooklyn at 3.8, and Queens at 3.4. In Manhattan, theft dominates. In the Bronx, the risk of violence plays a larger part.
All 12 Bronx precincts ranked
This table ranks every precinct by violent crime per 1,000 residents, from highest to lowest.
| Rank | Area | Precinct | Rate per 1,000 | Murders | Robberies | Felony assaults | Shooting incidents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mott Haven, Melrose, Port Morris | 40th | 15.1 | 6 | 488 | 976 | 24 |
| 2 | Belmont, East Tremont, West Farms | 48th | 10.4 | 4 | 262 | 624 | 24 |
| 3 | Fordham, University Heights, Morris Heights | 46th | 10.3 | 14 | 386 | 917 | 24 |
| 4 | Morrisania, Claremont, Crotona Park East | 42nd | 9.8 | 6 | 267 | 605 | 18 |
| 5 | Bedford Park, Norwood, Kingsbridge | 52nd | 8.8 | 6 | 416 | 823 | 12 |
| 6 | Hunts Point, Longwood | 41st | 8.6 | 2 | 156 | 294 | 8 |
| 7 | Highbridge, Concourse | 44th | 8.6 | 12 | 370 | 859 | 23 |
| 8 | Wakefield, Baychester, Edenwald | 47th | 7.0 | 10 | 332 | 759 | 30 |
| 9 | Allerton, Morris Park, Pelham Parkway | 49th | 6.7 | 5 | 270 | 498 | 9 |
| 10 | Soundview, Castle Hill, Parkchester | 43rd | 5.3 | 8 | 285 | 650 | 20 |
| 11 | Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Marble Hill | 50th | 3.6 | 10 | 113 | 222 | 7 |
| 12 | Co-op City, Throgs Neck | 45th | 3.2 | 1 | 121 | 264 | 7 |
How we built this table
The crime counts come from each precinct’s weekly CompStat report for the period ending Nov. 1, 2026, available from the NYPD’s borough and precinct crime statistics page. For example, here is the 40th Precinct report. NYPD marks these figures as preliminary, and the reports are replaced each week.
Precinct populations come from 2020 census counts by precinct, compiled by journalist John Keefe. The rates are our own calculation, not an NYPD ranking.
Keep these limits in mind:
- Population baseline: Per-capita rates rely on 2020 U.S. Census redistricting counts compiled to precinct boundaries by journalist John Keefe. Because this is third-party data and now six years old, it does not reflect subsequent population growth, decline, or post-2020 migration across the borough.
- • Commuters vs. residents: Rates are calculated strictly against permanent residential population. While heavy commuter traffic, transit hubs, and retail corridors can artificially inflate per-capita rates relative to actual residential risk, this is an analytical interpretation and not an official NYPD finding.
- • Public housing developments: Individual NYCHA housing developments are intentionally excluded from neighborhood rankings to avoid singling out specific residential complexes without standardized, verified per-development population denominators.
- • Borough-wide data aggregation: Because the NYPD’s Bronx borough-level summary file was outdated (dated May 2026), our borough totals represent the manual sum of the 12 individual precinct CompStat reports through Nov. 1, 2026. While murders and shooting incidents match citywide NYPD figures exactly, total major index crime differs by 139 incidents from the citywide summary. NYPD reports state that certain complaints are cataloged separately from precinct-level rosters, which accounts for this variance.
How to stay safe in higher-crime areas of the Bronx
Most safety comes down to timing, route, and attention. Busy shopping streets in daytime are very different from empty blocks late at night.
For residents and renters
- Visit a block at night and on a weekend before signing a lease.
- Check your precinct’s latest trend on CompStat 2.0.
- Walk the route from the subway to the front door.
- Ask neighbors and building staff what they’ve noticed.
For visitors
- Stick to busy, well-lit streets after dark.
- Plan your trip back before you head out for the evening.
- Keep your phone and bag out of sight on platforms.
- Read our guide on whether the Bronx is safe for tourists.
For drivers
- Lock your car and leave nothing in view.
- Park in a well-lit spot when you can.
4 Daily Habits for Peace of Mind and Safer Living
Safety in the city isn’t about living in fear or obsessing over statistics—it comes down to a few repeatable habits that protect your daily routine:
- Automate your nighttime commute: Pick one well-lit, active commercial street from the subway to your front door and stick to it every day. If you are returning late or feel exhausted, set a personal rule to take a cab or rideshare instead of debating it on an empty platform.
- Know three people on your block: Introduce yourself to your building’s super, your regular mail carrier, and the clerk at your corner bodega. Having familiar faces who know you belong there creates an immediate neighborhood safety net and grounds your day.
- Keep your head up on transit: Keep your phone in your pocket and headphones at low volume (or off) on platforms and crosswalks. Most opportunistic crime targets distraction; simply looking alert and aware deters the vast majority of hassle.
- Stop doomscrolling local crime feeds: A scary headline from four neighborhoods away does not reflect what is happening on your stoop. Check official precinct data once every couple of months if you need real numbers, then put the screen away and enjoy your life.
What Bronx property and business owners can do
Start with your own address and your precinct’s trend, not the borough average. A building security risk assessment shows where a property is exposed, including entrances, lighting, and blind spots.
From there, the right step depends on the site. Apartment and mixed-use buildings may need property security guards in the Bronx or residential security. Stores may benefit from retail security or loss prevention.
Dahlcore officers are unarmed by default. Armed security in the Bronx is provided only on documented request after a risk assessment.
Field Note: What Happened at My Friend’s Jerome Avenue Property
My friend manages an 84-unit residential property just off Jerome Avenue in the 46th Precinct. Earlier this year, the building was hit by escalating lobby trespassing and mail theft. Even with high-definition security cameras running 24/7, package thefts jumped roughly 40% over the winter, culminating in a physical confrontation between a tenant and an unauthorized person loitering in the rear fire stairwell.
Instead of just putting in heavier magnetic locks—which delivery workers and residents routinely propped open with rubber wedges—my friend overhauled the lobby setup entirely. The property brought in an unarmed guard for the evening rush (6:00 PM to 2:00 AM) and built out an enclosed package vestibule. Putting a dedicated guard at the front door to eliminate door-propping stopped unauthorized walk-ins completely within 45 days, and 911 calls to the address fell to zero over the following two quarters.
Frequently asked questions
What is the roughest part of the Bronx?
Mott Haven and Melrose have the highest violent crime rate, at 15.1 per 1,000 residents. Fordham and University Heights have the most murders this year, and Wakefield has the most shooting incidents.
Where should you not go in the Bronx?
No part of the Bronx is entirely off-limits, but violent crime rates are highest in the South Bronx and central Bronx. Take more care at night on quiet blocks, and check the precinct for any address you’re considering.
Is the Bronx still a rough area?
The Bronx is far safer than it was, with major crime down about 62% since 1990 and down 11.3% this year. It still has a higher violent crime rate than Brooklyn, Manhattan, or Queens, and risk varies widely by precinct.
Is the Bronx safe to walk at night?
Many busy Bronx streets are fine at night, but quiet blocks call for more care. Stay on well-lit streets with foot traffic, and take a car if a walk feels wrong.
What is the safest part of the Bronx?
The northeast Bronx has the lowest violent crime rate, at 3.2 per 1,000 residents in the 45th Precinct, which includes Co-op City and Throgs Neck. Riverdale and Kingsbridge are next at 3.6.
How can I check crime on a specific Bronx block?
Precinct data can’t show a single block. Use the NYPD’s crime statistics for trends, then visit the block yourself at different times.
Get a security plan for your Bronx property
Risk in the Bronx changes by block and by year, and most of the borough is improving. What matters most is the risk around your own building or business.
Dahlcore Security Guard Services is a licensed NYS security guard agency, veteran-owned, founded in 2018, and led by an owner with 23 years of security experience. Every client gets a customized plan, a named account manager, and access to 24/7 support through our command and dispatch center.
Contact Dahlcore or browse our security services to talk through your Bronx property.
