Is St Pete FL Safe? Neighborhood by Neighborhood Breakdown

St. Pete Safety Depends Entirely on the Neighborhood

Asking "is St Pete safe" is a bit like asking "is New York safe" — the answer changes block by block. St. Petersburg covers over 60 square miles and 25+ distinct neighborhoods. Some are among the safest in the Tampa Bay region. Others have serious crime challenges that show up clearly in the data.

We built RevealEstate's safety scores by analyzing real 911 dispatch records across Pinellas County. Instead of relying on FBI crime stats (which are delayed and reported inconsistently), our scores come from actual incident data at the ZIP code level. Here's what we found.

Neighborhood Safety Scores

These scores run on a 0-100 scale. Higher is safer. The county average sits around 55-60.

Old Northeast (33704) — Safety Score: ~70-75

Old Northeast is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in St. Pete, and the safety data reflects that. Tree-lined streets, historic homes, walkability to downtown, and an engaged community that actively monitors neighborhood activity.

Low property crime relative to its proximity to downtown

Well-lit streets with consistent foot traffic

Active neighborhood association

Trade-off: home prices are among the highest in the city

Downtown St. Petersburg (33701) — Safety Score: ~55-65

Downtown's score reflects its nature as a dense urban core. More people, more bars, more foot traffic, more calls. The majority of incidents are property crime, disorderly conduct, and traffic-related. Violent crime downtown is relatively low compared to what the raw call volume might suggest.

Higher call volume driven by nightlife and events, not necessarily danger

Beach Drive and the waterfront are generally very safe

Areas west of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street see more incidents

Trade-off: noise, parking, and urban living annoyances

Kenwood / Historic Kenwood (33712/33713 border) — Safety Score: ~50-58

Kenwood is in transition. The historic district has seen significant investment and gentrification, with bungalow renovations and new restaurants. But it borders areas with higher crime rates, and the score reflects that bleed-over effect.

The core historic district is safer than the surrounding ZIP codes suggest

Block-by-block variation is significant here — always check the specific address

Improving year over year as investment continues

Trade-off: you're betting on a neighborhood's trajectory

South St. Petersburg (33711/33712) — Safety Score: ~40-50

This is where honesty matters. South St. Pete has higher crime rates than most other parts of the city, and the data is clear about it. The area has a mix of residential neighborhoods, some of which are stable and community-oriented, and others that see frequent police activity.

Higher rates of violent crime and property crime

Scores vary significantly within these ZIP codes

Active community organizations working to improve safety

Some blocks are perfectly fine; others require real caution

Trade-off: lowest home prices in the city, which attracts investors

Tyrone / West St. Pete (33710) — Safety Score: ~60-65

Tyrone is a middle-of-the-road neighborhood in every sense. Average safety, average home prices, average commute times. It's solidly suburban with strip malls, chain restaurants, and residential subdivisions.

Consistent and predictable — no major spikes in crime data

Close to the beaches without beach prices

Good access to Tyrone Square Mall and St. Pete-Clearwater Airport

Trade-off: lacks the character of downtown or Old Northeast

Northeast St. Pete / Shore Acres (33703) — Safety Score: ~65-70

Shore Acres and the surrounding northeast area offer waterfront living on a relative budget. Safety scores are above average, and the area benefits from being somewhat isolated geographically (bounded by Tampa Bay).

Lower crime density due to fewer commercial areas

Flood risk is the bigger concern here — check FEMA maps

Older housing stock, mostly 1950s-1970s

Trade-off: limited walkability and dining options

Gulfport (33707) — Safety Score: ~65-70

Technically its own city, Gulfport is often grouped with St. Pete. This small, artsy waterfront community has an above-average safety score and a devoted local following.

Very low violent crime

Active arts community and walkable downtown

Smaller population means lower call volume

Trade-off: limited housing inventory and rising prices

The Honest Take on St. Pete Safety

St. Petersburg is not uniformly safe or uniformly dangerous. The city has real disparities, and pretending otherwise doesn't help anyone making a decision about where to live.

Here's what we tell people:

If safety is your top priority, look at Old Northeast, Shore Acres, Gulfport, or consider nearby Seminole (which scores ~78/100). See our full breakdown: Is Seminole FL Safe?

If you want urban walkability and accept some trade-offs, downtown is fine for most people. Be smart about where you park and lock your doors.

If you're investing in South St. Pete, know the specific blocks you're targeting. The range within those ZIP codes is enormous.

If you're relocating with a family, school quality and safety overlap heavily. The neighborhoods with higher safety scores also tend to have better school access.

How Crime Data Has Trended

St. Pete's overall crime rate has been declining over the past several years, following national trends. Downtown in particular has gotten noticeably safer as development has increased foot traffic and invested in lighting and security infrastructure.

South St. Pete's numbers have improved too, though from a higher baseline. Community policing initiatives and neighborhood investment are showing results, but the gap between the safest and least safe neighborhoods remains wide.

Check Any Address Before You Commit

National crime maps are too broad to be useful at the neighborhood level. FBI data is two years old by the time it's published. Zillow's crime overlay is a black box.

RevealEstate's safety scores use current 911 dispatch data from Pinellas County, scored at the ZIP level with context about what's driving the numbers. You can search any address and see the score instantly.

Our AI chat can also answer specific questions about neighborhoods. Ask it things like "compare Old Northeast to Gulfport for safety" or "what are the safest family neighborhoods under $400k" and get a real answer backed by data.

Search Any Address for a Free Safety Score and see what the data says about the neighborhood you're considering.