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Martin Luther King Drive, Lafayette, WestSide (some parts still ok), Ocean Avenue, Garfield Avenue....I wouldn't live in these parts (although I know Lafayette will be debated..Personally, I still wouldn't live there). But, then again, I would have said the same thing about Van Vorst 10 years ago....

My husband and I bought a condo on Highland (midway down the block between JFK and West Side Ave) back last August and are very happy. For all the bad rap the neighborhood gets on these posts Highland Avenue is very quite at night. I work in Manhattan and often get home late and feel safe walking down JFK, which always has people walking down at all hours. It's a residential street with friendly neighbors (our condo neighbors gave us gift baskets when we moved in and are so nice). Apart from the occasional Indian wedding celebration, or kids playing football in the street it's quiet. We don't own a car, but if you do parking maybe an issue unless you rent a space. I would say safety is not an issue if you have street smarts and I personally feel better about walking home late at night than when I lived in Hoboken when I'd get accosted by groups of drunk frat boy types on Washington...I so don't miss that anymore!

I think the area around St. Peter's is pretty safe. Like any urban area, a few blocks can mean a big difference in terms of safety. For example, the projects in Hoboken are only two blocks away from many new townhomes and the local ShopRite but it's not stopping the houses from selling and people from going to the store. You really just need to familiarize yourself with the area to understand where the safe zones are so you can live comfortably. Google Maps is not enough - you need to come and see these areas at various times of the day before you can judge.

I agree that Bergen Ave (at least 4 blocks away) starts to get rough but for the most part the areas around St. Peter's are safe. It's near a major street (Montgomery St) so there's lots of traffic passing by and there are always college students and professors running around campus. Having all these people around plus campus security makes it pretty tough for crime to really get started in the area. But my guard would go up the closer you get to Bergen (nowhere near as bad as Ocean Avenue) and the further down Kennedy you go (past the entrance into Lincoln Park near Communipaw begins to feel different). Just stay on the main roads (Montgomery and Kennedy Blvd) and you'll be fine.

i live up in the heights, and while i wouldn't paint the SPC area rosy (have you ever walked on fairmount between bergen and kennedy late night? not exactly hoboken), it's also far from being the worst area in jc. using the scale previously used in this thread (1 to 5) i'd give it about a 2.5 as well in terms of safety

No pencil, never did I say it was unsafe. If you read my post a little closer I said that their are alot of posts regaurding how safe an area is, within these posts just about every street has been coverd (sarcasm) and I have never seen a word of caution except for Croft. It just seemed kinda funny to me cause alot of areas mentioned exluding some of the saint peters area is not all as peachy as many make them out to be.

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So what are you saying? That everyone that's said that the St. Peters area is safe, from college students to a 75 year old man, are wrong? Weigh in, or at least define what 'off the mark a bit' means, please...

Elgroucho, dont get me wrong, I know JC very well I was just curious if these other folks did because alot of time I think they are off the mark a bit.

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Take a walk anywhere on MLK or Ocean ave, let me know what you think.

justjoe, I hope when I'm your age I'm walking home at all hours and posting to community message boards.

I hope this doesn't come off as condescending, but I think that's awesome.

Its kinda funny, you all ask which areas are safe or ok to live and no matter where the area is you either get "its very safe" or "its not to bad". So my question is since pretty much every area of JC has been coverd on this board at one point or another where exactly are the bad areas according to you people?

My wife and I have lived on Glenwood btw Bergen and JFK for nearly 3 years and before then lived on Montgomery btw Bergen and JFK. We consider this area very safe and only once had a minor incident with a homeless man who was quite out of sorts in front of the Old Bergen Church. He actually just yelled something incoherent while we passed by so it was quite minor. We often walk home in the evening and sometimes late night from the PATH with no incidents.

If you are interested, the JC Police holds monthly police captains meetings basically on the third Wednesday of every month at 6PM at the Old Bergen Church. It's a good chance to meet some of the neighbors, the police officers and captain and learn about safety issues in and around the neighborhood. It's also a good time to say something if you see something.

There are a lot of positive signs. Some new restaurants on Bergen and McGuinely Sq., close proximity to the PATH and Lincoln Park, and Ballys is opening in August a few blocks away.

Good luck with the condo and welcome to the neighborhood.

I live a very short walk just south of you at the corner of Fairmount and Kennedy. I also have a friend who lives in a building just north of that corner.

I often walk home alone from JSQ at all hours. I'm 75 years old so I know I'm becoming a slower, more inviting target. So far no fool has taken the bait. (don't ask).

I've never seen an incident that bothered me. That doesn't mean there aren't or never will be any. But it's my opinion it's a very safe area.

Im a student and resident at St Peter's College from south jersey. I think this area is really safe, not much goes on sometimes when i just hang out with my friends we walk back from the squareat 3 in the morning and so far this year havent had one incident. Just be smart like in any other area.

It's St. Peter's college. I lived there for 10 years. It's fine....In terms of JC; (0 being murdered if walking out the door & 5 meaning you left your wallet on your front porch overnight & it was there in the morning), it's a 2 1/2. In 10 years, I never had an incident. But, I'm also very cautious...Like anywhere, it has its pockets of danger.

i think you mean st. peters?

I'm seriously considering buying a condo in the immediate proximity of St Peter's College (corner of Highland ave & Kennedy blvd). I've been living in Manhattan for the last 7 years (among which 1 year in Alphabet City and 1 year in Harlem) therefore I consider myself street savvy. On a scale from 0 to 5 (5 being extremely safe) how would you rate this area? Any constructive comments will be helpful. Thank you all.