Courtesy of Kamil Lalji, Associate Broker at CIR REALTY

Moving is a big deal for many people. Not only is it a big decision, both personally and financially, but there can be lots of stressors that come along with the decision. One of those decisions is “which neighbourhood should I choose to live in?”. There are many factors in deciding which part of town to call your home, such as school districts, distance to stores/activities, and most of all safety. That’s what we are going to discuss today; which neighbourhood in Calgary is the safest?  

This list will feature all the neighbourhoods in the Calgary area sorted by crime rate. All the data was acquired from the City of Calgary Website, and is from the year 2020. Using the year 2020 means that this is the most recent data, however this also means we have to take into account the effect of the Coronavirus pandemic. We have no idea when life will return to normal, so until then, let's call the year of 2020 our “new normal”.  

Along with the full list of neighbourhoods and crime rates, we will be ranking the safest inner city towns, since that's our specialty of course! In this special inner city list we will be featuring the top five safest inner city communities as well as talking about what else makes these towns special! Let’s get into it!

1. Point McKay: Point McKay is ranked as the safest inner city neighbourhood of 2020 with a crime rate of 0.89%! With a walking score of 17, and around 3 restaurants, bars and coffee shops, and access to trails and green spaces there is something for everyone in Point McKay! This number one ranked community also has a transit score of 51, but overall is a car-dependent neighbourhood. With spring around the corner, it’s a good time to get your bike out of winter storage and put it to use! Point McKay’s biking score is 63 with access to plenty of bike trails through the community's green spaces.
2. Bel-Aire: Bel-Aire comes in at 2nd place with a crime rate of 1.79%. This community has a walking score of 24, with not too many stores or restaurants near by, but with plenty of close green spaces. This community’s transit score of 52 is again about the same as the above two communities, and with such a low walk score a car is highly recommended for most outings. Bel-Aire’s bike score is an astounding 82. There are plenty of bike trails and green spaces to explore, and the community is “as flat as a pancake”, making riding easy for almost everyone. Errands can also be run on bike, with the multiple trails the community has access to.
3. Rosemont: Rosemont is ranked 3rd on our list with a crime rate of 1.91%. With a walking score of 53, and around 9 restaurants, bars and coffee shops, 18 green spaces, and 33 recreational facilities there is always something to do in Rosedale! During this time of lockdowns and activities closing down, it is wonderful to have access to green spaces, and the ability to support local restaurants through pick up or delivery! Rosemont also has a transit score of 53 and has access to three bus lines. With spring around the corner it’s time to get your bike out of winter storage and put it to use! Rosemont’s biking score is 57 with access to plenty of bike trails through the community's green spaces.
4. Spruce Cliff: In 4th is Spruce Cliff with a crime rate of 2.05%. This community has a higher walking score than Rosemont at 55, and has around 36 restaurants, bars and coffee shops in the area. If you are living in Spruce Cliff, you can walk to an average of 3 restaurants, bars and/or coffee shops in about 5 minutes. Spruce Cliff’s transit score is also higher than Rosemont’s at 61, with an average of 4 bus lines running through the town. The shining star is the community's biking score. With a high score of 72, Spruce Cliff has many access points to bike trails throughout the city and green spaces. What a great opportunity to get out of the house and enjoy the great outdoors!
5. Glenbrook: Last but not least is Glenbrook coming in at with a crime rate of 2.15%. Glenbrook has a walking score of 57, features 36 restaurants, bars and coffee shops, and it takes an average of 5 minutes to walk to one of these spots. This community’s transit score of 51 is lower than both Rosedale and Spruce Cliff’s score with only 2 bus lines passing through, so a car is recommended for most outings. Having a car in this neighbourhood is also recommended since Glenbrook’s bike score is only 46. There are a few nearby access points to bike trails, but not as many as the other 2 communities.

Inner City Community Ranking:

General Community Ranking:

If you want to learn more about community Crime statistics, visit the Data Calgary website.

If you want to learn more about walking/transport/biking scores, or check out the towns individual corresponding maps, visit Walk Score.

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