Is Carroll Gardens Safe? Brooklyn Livability, Crime & Rent
Carroll Gardens scores 6.4 median (IQR 6–6.8): a walkable, green, practical neighborhood with commute trade-offs and rising noise and crime you should evaluate directly.
Carroll Gardens at a glance
- Borough
- Brooklyn
- Livability score
- 6.4/10
- Borough rank
- #8 of 32
- Safety verdict
- Higher Than Average
- Crimes (12 mo)
- 3,958
- Median listing
- $0
- Subway stations
- 2 (Smith-9 Sts, Carroll St)
- Active listings
- 5
- Data updated
- 2026-04-05
Is Carroll Gardens Safe?
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn scores 6.4/10 for overall livability, ranking #8 of 32 Brooklyn neighborhoods. Carroll Gardens scores 6.4 median (IQR 6–6.8): a walkable, green, practical neighborhood with commute trade-offs and rising noise and crime you should evaluate directly.
This score aggregates live NYPD crime data, 311 safety complaints, shooting incidents, and building health signals within walking distance. Safety varies by block — check a specific Carroll Gardens address below for a block-level breakdown.
Score Overview
Vertical line = borough median. Scale: 0-10.
Neighborhood Character
You'll walk tree-lined streets where an average of 91 trees cluster within 200 meters, creating a 9.5/10 canopy density that rivals some of Brooklyn's quietest blocks—except Carroll Gardens isn't quiet. The neighborhood centers on a historic Italian-American commercial spine along Smith Street, lined with established restaurants and multi-generational shops. You're surrounded by garden apartments and walk-ups, all of them walk-ups, with direct access to Red Hook Recreation Area, Coffey Park, and Carroll Park (all averaging 263 meters away). The F and G trains hit Smith-9 Streets and Carroll Street, putting you two stops from Manhattan.
Analysis based on 5 properties scored across 30+ data points
Livability & Restoration
Tree Canopy
91 trees
Avg within 200m | Density: 9.5/10
10 additional trees per block correlates with health benefits equivalent to being 7 years younger (Kardan et al., 2015)
Park Access
Red Hook Recreation Area
Avg 263m away | Score: 2.8/10
Living within 300m of green space associated with 30% fewer antidepressant prescriptions (Taylor et al., 2015)
Acoustic Quality
10/10
Noise proxy score (higher = quieter)
Chronic noise above 55 dB at night associated with 8% cardiovascular mortality increase (Basner et al., 2014)
Street Character
0/10
Enclosure: 0/10
What is the ART Score?
ART stands for Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989) — the framework environmental psychologists use to measure whether a place helps your brain recover from mental fatigue, or pushes it deeper into overload. Cities deplete directed attention (the effortful focus you use at work); exposure to restorative environments replenishes it.
We compute an ART score for every block by combining four signals: access to restorative zones (parks, museums, libraries), sensory load (nightlife and tourist density), street vitality (Jane Jacobs’ “eyes on the street”), and third places (Oldenburg’s informal community spaces).
In line with the Brooklyn median — typical city stimulus with typical restorative access.
What drives the score
- +Restorative zones. Museums, libraries, community gardens, and parks within walking distance. “Soft fascination” stimuli (clouds, tree branches, water) let directed attention recover without effort — the Kaplans’ core mechanism.
- −Sensory load. Bar and nightclub density (5+ within 150m), firehouse siren corridors, tourist chokepoints, and very high foot traffic push the score down by up to 8 points.
- +Street vitality (Jacobs, 1961). Permitted block parties, farmers markets, and community festivals over the past 12 months — a proxy for “eyes on the street” and the informal surveillance that makes blocks feel safe and maintained.
- +Third places (Oldenburg, 1989). Cafés, public plazas (POPS), community centers — the “anchors of community life” that buffer against social isolation. Loneliness has been linked to 29% higher incident coronary heart disease risk (Valtorta et al., 2016).
Health mechanism. Directed-attention fatigue (DAF) is linked to impaired decision-making, irritability, and elevated cortisol. A meta-analysis of 60+ studies (Ohly et al., 2016) found restorative environment exposure significantly improves attention-task performance (Hedges’ g ≈ 0.32) and reduces negative affect.
Theoretical foundations. Kaplan & Kaplan (1989), The Experience of Nature; Jacobs (1961), The Death and Life of Great American Cities; Oldenburg (1989), The Great Good Place.
Transit & Commute
Subway Stations
Commute Score
5.5/10
Borough median: 6.5/10
Walk Score Proxy
0/10
Based on street geometry analysis
Financial Landscape
Median Price
$0
Price per Sq Ft
$0
Price Distribution
Price by Building Type
Investment Indicators
Avg Unused FAR
0 sqft
Development rights potential
Unused development rights valued at $30-$80/sqft in Brooklyn (Glaeser, 2011)
Avg Days on Market
0
Market velocity signal
Multi-Family Stock
0%
2-4 family buildings
Multi-family owner-occupants build 2.4x wealth vs single-family (Herbert, 2013)
Outdoor & Green Space
Avg Tree Count
91
Within 200m radius
Canopy Density
9.5/10
Normalized canopy coverage
Park Network
- Red Hook Recreation Area
- Coffey Park
- Van Voorhees Playground
- Thomas Greene Playground
- Carroll Park
Avg distance: 263m
Practical Living
Building Types
Who Carroll Gardens Is For
Families prioritizing walkability and parks
Practical score of 9 (highest in borough comparison) combined with dense tree canopy and five nearby parks make this highly functional for daily needs without a car.
People comfortable with urban noise and activity
5,626 noise complaints (very high) and a crime trend worsening by 176.7% over 12 months signal this isn't a quiet or low-crime refuge; it's dense and active.
Food-focused, neighborhood-oriented renters or buyers
Smith Street dining scene and Italian heritage create a specific cultural identity; ART/Livability score of 4.8 reflects established character rather than cutting-edge amenities.
Pros & Cons
Strengths
Exceptional tree cover and greenery
91 trees average within 200m radius with 9.5/10 canopy density—well above borough baseline.
Direct F/G train access at two nearby stations
Smith-9 Sts and Carroll St stations provide frequent service; commute score of 5.5 reflects acceptable but not exceptional connectivity.
Walkable, established neighborhood amenities
Practical score of 9 (versus borough median 5.5) indicates strong local retail, services, and daily-use infrastructure.
Multiple parks within walking distance
Red Hook Recreation Area, Coffey Park, Van Voorhees Playground, Thomas Greene Playground, and Carroll Park all average 263m away.
Trade-offs
High noise and activity levels
5,626 noise complaints (very high) reflect a busy, dense neighborhood rather than a peaceful enclave.
Worsening crime trend
Crime increased 176.7% over the past 12 months, placing the neighborhood at percentile 54 (median-range activity) with 2,941 total crimes recorded.
Weak financial and investment indicators
Financial and Investment scores both at 5.0 (neutral) suggest limited upside or stability relative to borough trends.
Below-average arts and cultural score
ART/Livability score of 4.8 versus borough median 5.0 indicates fewer galleries, venues, or emerging cultural infrastructure.
Score Any Address in Carroll Gardens
Get detailed livability scores based on building health, transit access, safety, noise levels, and 15+ NYC data sources.
Search an Address in Carroll GardensFrequently Asked Questions about Carroll Gardens
1Is Carroll Gardens safe?
By NYPD data, Carroll Gardens is rated "Higher Than Average" — safer than 38% of Brooklyn neighborhoods. 3,958 crime incidents and 5 shooting incidents over the past 12 months. See the safety page for the full breakdown.
2What is the average rent in Carroll Gardens?
Rents in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn vary significantly by building and apartment type. The median listing price is $0. Use DwellCheck to research specific addresses.
3How is transit access in Carroll Gardens?
Carroll Gardens has a commute score of 5.5/10. 2 subway stations serve the area: Smith-9 Sts, Carroll St.
4What are the best streets in Carroll Gardens?
The best streets depend on your priorities. Use DwellCheck to compare specific addresses across livability, safety, transit, and environmental factors.
5What is Carroll Gardens known for?
Carroll Gardens sits in Brooklyn and ranks #8 of 32 Brooklyn neighborhoods on DwellCheck's livability score (6.4/10). It's served by 2 subway stations (Smith-9 Sts, Carroll St), with a median listing price of $0. Carroll Gardens scores 6.4 median (IQR 6–6.8): a walkable, green, practical neighborhood with commute trade-offs and rising noise and crime you should evaluate directly.
6What is it like to live in Carroll Gardens?
Living in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn weights against six livability dimensions: practical (HPD-violation density), commute (subway proximity), arts/culture (venue density), outdoor (parks + trees), financial (price level), investment (price trend). Carroll Gardens's composite is 6.4/10. Carroll Gardens scores 6.4 median (IQR 6–6.8): a walkable, green, practical neighborhood with commute trade-offs and rising noise and crime you should evaluate directly. For the block-by-block view, run any specific Carroll Gardens address through DwellCheck.
7Is Carroll Gardens expensive?
Median listing price in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn is $0 based on 5 active listings as of 2026-04-05. Whether that reads "expensive" depends on the comparison: it's lower than Manhattan averages and varies considerably by building. Rent-stabilized units in Carroll Gardens can run 20-40% below the median; check DHCR rent history for any specific address to verify.
8Can you walk around Carroll Gardens at night?
Carroll Gardens is classified as "Higher Than Average" by NYPD CompStat data. Over the past 12 months it recorded 5 shooting incidents and 3,958 total crime incidents. Walking at night carries the same risk profile as anywhere in NYC: stay on commercial corridors with foot traffic, avoid empty side streets after midnight, and prefer subway lines that run 24/7.
9Is Carroll Gardens dangerous?
By NYPD data, Carroll Gardens is rated "Higher Than Average" — safer than 38% of Brooklyn neighborhoods. 3,958 crime incidents over 12 months. Block-level risk varies; check the address-level safety score for any specific street or building.
10What parts of Carroll Gardens should I avoid?
NYPD CompStat reports incidents at the precinct level, not block-by-block, so a granular "avoid this street" answer isn't possible from public data alone. The most reliable signal at the block level is DwellCheck's address-level safety score, which weights NYPD incidents within a 250m radius of a specific building. As a general rule across NYC: industrial blocks with no foot traffic are higher-risk than residential blocks; subway-station-adjacent commercial corridors are lowest-risk.
11Is Carroll Gardens a good place to live?
Carroll Gardens scores 6.4/10 for overall livability and ranks in the 38th percentile for safety in Brooklyn. Carroll Gardens scores 6.4 median (IQR 6–6.8): a walkable, green, practical neighborhood with commute trade-offs and rising noise and crime you should evaluate directly. Whether it's a good fit depends on what you weight: families, solo renters, and remote workers each prioritize different factors (noise, transit access, parks, building quality).
12What is the average DwellScore in Carroll Gardens?
Median composite score is 6.4 with an interquartile range of 6.0–6.8. Practical livability (9.0) drives the score up; weaker financial (5.0), art/culture (4.8), and commute (5.5) components pull it down.
13How safe is Carroll Gardens?
Crime activity is at the 54th percentile for Brooklyn (median-range). However, total crimes in the past 12 months were 2,941, and the trend is worsening (+176.7% over the period). Noise complaints are very high at 5,626.
14What's the public transit situation?
You'll find F and G train access at Smith-9 Streets and Carroll Street stations. Commute score is 5.5 (below borough median 6.5), reflecting acceptable but not exceptional regional connectivity.
15What about green space and trees?
Carroll Gardens has an average of 91 trees within 200 meters and a canopy density of 9.5/10—among the best in Brooklyn. Five parks (Red Hook Recreation Area, Coffey Park, Van Voorhees Playground, Thomas Greene Playground, Carroll Park) average 263 meters away.
16What type of buildings are in Carroll Gardens?
100% walk-up buildings. No elevators; you'll climb stairs in all tracked buildings in the neighborhood.
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