Is Red Hook Safe? Brooklyn Livability, Crime & Rent
Red Hook rewards people who choose it deliberately—remote workers, artists, waterfront seekers—but punishes traditional commuters and those who value neighborhood density.
Red Hook at a glance
- Borough
- Brooklyn
- Livability score
- 6.4/10
- Borough rank
- #11 of 32
- Median listing
- $0
- Subway stations
- 2 (Smith-9 Sts, Carroll St)
- Active listings
- 5
- Data updated
- 2026-04-05
Is Red Hook Safe?
Red Hook, Brooklyn scores 6.4/10 for overall livability, ranking #11 of 32 Brooklyn neighborhoods. Red Hook rewards people who choose it deliberately—remote workers, artists, waterfront seekers—but punishes traditional commuters and those who value neighborhood density.
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 Red Hook address below for a block-level breakdown.
Score Overview
Vertical line = borough median. Scale: 0-10.
Neighborhood Character
Red Hook is Brooklyn's most isolated neighborhood—and that's intentional. A 15-minute walk to the nearest subway means you're trading commute convenience for something rarer: a working waterfront, art-forward community, and genuine geographic separation from the borough's density. You'll find wide industrial streets, converted warehouses, food destinations like the Ball Fields and Fairway, and waterfront parks that actually feel like waterfronts. The neighborhood works because people choose to be here, not because transit forces them through.
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 Red Hook Is For
Remote workers and flexible commuters
A 5.5/10 commute score is a dealbreaker for traditional 9-to-5 office schedules, but manageable if you work from home or have irregular schedules. The isolation becomes an asset.
Creative professionals and artists
Converted studio spaces, galleries, and an arts-forward community attract people who value culture over convenience. The neighborhood's identity is built on creative density.
Waterfront lifestyle seekers
Louis Valentino Jr Park and Red Hook Recreation Area offer direct water access—unusual for Brooklyn. Outdoor score of 5.6 is driven primarily by waterfront amenities, not traditional parks.
People who value tight-knit community
The geographic isolation creates a self-selecting population. You're joining a neighborhood, not passing through one.
Pros & Cons
Strengths
Exceptional practical infrastructure
9/10 practical score reflects reliable grocery, dining, and retail options. Fairway supermarket and IKEA waterfront anchor everyday shopping; Red Hook Ball Fields provide international food access.
Outstanding tree canopy and green density
91 trees per 200m with 9.5/10 canopy density—among Brooklyn's highest. The neighborhood stays cooler and greener despite industrial character.
Genuine waterfront access
Lower density and breathing room
Lower density than neighboring Carroll Gardens means wider streets, fewer people, and more visual space. Post-industrial architecture creates distinct character.
Art and culture ecosystem
Concentration of galleries, studios, and creative spaces built into the neighborhood's identity—attracts artists seeking affordable, authentic space.
Trade-offs
Commute friction is real
5.5/10 commute score with 15-minute walk to nearest F/G subway. B61 bus exists but unreliable for consistent commuting. Not viable for Manhattan-dependent workers.
Limited outdoor recreation variety
5.6/10 outdoor score despite waterfront access. Parks average 263m away; recreational diversity limited compared to neighborhoods with higher transit access.
Geographic isolation cuts both ways
The separation that creates community also means limited nightlife spillover, fewer spontaneous social connections with adjacent neighborhoods, and car dependency for some errands.
Industrial character isn't for everyone
Wide streets, warehouses, and working waterfront create character but lack the tree-lined brownstone charm of Carroll Gardens or Park Slope. Can feel empty during off-hours.
Score Any Address in Red Hook
Get detailed livability scores based on building health, transit access, safety, noise levels, and 15+ NYC data sources.
Search an Address in Red HookFrequently Asked Questions about Red Hook
1Is Red Hook safe?
Red Hook safety varies by block. DwellCheck provides detailed safety data including NYPD crime statistics, arrest data, and 311 complaints. Check the Red Hook safety page for full details.
2What is the average rent in Red Hook?
Rents in Red Hook, 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 Red Hook?
Red Hook 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 Red Hook?
The best streets depend on your priorities. Use DwellCheck to compare specific addresses across livability, safety, transit, and environmental factors.
5What is Red Hook known for?
Red Hook sits in Brooklyn and ranks #11 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. Red Hook rewards people who choose it deliberately—remote workers, artists, waterfront seekers—but punishes traditional commuters and those who value neighborhood density.
6What is it like to live in Red Hook?
Living in Red Hook, 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). Red Hook's composite is 6.4/10. Red Hook rewards people who choose it deliberately—remote workers, artists, waterfront seekers—but punishes traditional commuters and those who value neighborhood density. For the block-by-block view, run any specific Red Hook address through DwellCheck.
7Is Red Hook expensive?
Median listing price in Red Hook, 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 Red Hook can run 20-40% below the median; check DHCR rent history for any specific address to verify.
8How bad is the commute really?
15-minute walk to F/G trains at Smith-9 Sts, plus 10+ minute ride to Manhattan. Doable for flexible schedules or reverse commutes, impossible for daily 8am office arrivals. B61 bus is local option but unreliable for consistent commuting.
9Why is the practical score so high if transit is low?
Practical measures grocery, dining, and retail—not commute infrastructure. Red Hook has Fairway, IKEA, the Ball Fields, and concentrated food destinations. You can live here without frequent Manhattan trips.
10What explains the canopy density?
91 trees per 200m and 9.5/10 density reflect mature street trees, industrial-era plantings, and waterfront green space. The neighborhood stayed relatively underdeveloped, preserving tree canopy other areas lost to development.
11Is waterfront access actually worth the commute trade-off?
Depends on your lifestyle. If you work remote and value water access, yes. If you commute daily to Midtown, no. Most residents report that waterfront amenities and community compensate for transit friction.
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