Is Roosevelt Island, Manhattan Safe in 2026?
Based on 1,960 NYPD-reported crime incidents, 0 shooting incidents, and 5,186 311 quality-of-life complaints recorded over the past 12 months, Roosevelt Island is below the Manhattan average for crime and trending safer (19.5% fewer incidents year-over-year).
Roosevelt Island is considered much safer than average, ranking safer than 78% of the borough. Incidents are trending down with 1,960 total incidents recorded over the past 12 months.
Data covers December 2024 – December 2025 (12 months) · Source: NYPD CompStat & NYC 311 via NYC Open Data · Updated April 18, 2026
Safety Dashboard
Total Crime Incidents
1,960
Past 12 months
Shooting Incidents
0
Past 12 months
Violent Crimes
507
725 felonies total
Year-over-Year Trend
↓ 19.5%
19.5% fewer incidents
Crime Breakdown
Most Common Crime Types
| Type | Count | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| petit larceny | 558 | 28.5% |
| grand larceny | 390 | 19.9% |
| harrassment 2 | 307 | 15.7% |
| assault 3 & related offenses | 160 | 8.2% |
| criminal mischief & related of | 79 | 4.0% |
| felony assault | 78 | 4.0% |
| burglary | 76 | 3.9% |
| vehicle and traffic laws | 63 | 3.2% |
Severity Distribution
Where Crimes Occur
Quality of Life Indicators
311 complaints reveal patterns about daily quality of life that crime statistics alone do not capture. These are resident-reported issues from the past 12 months.
Noise Complaints
3,332
95.2 per 1,000 residents
Very High
Rodent Reports
220
6.3 per 1,000 residents
Moderate
Sanitation Issues
409
11.7 per 1,000 residents
Moderate
Heat/Hot Water
1,225
35.0 per 1,000 residents
Very High
Arrest Activity
Arrest data reflects law enforcement activity in the area. High arrest counts relative to crime can indicate active policing; low counts may reflect under-enforcement or lower crime.
Total Arrests
357
Past 12 months
Felony Arrests
130
36% of total
Misdemeanor Arrests
220
62% of total
How Safe Is Roosevelt Island Compared to Other Manhattan Neighborhoods?
Manhattan Neighborhood Safety Comparison
| Neighborhood | Crime Incidents | Shootings | Verdict | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuyvesant Town | 523 | 0 | Exceptionally Safe | 94% |
| Morningside Heights | 1,583 | 0 | Much Safer Than Average | 82% |
| Gramercy Park | 1,802 | 0 | Much Safer Than Average | 80% |
| Yorkville | 1,898 | 0 | Much Safer Than Average | 79% |
| Roosevelt Island (this page) | 1,960 | 0 | Much Safer Than Average | 78% |
| Midtown East | 2,295 | 0 | Much Safer Than Average | 75% |
| Chinatown | 2,476 | 1 | Safer Than Average | 72% |
| Murray Hill | 2,888 | 0 | Safer Than Average | 68% |
| West Village | 3,307 | 2 | Safer Than Average | 63% |
| Upper West Side | 6,753 | 3 | Safer Than Average | 62% |
| Greenwich Village | 3,385 | 2 | Safer Than Average | 62% |
| Lincoln Square | 3,445 | 1 | Safer Than Average | 62% |
| Hamilton Heights | 3,541 | 3 | Safer Than Average | 61% |
| Upper East Side | 3,592 | 0 | Safer Than Average | 60% |
| Tribeca | 3,605 | 1 | Safer Than Average | 60% |
| Financial District | 3,732 | 0 | Safer Than Average | 59% |
| East Village | 4,175 | 1 | Average | 54% |
| Lower East Side | 4,401 | 4 | Average | 51% |
| SoHo | 4,564 | 0 | Average | 49% |
| Inwood | 2,649 | 5 | Higher Than Average | 44% |
| Washington Heights | 9,031 | 6 | Higher Than Average | 44% |
| East Harlem | 12,491 | 18 | Higher Than Average | 31% |
| Harlem | 12,684 | 24 | Higher Than Average | 30% |
| Chelsea | 6,840 | 2 | Much Higher Than Average | 24% |
| Flatiron | 7,058 | 1 | Much Higher Than Average | 22% |
| Hell's Kitchen | 7,184 | 4 | Much Higher Than Average | 20% |
| Midtown | 12,545 | 4 | High Activity Area | 0% |
Understanding This Data
All crime statistics on this page are sourced directly from the NYPD CompStat database via NYC Open Data. Incidents are mapped to neighborhood boundaries using the NYC Department of City Planning Neighborhood Tabulation Areas (NTAs) — the same geographic units used in official census reporting. Each safety score reflects the cumulative activity within the NTA boundaries assigned to Roosevelt Island.
NTA boundaries are drawn to maintain population comparability across census tracts, which means they may not perfectly align with what residents consider their "neighborhood." In some cases, a single NTA spans areas with different character. The percentile ranking compares Roosevelt Island only against other NTAs within Manhattan, so scores are borough-relative rather than city-wide.
Safety conditions vary significantly block by block. Neighborhood-level statistics provide important context but should not substitute for address-level research. Use DwellCheck to analyze a specific address and understand the precise safety environment within walking distance of where you plan to live.
Frequently Asked Questions about Roosevelt Island Safety
Is Roosevelt Island safe?
Roosevelt Island is rated "Much Safer Than Average" — Top 25% safest in the borough. Over the past 12 months, 1,960 crime incidents were recorded, including 0 shooting incidents. Roosevelt Island is considered much safer than average, ranking safer than 78% of the borough. Incidents are trending down with 1,960 total incidents recorded over the past 12 months.
What are the most common crimes in Roosevelt Island?
The most common crimes in Roosevelt Island are: 1. PETIT LARCENY (558 incidents, 28.5% of total); 2. GRAND LARCENY (390 incidents, 19.9% of total); 3. HARRASSMENT 2 (307 incidents, 15.7% of total).
Is Roosevelt Island safer than the Manhattan average?
Roosevelt Island is safer than 78% of Manhattan neighborhoods. It had 56% fewer incidents than the borough average (1,960 vs. a borough average of 4,500).
How has crime changed in Roosevelt Island?
Crime in Roosevelt Island has improved by 19.5% year-over-year, dropping from 2,435 to 1,960 incidents. The trend is classified as "improving."
What do 311 complaints say about Roosevelt Island?
311 data shows 3,332 Very High complaints, 220 Moderate complaints, and 409 Moderate complaints. These quality-of-life indicators provide context beyond crime statistics.
Is Roosevelt Island safe at night?
Night safety in Roosevelt Island varies by block. About 23.1% of crimes occur on streets and sidewalks. Roosevelt Island recorded 0 shooting incidents in the past 12 months. Use DwellCheck to research specific addresses and understand block-by-block conditions.
Is Roosevelt Island safe for families?
For families considering Roosevelt Island: the neighborhood recorded 3,332 noise complaints (very high for Manhattan) and 220 rodent reports. It ranks safer than 78% of Manhattan neighborhoods, which is above average. Family-friendliness also depends on schools, parks, and building quality — use DwellCheck to evaluate a specific address.
What is the safest neighborhood in Manhattan?
Safety varies across Manhattan neighborhoods. Roosevelt Island ranks at the 78th percentile with 1,960 incidents. Compare all Manhattan neighborhoods in the comparison table above to see how each ranks by total crime, shootings, and borough percentile. All data is sourced from NYPD CompStat.
Can you walk around Roosevelt Island at night?
Roosevelt Island is classified as "Much Safer Than Average" by NYPD CompStat data. Over the past 12 months it recorded 0 shooting incidents and 1,960 total crime incidents — 56% fewer incidents than the borough average. 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.
Is Roosevelt Island dangerous?
By NYPD data, Roosevelt Island is rated "Much Safer Than Average" — safer than 78% of Manhattan neighborhoods. 1,960 crime incidents over 12 months, improved by 19.5% year-over-year, dropping from 2,435 to 1,960 incidents. Block-level risk varies; check our address-level safety score for any specific street or building to weight NYPD incidents within a 250-meter radius.
What parts of Roosevelt Island 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 all NYC neighborhoods: industrial blocks with no foot traffic are higher-risk than residential blocks; subway-station-adjacent commercial corridors are lowest-risk.
Is Roosevelt Island a good place to live?
Roosevelt Island scores in the 78th percentile for safety in Manhattan. Roosevelt Island is considered much safer than average, ranking safer than 78% of the borough. Incidents are trending down with 1,960 total incidents recorded over the past 12 months. Whether it's a good fit depends on what you weight: families, solo renters, and remote workers prioritize different factors (noise, transit access, parks, building quality). Use DwellCheck's full livability page for Roosevelt Island to see all six dimensions side-by-side.
Check a Specific Address in Roosevelt Island
Neighborhood statistics tell part of the story. Get address-level crime data, building health scores, and transit access for any specific location in Roosevelt Island.
Search an Address in Roosevelt Island