Palmdale is a great city with lots of wonderful features. Although it gets a bad rap in some quarters, the fact that it’s one of the most affordable cities in California makes it a good destination for those who want to live close to Los Angeles. If you’re planning to move, you’ll want to know the security conditions. So, is Palmdale a dangerous place?
Palmdale isn’t a dangerous city. It’s safer than 28% of American cities and is the 33rd safest city in California. But it has its notorious areas. Tips for staying safe here include avoiding unsafe and isolated locations, taking extra precautions with your home, and being prepared for emergencies.
Although Palmdale is safe, you must consider the part of the city you choose to live in. Some locations shouldn’t even be on your list if you’re looking for safe and family-friendly neighborhoods. Here, we discuss how safe Palmdale is and tips for ensuring your security in the city.
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How Safe is Palmdale?
Palmdale isn’t a dangerous place. While it has a few bad neighborhoods, most of the city is safe. With over 100 neighborhoods, it’s not surprising to find a few dangerous areas. Palmdale is safer than 28% of American cities, which means 72% of the cities are safer than it. It has a D+ grade for crime rate, which isn’t that good but not so bad as to consider it a very dangerous place.
Even the crime rate in the city varies based on the area. People in Palmdale consider the western part of the city as the safest. The chance of being a crime victim in the west part of Palmdale is 1 in 40. But the northeast area is the most dangerous, and your chance of being a crime victim in this area is 1 in 17. More crime occurs in the central part of the city, and this is because it’s the most populated and most people come here during the day.
The hotspots for crimes in Palmdale aren’t that different from regular cities, with places like airports, schools, and parks having the most crime rate. Since Palmdale doesn’t have an airport, it has parks and schools. These areas are usually high crime spots as many people come around here during the day and crime usually happens where people are. Violent crimes such as assault, robbery, rape, and murder happen here at a higher rate than the national average, and it has a C rating on this. On the other hand, property crimes are much lower here than the national average.
However, drug crimes are slightly higher here, and the same goes for gang-related crimes. This is one of the reasons many people consider the city to be dangerous. Palmdale is one of the two major cities in the Antelope Valley and its twin city, Lancaster. Both cities have similar profiles when it comes to crime. Compared to other smaller subdivisions, the crime rate is above average.
It’s also less safe when compared with other cities of similar size and population. But that it’s safer than the California average and is around the same rate as the national average. The property crime rate in the city is also lower than the national average, so your home is less likely to be burgled here compared to several other cities in the US. It’s even safer than the closest city to it, i.e., Lancaster, which means it’s always better to come to Palmdale if you have to choose between the two.
However, the crime rate in the city has been reducing over time. In 2020, it was rated number 33 and one of the top 10% of safest cities in California. The study by Safety.com ranked 482 cities in the states considering the traditional crime data and other factors measuring safety such as public safety, preparedness for natural disasters, health metrics, and financial safety. The financial and socioeconomic factors considered include the unemployment rate, poverty rate, cost of living, uninsured residents, and access to the internet. The health score was based on access to health insurance, drug-related deaths, mental health providers, and air pollution ratings. When all these things are put into consideration, Palmdale manages to rank as the 33rd safest city in California.
Tips For Staying Safe in Palmdale
Palmdale might not be a dangerous city, but it’s not exactly the safest too. So, it’s important to be cautious and protect yourself. You can do the following:
1. Avoid Unsafe Neighborhoods and Isolated Areas
Certain neighborhoods in Palmdale already have a reputation for being dangerous. When moving to the city, you should ensure you don’t get a house in one of these neighborhoods. A little research and asking residents and realtors the right questions will reveal the neighborhoods you should avoid. If you aren’t living in a bad neighborhood, you should also make sure that you avoid going there at night. Palmdale doesn’t have much nightlife, which means the streets can be deserted at night. Walking deserted streets makes you a perfect victim, especially in bad neighborhoods.
Even when you’re driving, try as much as possible to avoid the unsafe neighborhoods at night as gun violence sometimes happens here, and you don’t want to be caught in the middle of a shootout. Always avoid isolated places and if you have to meet strangers for a reason, use the Palmdale Sherriff station safe exchange zone right in front of the Palmdale police station parking lot. The place has surveillance cameras, and if any stranger avoids meeting you here, that might be the red flag you need. In all cases, stay visible and park in well-lit areas.
2. Always Be Prepared for Emergencies
Beyond crimes, another major safety issue when living in Palmdale is the wildfires. Due to the climate, anything could start a fire here, so you should make sure you have fire safety kits, extinguishers, and all the necessary things. Also, be cautious enough not to start a fire yourself. The Palmdale fire station is busy, so do your best not to add their workload. When it comes to flammables, only use outside and from other flammable objects. Also, be prepared for emergencies and natural disasters.
3. Protect Your Home
While property crime in the city is quite low, you should still be careful with your property. Ensure that all your cars and windows are locked and when with a car, never exit the car with the keys still in the ignition. When out, avoid posting your exact location on social media, as criminals can take advantage of this to break in.
In Conclusion
Palmdale isn’t the safest city in California, but the crime rate isn’t enough to make it concerning. It’s mostly about staying in the safe part of the city and following safety tips. Once you do that, you have nothing to worry about in Palmdale.
