---
title: "Areas to Avoid in Denver: Neighborhood Safety Map (2026 Data)"
url: https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-denver/
author: "Lena Marchetti"
published: 2026-11-02
updated: 2026-11-02
place: "Colorado"
---

# Areas to Avoid in Denver: Neighborhood Safety Map (2026 Data)

The areas to avoid in Denver are packed around downtown. The CBD, Union Station, Civic Center and Lincoln Park make up the core, Five Points runs north and east of it, North Capitol Hill and City Park West line Colfax Avenue east of Broadway, and Globeville and Elyria Swansea sit further north. Two are apart from the rest: East Colfax on the Aurora line and Kennedy in the far southeast. From October 2025 to September 2026, 11 of the city’s 78 neighborhoods recorded 16 or more violent crimes per 1,000 residents, twice the citywide 7.9. They house 12% of Denver’s residents and saw 30% of its violent crime and 33% of its robberies.

**Neighborhoods to avoid in Denver:** CBD, Union Station, Civic Center and Lincoln Park downtown. Five Points, which takes in RiNo and the blocks around Coors Field. North Capitol Hill and City Park West on the Colfax corridor. Globeville and Elyria Swansea on the north side. East Colfax on the east side and Kennedy in the southeast.

Denver’s violent crime rate is close to Philadelphia’s, about twice Austin’s and about half of Detroit’s. Downtown rates run high in the CBD and Civic Center, where 4,927 and 4,053 residents share the streets with office workers, visitors and the city jail. In the 12 months to September 2026, violent crime fell 8%, robberies fell 11% and stolen vehicles fell 30% from the year before.

## Denver safety map

Red marks the neighborhoods to avoid and orange the ones that call for caution. Grey areas are not rated: the airport, the Auraria campus, Sun Valley and Rosedale have too few residents, and Glendale is a separate city with its own police. The buttons zoom to Downtown & Central, North & Northeast, West & Northwest and South. Switch to **Theft & robbery** to see thefts and robberies per neighborhood, and tap any neighborhood for its numbers.

Interactive tool: https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-denver/

## Table of Contents

- [Areas to avoid in Denver](#areas-to-avoid-in-denver)
- [Areas to be careful in](#areas-to-be-careful-in)
- [Is downtown Denver safe?](#is-downtown-denver-safe)
- [Is LoDo safe at night?](#is-lodo-safe-at-night)
- [Is Colfax Avenue safe?](#is-colfax-safe)
- [Is RiNo safe?](#is-rino-safe)
- [Is the light rail safe?](#is-the-light-rail-safe)
- [Denver crime rate](#denver-crime-rate)
- [Car break-ins and car theft in Denver](#car-break-ins-in-denver)
- [Safest neighborhoods to stay in Denver](#safest-neighborhoods-to-stay-in-denver)
- [Aurora, Lakewood and the suburbs](#aurora-lakewood-and-the-suburbs)
- [Denver safety tips for visitors](#denver-safety-tips)
- [How this map was made](#how-this-map-was-made)
- [FAQ](#faq)

## Areas to avoid in Denver

The 11 neighborhoods below each had at least 16 violent crimes per 1,000 residents. Five Points stands out by size: with 22,689 residents it is the largest of them and the only one with more than 11,000 people.

| Neighborhood | Council district | Violent crimes per 1,000 | vs. city avg | Homicides | Aggravated assaults | Thefts + robberies |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Civic CenterDistrict 10 | District 10 | 29.9 | 3.8x | 0 | 80 | 308 |
| CBDDistrict 10 | District 10 | 27.4 | 3.5x | 1 | 78 | 607 |
| Lincoln ParkDistrict 3 | District 3 | 22.7 | 2.9x | 0 | 108 | 395 |
| Five PointsDistrict 9 | District 9 | 20.9 | 2.6x | 2 | 358 | 1,534 |
| Elyria SwanseaDistrict 9 | District 9 | 19.6 | 2.5x | 0 | 97 | 209 |
| GlobevilleDistrict 9 | District 9 | 19.2 | 2.4x | 1 | 69 | 216 |
| City Park WestDistrict 10 | District 10 | 17.8 | 2.3x | 0 | 78 | 265 |
| Union StationDistrict 10 | District 10 | 17.6 | 2.2x | 1 | 134 | 519 |
| North Capitol HillDistrict 10 | District 10 | 17.4 | 2.2x | 0 | 92 | 453 |
| East ColfaxDistrict 8 | District 8 | 17.1 | 2.2x | 2 | 122 | 302 |
| KennedyDistrict 4 | District 4 | 16.5 | 2.1x | 0 | 61 | 52 |

### Downtown: CBD, Union Station, Civic Center and Lincoln Park

Civic Center has the highest rate of any rated neighborhood, 29.9 per 1,000, and one building drives a large part of it. The Denver Detention Center at 490 West Colfax Avenue sits inside it, and reports filed there account for 29% of the neighborhood’s violent crimes. The rest of Civic Center is Civic Center Park, the Denver Art Museum and the Golden Triangle, between Colfax Avenue, Broadway and Cherry Creek.

The CBD (27.4) holds the office towers and 16th Street between Lawrence Street, 20th Street, Broadway and Colfax. Only 4,927 people live there, so its 135 violent crimes give a high rate per resident, and the common crime is theft: 572 thefts in 12 months. Union Station (17.6) covers the station itself, Larimer Square and most of the LoDo bar blocks along Market, Larimer and Blake Streets, which have [their own section](#is-lodo-safe-at-night).

Lincoln Park (22.7) is the residential side of the core, south of Colfax and west of Cherry Creek down to the 6th Avenue freeway. It has more residents than the CBD or Civic Center, 7,209, and recorded 164 violent crimes.

### Five Points

Five Points recorded 474 violent crimes and 358 aggravated assaults, more of both than any other neighborhood in Denver. The statistical neighborhood runs from 20th Street to Downing Street and up to the South Platte River, so it holds the Welton Street corridor, the Ballpark blocks around Coors Field and the RiNo art district along Walnut and Larimer Streets. [Is RiNo safe?](#is-rino-safe) covers the part visitors see.

### Along Colfax: North Capitol Hill and City Park West

North Capitol Hill (17.4) runs north of Colfax Avenue from Broadway to Park Avenue, up to 20th Avenue. City Park West (17.8) continues east from Downing Street to York Street between Colfax and 23rd Avenue. City Park West holds Saint Joseph Hospital and Presbyterian/St. Luke’s, where 18% of its violent crimes were reported.

### Globeville and Elyria Swansea

Globeville (19.2) and Elyria Swansea (19.6) cover the north end of central Denver, from the South Platte River east to Colorado Boulevard. Globeville recorded 88 violent crimes among 4,580 residents and Elyria Swansea 117 among 5,965; aggravated assault made up most of both.

### East Colfax and Kennedy

East Colfax (17.1) is the neighborhood between Quebec Street and Yosemite Street, from 11th Avenue to Montview Boulevard, where Colfax Avenue crosses into Aurora. It recorded 174 violent crimes and 2 homicides among 10,161 residents.

Kennedy (16.5) lies in the far southeast between Hampden Avenue and Parker Road. It is small, with 4,431 residents, and 40% of its 73 violent crimes were reported at a single apartment complex on East Dartmouth Avenue. Without that address it would rate average.

## Areas to be careful in

These 8 neighborhoods had 11 to 16 violent crimes per 1,000 residents. Add them to the avoid list and the two groups hold 21% of Denver’s people and 45% of its violent crime. Northeast Park Hill and Clayton border Elyria Swansea on the north side. West Colfax, Valverde and College View – South Platte are west and southwest of downtown. Three are places many visitors go: Capitol Hill, home of the State Capitol; Baker, which holds the South Broadway bars and shops; and City Park, home of the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

| Neighborhood | Council district | Violent crimes per 1,000 | vs. city avg | Homicides | Aggravated assaults | Thefts + robberies |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Northeast Park HillDistrict 8 | District 8 | 15.6 | 2.0x | 1 | 105 | 272 |
| ValverdeDistrict 3 | District 3 | 15.5 | 2.0x | 1 | 50 | 90 |
| West ColfaxDistrict 3 | District 3 | 14.7 | 1.9x | 4 | 109 | 432 |
| BakerDistrict 7 | District 7 | 13.9 | 1.8x | 0 | 70 | 376 |
| City ParkDistrict 9 | District 9 | 13.1 | 1.7x | 0 | 39 | 121 |
| ClaytonDistrict 9 | District 9 | 12.2 | 1.5x | 0 | 40 | 96 |
| Capitol HillDistrict 10 | District 10 | 11.6 | 1.5x | 0 | 119 | 801 |
| College View - South PlatteDistrict 2 | District 2 | 11.6 | 1.5x | 0 | 66 | 239 |

## Is downtown Denver safe?

Yes, for most visits, though thefts far outnumber violent crimes. The CBD recorded 572 thefts against 135 violent crimes, Union Station 491 against 181 and Civic Center 296 against 121. 16th Street reopened in October 2025 after three years of reconstruction, and the free 16th Street FreeRide bus runs its length from Union Station to Civic Center Station every 4 to 12 minutes. Violent crime downtown clusters at the jail on West Colfax and in the LoDo bar blocks at closing time. Expect construction in Civic Center Park, which is under a $50 million renovation due to finish in late 2027.

## Is LoDo safe at night?

LoDo’s risk is closing time. The bar blocks along Market, Larimer, Blake and Wazee Streets between 14th and 20th Streets saw 127 violent crimes with a map location in 12 months, 103 of them aggravated assaults. 53% happened between midnight and 4 a.m., and the busiest hour was 2 a.m., when last call empties the bars.

The city has tried to break up that crowd. Since July 2024, LoDo has had designated late-night rideshare pickup zones. In August 2026 the City Council voted down a plan to let clubs stay open until 4 a.m., and it passed a rule that from April 2027 nightlife venues must have a security plan with video and weapons screening. Leave before 2 a.m., or wait inside until the street clears, and walk to a pickup zone rather than hailing a car in the crowd.

## Is Colfax Avenue safe?

On East Colfax Avenue between Broadway and Colorado Boulevard, about 2.5 miles, police recorded 140 violent crimes with a map location: 61 robberies and 79 aggravated assaults, about 56 per mile and 3.6% of all violent crimes in the city with a map location. Unlike LoDo, this is not a late-night problem. The busiest hour was 6 p.m., and only 11% happened between midnight and 4 a.m.

The avenue is the border between neighborhoods, so its crimes split between North Capitol Hill, City Park West and City Park on the north side and Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park and Congress Park on the south side. The city plans a new District 6 police station at Colfax and Washington Street, due in December 2027. The East Colfax neighborhood, which rates avoid, is a different place: the stretch near Aurora, about 2 miles east of Colorado Boulevard.

## Is RiNo safe?

RiNo, the River North art district, has no rate of its own because it is part of Five Points, the neighborhood with the most violent crimes in Denver. Five Points also leads the city in thefts from vehicles (579) and stolen vehicles (284), and it recorded 1,459 thefts. For a night out in RiNo, take a rideshare or park in a staffed lot and leave nothing in the car.

## Is the light rail safe?

RTD trains, including the A Line between Union Station and the airport, are policed by RTD Transit Police, about 105 officers, so their crimes are not in the Denver police data behind this map. RTD reports that security calls at Union Station fell from about 5,000 in the first quarter of 2022 to 2,127 in the first quarter of 2025 after it added round-the-clock patrols and platform security. Report trouble on a train or platform through RTD’s Transit Watch app.

## Denver crime rate

Denver police recorded 5,820 violent crimes between October 2025 and September 2026, 7.9 per 1,000 residents, and 41 homicide victims. Aggravated assaults fell 8%, robberies 11% and homicides 13% against the previous 12 months, while sexual assaults held level. In its year-end count, the Denver Police Department reported 37 homicides in 2025, down from 70 in 2024.

By council district, District 10, which covers downtown, Capitol Hill and Cheesman Park, has the highest rate: 14 per 1,000. District 9, with Five Points, Globeville and Elyria Swansea, follows at 13. District 6 in the southeast, home to Washington Park, Belcaro and the University of Denver, has the lowest at 3.8. Gateway – Green Valley Ranch in the far northeast recorded the second-most violent crimes in the city, 324, but with 44,964 residents its rate is below the city average.

## Car break-ins and car theft in Denver

Denver police recorded 5,382 thefts from vehicles in 12 months, 27% of all thefts, 2,315 thefts of vehicle parts and 4,492 stolen vehicles. Five Points had the most of both break-ins and stolen cars. Capitol Hill had the second-most break-ins (341). The airport ranks high too, with 314 break-ins and 264 stolen vehicles. Car theft has dropped fast: stolen vehicles fell 30% in a year. Clear the car completely before you park at a trailhead, a hotel garage or a brewery lot.

## Safest neighborhoods to stay in Denver

The lowest rates near the places visitors go are south and east of downtown and across the river to the northwest. Washington Park surrounds the park of the same name. Cherry Creek holds Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Congress Park lies between Colfax Avenue and 6th Avenue east of York Street, next to the Denver Botanic Gardens. Highland and West Highland sit across the South Platte River from Union Station. Platt Park lies east of South Broadway, south of I-25.

| Neighborhood | Council district | Violent crimes per 1,000 | vs. city avg | Homicides | Aggravated assaults | Thefts + robberies |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Washington ParkDistrict 6 | District 6 | 1.1 | 0.1x | 0 | 8 | 115 |
| Country ClubDistrict 5 | District 5 | 1.3 | 0.2x | 0 | 1 | 57 |
| West HighlandDistrict 1 | District 1 | 1.4 | 0.2x | 0 | 7 | 236 |
| Platt ParkDistrict 7 | District 7 | 2.5 | 0.3x | 0 | 7 | 120 |
| Washington Park WestDistrict 7 | District 7 | 2.4 | 0.3x | 0 | 13 | 167 |
| Cherry CreekDistrict 5 | District 5 | 2.9 | 0.4x | 0 | 8 | 586 |
| Congress ParkDistrict 10 | District 10 | 3.9 | 0.5x | 1 | 33 | 232 |
| SpeerDistrict 7 | District 7 | 4.2 | 0.5x | 0 | 45 | 432 |
| HighlandDistrict 1 | District 1 | 4.7 | 0.6x | 0 | 39 | 448 |
| Cheesman ParkDistrict 10 | District 10 | 6.7 | 0.9x | 0 | 37 | 253 |

In Cherry Creek (2.9 per 1,000) the crime to expect is theft: 575 thefts against 22 violent crimes. Downtown hotels near Union Station put you in an avoid neighborhood, where 134 of the 181 violent crimes were aggravated assaults.

## Aurora, Lakewood and the suburbs

Most Denver suburbs report far less violent crime than the city. The 10 police departments in the table reported 5.07 violent crimes per 1,000 residents in 2025, against 8.82 for Denver in the same FBI data. Aurora and Commerce City come closest to Denver, followed by Lakewood and Englewood. Centennial reports the lowest rate, and Thornton, Westminster and Arvada are all near 3 per 1,000.

| City | Population | Violent crimes | Per 1,000 | Year |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Denver | 733,212 | 6,469 | 8.8 | 2025 |
| Aurora | 407,319 | 3,109 | 7.6 | 2025 |
| Commerce City | 72,244 | 536 | 7.4 | 2025 |
| Lakewood | 157,016 | 1,060 | 6.8 | 2025 |
| Englewood | 35,656 | 233 | 6.5 | 2025 |
| Boulder | 106,426 | 377 | 3.5 | 2025 |
| Longmont | 99,973 | 351 | 3.5 | 2025 |
| Arvada | 121,261 | 372 | 3.1 | 2025 |
| Westminster | 114,969 | 332 | 2.9 | 2025 |
| Thornton | 147,837 | 372 | 2.5 | 2025 |
| Centennial | 109,020 | 210 | 1.9 | 2025 |

Murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault reported to the FBI by each agency, per 1,000 residents of the population the agency reports. Source: [FBI Crime Data Explorer](https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/). Agencies that report no complete year are left out.

## Denver safety tips for visitors

- Leave LoDo bars before the 2 a.m. last call or wait until the street empties, and meet rideshares at a pickup zone.
- Empty your car before you park at trailheads, brewery lots in RiNo and hotel garages, and lock it at the airport.
- Keep your phone in hand only when you need it on Colfax Avenue and around Civic Center Station.
- Stay in Cherry Creek, Washington Park, Highland or Congress Park for the lowest rates near the sights, or downtown near 16th Street for the shortest walks.
- Call 911 in an emergency and (720) 913-2000 for the Denver police non-emergency line.

## How this map was made

Crime counts come from the Denver Police Department’s open crime data for October 2025 through September 2026, using the city’s full table that includes sexual assault and domestic violence offenses. Violent crime means homicide, rape and other forcible sex offenses, robbery and aggravated assault, counted once per victim as the FBI does. On that rule the data comes within 5% of the 6,469 violent crimes Denver police reported to the FBI for 2025. Sexual assault and domestic violence records carry a neighborhood but no address, so they count toward neighborhood rates but not toward the street counts for LoDo and Colfax.

The neighborhoods are Denver’s 78 official statistical neighborhoods, and population is the 2020 Census. Neighborhoods with fewer than 3,000 residents are not rated: Denver International Airport, the Auraria campus, Sun Valley (home of Empower Field at Mile High) and Rosedale. The tiers are Avoid (16 or more violent crimes per 1,000 residents), Use caution (11 to 16), Average (5 to 11) and Lower risk (under 5). Crimes handled by RTD Transit Police, Auraria Campus Police and the Colorado State Patrol at the Capitol are not in Denver police records. The suburban table uses each department’s reports to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer.

We built the same map for the [areas to avoid in Chicago](https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-chicago/), the [areas to avoid in New York City](https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-new-york-city/), the [areas to avoid in San Francisco](https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-san-francisco/), the [areas to avoid in Los Angeles](https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-los-angeles/), the [areas to avoid in Miami](https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-miami/), the [areas to avoid in Atlanta](https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-atlanta/), the [areas to avoid in Baltimore](https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-baltimore/), the [areas to avoid in Detroit](https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-detroit/), the [areas to avoid in Austin](https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-austin/), the [areas to avoid in Philadelphia](https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-philadelphia/), the [areas to avoid in St. Louis](https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-st-louis/), the [areas to avoid in Boston](https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-boston/) and the [areas to avoid in Houston](https://33travels.com/areas-to-avoid-in-houston/).

## FAQ

Is Denver safe to visit?

Yes. Denver had 7.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to September 2026, about half of Detroit's rate, and violent crime fell 8% from the year before. Police also recorded 5,382 car break-ins in the same period, so empty the car wherever you park.

What areas of Denver should you avoid?

The 11 neighborhoods with 16 or more violent crimes per 1,000 residents are Civic Center, CBD, Lincoln Park and Union Station downtown; Five Points; North Capitol Hill and City Park West along Colfax Avenue; Globeville and Elyria Swansea on the north side; East Colfax next to Aurora; and Kennedy in the southeast. Downtown rates high per resident because few people live there.

What is the most dangerous neighborhood in Denver?

By violent crimes counted, Five Points, with 474 in 12 months, the most in the city. By rate, Civic Center is highest at 29.9 per 1,000 residents, but 29% of its violent crimes were reported at the Denver Detention Center on West Colfax Avenue.

Is Capitol Hill in Denver safe?

Capitol Hill rates caution at 11.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, and it had the second-most car break-ins in Denver, 341. North Capitol Hill, across Colfax Avenue, rates avoid at 17.4.

Is Union Station in Denver safe?

The station has round-the-clock RTD Transit Police patrols and platform security, and RTD reports that security calls there fell by more than half between early 2022 and early 2025. The Union Station neighborhood, which also holds most of the LoDo bars, rates avoid at 17.6 per 1,000 residents. On the LoDo bar blocks, 53% of violent crimes happened between midnight and 4 a.m.

Is Aurora safer than Denver?

Slightly. Aurora police reported 7.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents to the FBI for 2025, against 8.82 for Denver. Lakewood and Englewood are lower again, and Centennial, Thornton, Westminster and Arvada report under 3.1 per 1,000.

Where is the safest place to stay in Denver?

Washington Park (1.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents), Cherry Creek (2.9), Congress Park (3.9) and Highland (4.7) have low rates and sit near parks, shopping or downtown.