Staten Island is the safest of New York City’s five boroughs, and in 2026 it has had a very quiet year. The borough recorded no murders at all through the end of April (NYPD, 2026), and at the NYPD’s October quarterly briefing, index crime on Staten Island was down 3% year to date, part of a citywide drop of nearly 7% (NYC Mayor’s Office, 2026).
Safety on Staten Island also looks different from the rest of the city. It’s the most suburban borough, with about 501,000 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 estimate), mostly single-family and two-family houses, and the highest car ownership in New York City: 83% of households have at least one vehicle (Staten Island Economic Development Corporation). Street crime is rare. What people actually run into is a stolen car or a break-in.
This guide ranks the safest neighborhoods in Staten Island using NYPD precinct coverage and crime data, not rent prices or reputation. It’s written by a company that has secured residential and commercial property in New York for more than 40 years.
It’s the last borough in our series, which also covers:
- Safest neighborhoods in Manhattan
- Safest neighborhoods in Brooklyn
- Safest neighborhoods in Queens
- Safest neighborhoods in the Bronx
For the other end of the scale, see our guide to the most dangerous neighborhoods in NYC.
How We Measure Staten Island Safety
The NYPD reports the seven major index crimes (murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny, and grand larceny auto) by precinct through its weekly CompStat reports.
That’s the most direct way to compare one part of the borough with another, and Staten Island is the easiest borough in the city to read this way. It has only four precincts.
Four Precincts, One Borough
| Precinct | Area | Neighborhoods served (per NYPD) |
|---|---|---|
| 120th | North Shore | St. George, Tompkinsville, Stapleton, Clifton, Rosebank, New Brighton, West Brighton, Randall Manor, Grymes Hill, Silver Lake, Castleton Corners, Westerleigh, and others |
| 121st | Northwest / West Shore | Port Richmond, Mariner’s Harbor, Elm Park, Willowbrook, Westerleigh, Port Ivory, Chelsea, Bloomfield |
| 122nd | Mid-Island / East Shore | Todt Hill, Lighthouse Hill, Grasmere, Old Town, South Beach, Midland Beach, Grant City, New Dorp, Oakwood, Bay Terrace, Great Kills, Eltingville |
| 123rd | South Shore | Tottenville, Huguenot, Rossville, Annadale, Eltingville |
Westerleigh and Eltingville sit on precinct lines, so the NYPD lists each of them under two precincts.
The Type of Crime Matters More Than the Total
Staten Island’s crime counts are low to begin with, so a few incidents can swing the percentages a lot. The kind of crime tells you more. On the South Shore and in the mid-island hills, most of what gets reported is property crime: stolen vehicles, burglaries, and theft.
That pattern showed up clearly this year. In early 2026, auto thefts on the island were running about 22% ahead of the year before, 71 vehicles against 58, with the 120th Precinct posting the biggest increase (Hoodline, citing NYPD CompStat, May 2026). A ranking built on violent crime alone would miss that.
Key stat: 83% of Staten Island households own at least one car, the highest share of any borough (SIEDC). More cars in driveways means more targets for the most common crime on the island.
“A Manhattan building lives or dies by its lobby. On Staten Island it’s the driveway, the side door, and the parking lot. You’ve got houses set back from the street, lots that are empty after 9 p.m., and a lot of cars worth stealing. That’s where we put our attention.” – Craig Battle, NY Branch Manager, Building Security Services
The 8 Safest Neighborhoods in Staten Island (2026)
The neighborhoods below come up near the top of precinct data and independent rankings year after year. Nearly all of them are on the South Shore or in the 122nd Precinct’s mid-island section, where the housing is mostly single-family and there’s little nightlife or through-traffic.
1. Tottenville
Tottenville is the southernmost neighborhood in New York State, at the far tip of the island. It’s a waterfront community of older houses and quiet blocks around Conference House Park, and being at the end of the line keeps through-traffic low. It’s covered by the 123rd Precinct, which has long reported some of the lowest crime numbers in New York City.
2. Annadale
Annadale is almost entirely residential, with newer detached homes, the Staten Island Railway, and very little commercial activity. It shares the 123rd Precinct with Tottenville and is regularly ranked among the safest neighborhoods in the five boroughs. Like most of the South Shore, its main concerns are vehicle theft and package theft rather than street crime.
3. Huguenot and Prince’s Bay
Huguenot and neighboring Prince’s Bay run along Raritan Bay between Annadale and Tottenville. Both have large lots, quiet residential streets, and a strong community feel. Huguenot is listed by the NYPD as part of the 123rd Precinct, and the two neighborhoods share the South Shore’s low crime profile.
4. Eltingville
Eltingville is a South Shore hub for shopping along Richmond Avenue and Hylan Boulevard, with residential blocks on either side. It’s split between the 122nd and 123rd Precincts. Its commercial strips see more shoplifting and car break-ins than the purely residential neighborhoods around it, but violent crime is uncommon.
5. Great Kills
Great Kills wraps around a busy boating harbor and borders Great Kills Park, part of Gateway National Recreation Area. The neighborhood is family-oriented and mostly single-family homes. It’s covered by the 122nd Precinct, which, along with the 123rd, is consistently among the safest precincts in the city.
6. Bay Terrace
Bay Terrace is a small East Shore neighborhood between Great Kills and Oakwood, close to the water and to Great Kills Park. With little commercial activity and a mostly residential layout, it has a low crime profile. It’s covered by the 122nd Precinct.
7. Todt Hill and Lighthouse Hill
Todt Hill is the highest natural point in New York City and one of its wealthiest neighborhoods, with large homes on wooded, winding streets. Neighboring Lighthouse Hill is similar. Violent crime is very rare in both, but the money that keeps them quiet also draws property crime.
In February 2026, the Borough President’s office and the NYPD warned residents about a crew prying open windows to break into homes and steal luxury vehicles in Todt Hill, Dongan Hills, and Arden Heights (Office of the Staten Island Borough President, 2026). Both neighborhoods are covered by the 122nd Precinct.
8. Westerleigh
Westerleigh is the North Shore’s exception: a planned residential neighborhood of older single-family homes laid out around Westerleigh Park. It sits on the line between the 120th and 121st Precincts, and it is noticeably quieter than the busier areas closer to the waterfront. It’s a common choice for people who want to be near the ferry and the expressway without living on the denser blocks.
Safest Staten Island Neighborhoods at a Glance
| Neighborhood | Area | NYPD Precinct | Housing | Main thing to watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tottenville | South Shore | 123rd | Older detached homes | Vehicle theft |
| Annadale | South Shore | 123rd | Newer detached homes | Package theft |
| Huguenot / Prince’s Bay | South Shore | 123rd | Large-lot single-family | Vehicle theft |
| Eltingville | South Shore | 122nd / 123rd | Homes plus commercial strips | Shoplifting, car break-ins |
| Great Kills | South Shore | 122nd | Single-family | Vehicle theft |
| Bay Terrace | East Shore | 122nd | Single-family | Package theft |
| Todt Hill / Lighthouse Hill | Mid-Island | 122nd | Large estates | Burglary, luxury car theft |
| Westerleigh | North Shore | 120th / 121st | Older single-family | Vehicle theft |
North Shore vs. South Shore
Ask anyone on Staten Island about safety and the conversation turns to the North Shore. It’s a fair question, but the answer is more about how the area is built than anything else.
The North Shore, mainly the 120th and 121st Precincts, is the oldest and densest part of the borough. It has the St. George Ferry Terminal, Borough Hall, most of the island’s apartment buildings, and older commercial corridors along Bay Street and Port Richmond Avenue.
More people and more businesses mean more reported crime, so parts of St. George, Stapleton, and Port Richmond run higher than anywhere on the South Shore. It’s also where this year’s jump in car thefts hit hardest: the 120th Precinct posted the biggest increase on the island.
That doesn’t mean the North Shore is unsafe. Neighborhoods like Westerleigh, Randall Manor, Grymes Hill, and Silver Lake are quiet residential areas inside the same precincts, and the North Shore is still well below the citywide average on most measures. If you’re looking there, check the CompStat numbers for the specific precinct, walk the block at night, and judge the building.
What Keeps Staten Island Properties Secure
Because Staten Island’s crime is mostly property crime, it rewards different security choices than Manhattan’s high-rises do. After four decades of securing property across New York, these are the issues we see most often on the island.
Vehicles and Parking Lots
Car theft is the borough’s most persistent problem, and it hits shopping centers, office parks, medical buildings, and apartment complexes as well as driveways. Large surface lots that empty out at night are easy places to steal a car or break into one.
Good lighting, cameras that actually cover the lot, and a visible parking lot security patrol make a lot far less attractive. The NYPD’s own advice after this year’s thefts was simple: take your keys, don’t leave a car running unattended, keep the windows closed, and lock it (Office of the Staten Island Borough President, 2026).
Homes, Garden Apartments, and Packages
Detached houses and garden-style complexes don’t have a lobby where someone watches the door. Entry points are spread around the building, and a back window or garage door is out of sight from the street.
Packages sit on porches all day with no one home. For condo associations, HOAs, and apartment complexes, a residential security patrol covers grounds, parking, and entrances on a schedule without the cost of a full-time post. Pairing patrols with remote video monitoring means someone is watching the cameras between visits.
Commercial Strips, Warehouses, and Construction Sites
Staten Island’s retail corridors along Hylan Boulevard and Richmond Avenue deal with shoplifting and after-hours break-ins, which retail security officers deter on the sales floor. The West Shore’s warehouses and distribution centers need perimeter and dock coverage, and warehouse security services handle that.
New construction is a target for tool, copper, and equipment theft, especially on sites that sit empty overnight and on weekends. Our construction site theft statistics show how closely that theft follows metal prices, and construction site security covers the hours when no one else is there.
“Low crime isn’t the same as no crime. On Staten Island the risk is quieter, and people tend to underestimate it until their car is gone or the job site gets cleaned out over a long weekend. A patrol that shows up at random times and a camera someone is actually watching will stop most of it. Put your coverage where nobody else is looking, at the hours nobody else is around.” – Amanda DeAlmeida, Executive VP, Building Security Services
For properties that don’t need a full-time officer, mobile patrol is usually the right fit on Staten Island. A marked vehicle checks several sites on a schedule that varies from night to night, so no one can predict it. Our guide to what guards look for on patrol explains what those checks cover.
“I’ve watched Staten Island change for more than 40 years. It’s grown, it’s built up, and the security conversation has changed with it. Owners there used to think they didn’t need anything. Now they understand that the quiet parts of town are exactly where someone goes when they want to be left alone.” – Joseph Ferdinando, Founder, Building Security Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Staten Island safe?
Yes. Staten Island is generally considered the safest of New York City’s five boroughs. It recorded no murders through April 2026, and index crime was down 3% year to date as of the NYPD’s October 2026 briefing. Most reported crime is property crime, especially vehicle theft, rather than violent crime.
What is the safest neighborhood in Staten Island?
South Shore neighborhoods covered by the 123rd Precinct, including Tottenville, Annadale, and Huguenot, are the most consistently ranked safest in Staten Island. Great Kills, Bay Terrace, and Todt Hill in the 122nd Precinct also rank near the top.
Is Staten Island safer than the other boroughs?
Staten Island is generally ranked the safest of the five boroughs. It has the smallest population, low density, and mostly single-family housing, all of which keep street crime low. Its most common problems are property crimes like car theft and burglary.
Is the North Shore of Staten Island safe?
Much of the North Shore is safe, but it has more variation than the South Shore. Denser areas near the St. George Ferry Terminal, Stapleton, and Port Richmond report more crime, while residential neighborhoods like Westerleigh, Randall Manor, and Grymes Hill are much quieter. Check current CompStat data for the 120th and 121st Precincts before deciding.
Is Staten Island safe at night?
Most of Staten Island is safe at night, especially residential neighborhoods on the South Shore. The main nighttime risks are car theft and break-ins in driveways and parking lots. Lock your vehicle, take your keys, and park in well-lit areas.
Which NYPD precinct covers Tottenville?
Tottenville is covered by the NYPD’s 123rd Precinct, which also serves Huguenot, Rossville, Annadale, and part of Eltingville on the South Shore. It is consistently one of the lowest-crime precincts in New York City.
The Bottom Line
Staten Island’s safest neighborhoods are on the South Shore and in the mid-island hills: Tottenville, Annadale, Huguenot, Great Kills, Bay Terrace, and Todt Hill lead the borough, and Westerleigh is the quiet pick on the North Shore. Violent crime is rare across all of them. The real risk is property crime, so use the precinct data to choose the neighborhood, then secure the driveway, the parking lot, and the job site.
Building Security Services has protected residential and commercial properties across New York for more than 40 years. Our Staten Island security services range from mobile patrol to full-time officers, and our NYC crime statistics page tracks the citywide numbers. If you own, manage, or operate property on Staten Island, request a free quote and we’ll help you put the right coverage in place.
