Is Clinton Hill Safe? Brooklyn Livability, Crime & Rent
Clinton Hill scores a median 7—excellent green space and practical infrastructure offset by noise, worsening safety trends, and moderate commute options.
Is Clinton Hill Safe?
Clinton Hill, Brooklyn scores 7/10 for overall livability, ranking #2 of 18 Brooklyn neighborhoods. Clinton Hill scores a median 7—excellent green space and practical infrastructure offset by noise, worsening safety trends, and moderate commute options.
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 Clinton Hill address below for a block-level breakdown.
Score Overview
Vertical line = borough median. Scale: 0-10.
Neighborhood Character
Clinton Hill wraps you in tree cover—you'll find an average of 200 trees within a 200-meter radius with a canopy density of 9.5/10, making tree-lined blocks the default here. The neighborhood centers on Pratt Institute's campus and Victorian mansions along Clinton Avenue, anchoring a growing dining scene. You're walking mostly through walk-ups (92% of tracked buildings), with mid-rises scattered in. Parks are close: Taaffe, Classon, Greene, Underwood, and Pratt playgrounds average 301 meters away. Transit runs via the C and G trains at Clinton-Washington Avenues and the G at Classon Avenue—reliable but not abundant. The tradeoff is noise: you'll register 1,683 noise complaints on the books, and safety data shows high activity (84th percentile in the borough) with a worsening crime trend (+201.8% over 12 months) and 1,020 total crimes recorded.
Analysis based on 12 properties scored across 30+ data points
Livability & Restoration
Tree Canopy
200 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
Taaffe Playground
Avg 301m away | Score: 3.5/10
Living within 300m of green space associated with 30% fewer antidepressant prescriptions (Taylor et al., 2015)
Acoustic Quality
6/10
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
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
200
Within 200m radius
Canopy Density
9.5/10
Normalized canopy coverage
Park Network
- Taaffe Playground
- Classon Playground
- Greene Playground
- Underwood Park
- Pratt Playground
Avg distance: 301m
Practical Living
Building Types
Who Clinton Hill Is For
Tree-focused urbanists
Canopy density of 9.5/10 and 200 avg trees per 200m radius outpace the borough median outdoor score of 4.6. You get substantial green infrastructure.
Walk-to-work commuters near C/G lines
Direct transit access via Clinton-Washington and Classon stations makes car-free living feasible, though the commute score of 5.5 trails the borough median of 6.5.
Arts-adjacent professionals
Pratt Institute presence and ART/Livability score of 6.8 (vs. borough median 5) reflect cultural density and a growing restaurant/bar footprint.
Pros & Cons
Strengths
Exceptional tree canopy and park access
9.5/10 canopy density and 200 trees within 200m; five named playgrounds within 301m average distance
Strong practical infrastructure
Practical score of 9—highest category—backed by schools, services, and established transit
Livability and arts momentum
ART/Livability score of 6.8 exceeds borough median of 5, driven by Pratt Institute and emerging dining/cultural venues
Walkable building stock
92% walk-ups create street-level pedestrian experience and neighborhood density
Trade-offs
Very high noise complaints
1,683 noise complaints recorded—a material quality-of-life factor to account for
Worsening safety trend
Crime increased +201.8% over 12 months; 1,020 total crimes in past 12 months places neighborhood in high-activity tier (84th percentile)
Below-median commute score
Commute score of 5.5 vs. borough median 6.5; C and G line service is adequate but not premium
Limited transit redundancy
Only two subway lines serving the area (C/G at Clinton-Washington, G at Classon) with no express alternatives
Score Any Address in Clinton Hill
Get detailed livability scores based on building health, transit access, safety, noise levels, and 15+ NYC data sources.
Search an Address in Clinton HillFrequently Asked Questions about Clinton Hill
1Is Clinton Hill safe?
Clinton Hill safety varies by block. DwellCheck provides detailed safety data including NYPD crime statistics, arrest data, and 311 complaints. Check the Clinton Hill safety page for full details.
2What is the average rent in Clinton Hill?
Rents in Clinton Hill, 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 Clinton Hill?
Clinton Hill has a commute score of 5.5/10. 2 subway stations serve the area: Clinton-Washington Avs, Classon Av.
4What are the best streets in Clinton Hill?
The best streets depend on your priorities. Use DwellCheck to compare specific addresses across livability, safety, transit, and environmental factors.
5What is the average DwellScore in Clinton Hill?
The composite median is 7.0, with an interquartile range of 6.6–7.4. Practical services score highest (9), while Financial and Investment scores sit at neutral (5.0, unavailable from NYC Open Data). Commute and Safety pull the composite down relative to the borough average.
6How safe is Clinton Hill?
Clinton Hill ranks in the 84th percentile for high-activity neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Over the past 12 months, 1,020 crimes were recorded, and crime has increased 201.8% year-over-year—a significant worsening trend. Noise complaints are also very high at 1,683. Rodent complaints are moderate (260).
7What transit is available?
You have the C and G trains at Clinton-Washington Avenues and the G train at Classon Avenue. The commute score of 5.5 reflects adequate but not superior regional connectivity compared to the borough median of 6.5.
8How much green space and parks are nearby?
Clinton Hill has an exceptional 9.5/10 canopy density with an average of 200 trees within 200 meters. Five named playgrounds (Taaffe, Classon, Greene, Underwood, Pratt) average 301 meters away. The Outdoor score of 7 exceeds the borough median of 4.6.