Is SoHo Safe? Manhattan Livability, Crime & Rent
SoHo scores a median 6 overall—walkable and convenient, but burdened by poor transit access, noise, and rising crime.
Is SoHo Safe?
SoHo, Manhattan scores 6/10 for overall livability, ranking #16 of 17 Manhattan neighborhoods. SoHo scores a median 6 overall—walkable and convenient, but burdened by poor transit access, noise, and rising crime.
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 SoHo address below for a block-level breakdown.
Score Overview
Vertical line = borough median. Scale: 0-10.
Neighborhood Character
You'll walk under a dense canopy—98 trees average within 200 meters, with 8.5/10 canopy density—that softens the neighborhood's hard edges of cast-iron lofts and gallery storefronts. The five parks within a 200-meter radius (Columbus, Coleman, Alfred E. Smith, Little Flower, Tanahey) provide pockets of respite, though they're small and often crowded. The F train at East Broadway is your main transit artery, and it runs infrequent enough that you'll feel the commute friction daily. Street noise is constant: you're looking at 3,353 noise complaints recorded—very high—a byproduct of designer retail density, restaurant foot traffic, and the neighborhood's status as a perpetual tourist and nightlife destination.
Analysis based on 466 properties scored across 30+ data points
Livability & Restoration
Tree Canopy
98 trees
Avg within 200m | Density: 8.5/10
10 additional trees per block correlates with health benefits equivalent to being 7 years younger (Kardan et al., 2015)
Park Access
Columbus Park
Avg 200m away | Score: 3.1/10
Living within 300m of green space associated with 30% fewer antidepressant prescriptions (Taylor et al., 2015)
Acoustic Quality
8/10
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
3/10
Borough median: 8.5/10
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
98
Within 200m radius
Canopy Density
8.5/10
Normalized canopy coverage
Park Network
- Columbus Park
- Coleman Playground
- Alfred E. Smith Playground
- Little Flower Playground
- Tanahey Playground
Avg distance: 200m
Practical Living
Building Types
Who SoHo Is For
Gallery workers & creative professionals
Art/Livability score of 5.3 and practical amenities score of 9 support a working creative environment with strong neighborhood infrastructure
Urban walkers prioritizing green space
Outdoor score of 6.2 (vs. borough median of 4.2) and 98 trees per 200m radius make this pedestrian-friendly despite transit limitations
Short-term residents & transient professionals
High practical score (9) and mid-rise building stock (84%) support convenience-first living; commute score of 3 discourages long-term car-free dependency
Pros & Cons
Strengths
Walkable neighborhood with robust tree coverage
98 trees within 200m radius and 8.5/10 canopy density; outdoor score of 6.2 significantly exceeds borough median of 4.2
Practical amenities & services readily available
Practical score of 9—highest category—reflects strong density of grocery, retail, dining, and everyday services
Low rodent complaints relative to activity level
Only 79 rodent complaints recorded despite 1,911 total crimes in 12 months, indicating decent sanitation standards
Five parks within walking distance
Columbus Park, Coleman Playground, Alfred E. Smith Playground, Little Flower Playground, and Tanahey Playground all average 200m away
Trade-offs
Severe commute friction with limited transit
Commute score of 3 (vs. borough median of 8.5); single F train line at East Broadway creates heavy dependency
Very high noise pollution
3,353 noise complaints recorded—substantially above neighborhood norm—driven by retail, restaurants, and nightlife
Worsening crime trend year-over-year
1,911 crimes in 12 months with a +215.3% trend; safety percentile of 79% indicates high-activity environment with upward pressure
High-activity environment limits quiet, residential feel
Safety verdict of 'high-activity' reflects tourism, nightlife, and commercial density that characterizes SoHo's street-level reality
Score Any Address in SoHo
Get detailed livability scores based on building health, transit access, safety, noise levels, and 15+ NYC data sources.
Search an Address in SoHoFrequently Asked Questions about SoHo
1Is SoHo safe?
SoHo safety varies by block. DwellCheck provides detailed safety data including NYPD crime statistics, arrest data, and 311 complaints. Check the SoHo safety page for full details.
2What is the average rent in SoHo?
Rents in SoHo, Manhattan vary significantly by building and apartment type. The median listing price is $0. Use DwellCheck to research specific addresses.
3How is transit access in SoHo?
SoHo has a commute score of 3/10. 1 subway stations serve the area: East Broadway.
4What are the best streets in SoHo?
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 SoHo?
The median composite score is 6.0, with an interquartile range of 5.6–6.4. The neighborhood is pulled up by exceptional practical amenities (9.0) and outdoor access (6.2), but dragged down by a commute score of 3.0 and weak financial/investment scores of 5.0.
6Why is the commute score so low?
SoHo relies on a single transit line (F train at East Broadway), creating bottleneck conditions during peak hours and limited alternatives for reaching other parts of the city. This is 5.5 points below the borough median.
7Is SoHo safe?
SoHo ranks in the 79th percentile for high-activity neighborhoods, with 1,911 crimes recorded in the past 12 months. The trend is worsening: a +215.3% increase year-over-year indicates rising crime pressure despite the neighborhood's gentrified reputation.
8What's driving the high noise complaints?
3,353 noise complaints—'Very High' on the scale—reflect SoHo's identity as a commercial, retail, and nightlife destination. Designer shopping, galleries, restaurants, and bars create continuous street-level activity.
9What types of buildings are in SoHo?
The building mix is dominated by mid-rise structures (84%), with 14% high-rise and 2% walk-up buildings. Of 466 tracked buildings, this reflects SoHo's 19th-century industrial loft conversion pattern and modern infill development.