Is Stapleton Safe? Staten Island Livability, Crime & Rent
Stapleton works best if you're prioritizing affordability and walkability over commute speed, and you're comfortable with Staten Island's pace of life.
Stapleton has no Neighborhood Tabulation Area of its own. The scores and figures on this page cover the Tompkinsville-Stapleton-Clifton-Fox Hills NTA (SI0102), the same area as the Tompkinsville guide.
Is Stapleton Safe?
Stapleton, Staten Island scores 5.8/10 for overall livability, ranking #6 of 15 Staten Island neighborhoods scored from NYC Open Data. Stapleton works best if you're prioritizing affordability and walkability over commute speed, and you're comfortable with Staten Island's pace of life.
The livability score draws on HPD housing violations, subway access, NYC Parks' tree inventory and parks, and 311 noise complaints per resident from NYC Open Data, refreshed periodically rather than live. It does not include crime; NYPD complaint and shooting figures are on the Stapleton safety page. Safety varies by block — check a specific Stapleton address below for a block-level breakdown.
Score Overview
Vertical line = borough median. Scale: 0-10.
Practical measures HPD housing violations per residential lot over the last 12 months (higher = fewer violations). Borough medians are computed across DwellCheck's Staten Island neighborhood guides.
Neighborhood Character
Stapleton punches above its weight as Staten Island's cultural hub. You're getting genuine urban density here—the St. George Theatre district, a developing waterfront arts scene, and the Stapleton Esplanade create a neighborhood with actual character. The North Shore has seen real investment, and you'll find restaurants, coffee shops, and retailers clustered around Bay Street that you won't see everywhere else on the island. Yes, it's still Staten Island, but it's the version with momentum. Daily life is practical: you're near the SIR, you average 157 trees per 200m, and affordability remains a genuine advantage compared to other parts of the city. The waterfront access—Kill Van Kull views from the Esplanade—gives you something most outer-borough neighborhoods can't claim. This is where you go if you want Staten Island's affordability without sacrificing walkability or things to do.
Livability & Restoration
Trees
157 trees
Expected in a 200m circle (NYC Parks tree inventory) | Density: 4.4/10 (city percentile)
In Toronto, 10 more trees on a city block went with a rise in self-rated health comparable to being 7 years younger (Kardan et al., 2015, Scientific Reports). In a cross-sectional study of London boroughs, each additional street tree per km of street went with 1.18 fewer antidepressant prescriptions per 1,000 residents (Taylor et al., 2015, Landscape and Urban Planning).
Park Access
6 parks
NYC Parks properties inside the neighborhood | largest: Stapleton Esplanade | nearest to the center: Tappen Park, 101m | 3 nearest average 301m from the neighborhood's center
Acoustic Quality
2/10
Noise proxy score (higher = quieter)
Environmental noise exposure increases the occurrence of hypertension and cardiovascular disease; WHO's night-noise guidelines call average outdoor night noise above 55 dB increasingly dangerous for public health (Basner et al., 2014, The Lancet).
What is the ART Score?
ART stands for Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989) — the framework environmental psychologists use to measure whether a place helps your brain recover from mental fatigue, or pushes it deeper into overload. Cities deplete directed attention (the effortful focus you use at work); exposure to restorative environments replenishes it.
DwellCheck uses the idea in two separate places, and they measure different things. The neighborhood ART score below comes from neighborhood-wide data: up to 5 points from tree density (a city percentile) and up to 5 from how few 311 noise complaints there are per resident. An address report has no ART score. It runs the Wellness checks below, and their points go into the address’s overall score.
Within a point of the Staten Island median.
What an address report checks instead (Wellness)
- ±Sensory environment. A calm score minus a busy score, each starting at 50. Busy: a firehouse within 100m (+15) or 200m (+8), and 311 noise complaints within 200m over 6 months (15+ adds 5, 40+ adds 12, 80+ adds 20, and 3 more at 20+ complaints that include vehicle or street noise). Calm: a library (+15), community garden (+12) or public plaza or atrium (POPS; +15 indoor, +8 outdoor) within 200m, and a park within 300m (+10; +15 at 1+ acre; +20 at 5+ acres). A difference of +20 or more adds 8 points; −10 to −29 costs 2; −30 or less costs 4. Bars, museums, tourists and foot traffic are not counted.
- +Third places (Oldenburg, 1989). Public libraries, public plazas and atriums (POPS) and community gardens within 400m: 1–2 add 5 points, 3 or more add 10. Cafés and community centers are not counted. In a meta-analysis of longitudinal studies, loneliness or social isolation went with a 29% higher risk of incident coronary heart disease (Valtorta et al., 2016, Heart).
- 0Street vitality (Jacobs, 1961). Permitted block parties, farmers markets and similar community events in the borough over the past 12 months. The event data has no coordinates, so this is a borough-wide count shown for context. It doesn’t change the score.
Health mechanism. The theory holds that natural settings let directed attention recover. The evidence is mixed: a systematic review of 31 studies (Ohly et al., 2016, Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B) found that time in natural environments improved 3 of 13 pooled attention measures (Digit Span Forward, Digit Span Backward and Trail Making Test B) and showed no marked benefit on the other 10.
Theoretical foundations. Kaplan & Kaplan (1989), The Experience of Nature; Jacobs (1961), The Death and Life of Great American Cities; Oldenburg (1989), The Great Good Place.
Transit & Commute
Subway Stations
Commute Score
5/10
Borough median: 4/10
Outdoor & Green Space
Avg Tree Count
157
Trees expected in a 200m circle
Tree Density
4.4/10
1,247 trees per km² in NYC Parks' tree inventory (street and park trees); city percentile, 1 = sparsest
Largest Parks In or Near the Neighborhood
- Stapleton Esplanade
- Rev. Dr. Maggie Howard Playground
- Lyons Pool
- Tappen Park
- Tompkinsville Park
Nearest to the neighborhood's center: Tappen Park, about 101m. The 3 nearest NYC Parks properties average 301m from the center (approximate park centers, not entrances).
Practical Living
Practical (HPD violations): 8/10 (Staten Island median 9). It measures HPD housing violations per residential lot over the last 12 months (higher = fewer violations).
Building Mix (Residential Tax Lots)
Share of the 2,641 residential tax lots in the neighborhood by PLUTO building class (NYC Department of City Planning).
Who Stapleton Is For
Culture-minded renters on a budget
Stapleton's arts scene and commercial density offer cultural engagement without Brooklyn prices. The theatre district and growing waterfront development suggest neighborhood momentum.
Commuters prioritizing affordability over speed
SIR access is reliable but slow (Commute 5/10). You're trading a longer trip to Manhattan for significantly lower rent than comparable walkable neighborhoods elsewhere.
Families seeking practical, tree-lined neighborhoods
Practical score of 8/10 and 4.4/10 tree density make this appealing for daily living. The 3 nearest parks average 301m from the neighborhood's center.
Pros & Cons
Strengths
Parks within walking distance
The 3 nearest parks average 301m from the neighborhood's center; 157 trees per 200m (4.4/10 tree density).
Waterfront access and cultural investment
Stapleton Esplanade provides Kill Van Kull waterfront views. St. George Theatre district and developing arts scene distinguish it from typical outer-borough neighborhoods.
Genuine affordability advantage
Remains one of Staten Island's more affordable neighborhoods while offering urban amenities most competitors lack.
Trade-offs
Slow commute to Manhattan
Commute score of 5/10. SIR is your only transit option.
Limited outdoor recreation beyond waterfront
Outdoor score of 6.5/10 reflects waterfront access but limited hiking, sports facilities, or natural areas compared to neighborhoods with higher scores.
Still working toward neighborhood maturity
While investment is real, the arts and commercial scene remains emerging compared to established Brooklyn neighborhoods. Density of options is still limited.
Score Any Address in Stapleton
Get detailed livability scores based on building health, transit access, safety, noise levels, and 15+ NYC data sources.
Search an Address in StapletonFrequently Asked Questions about Stapleton
1Is Stapleton safe?
Stapleton safety varies by block. DwellCheck provides detailed safety data including NYPD crime statistics, arrest data, and 311 complaints. Check the Stapleton safety page for full details.
2What is the average rent in Stapleton?
Rents in Stapleton, Staten Island vary significantly by building and apartment type. Market pricing isn't aggregated for this neighborhood yet; use DwellCheck to research specific addresses for HPD registration, HPD violations, and other building-level records. DwellCheck doesn't show rent-stabilization status; request the apartment's rent history from DHCR for that.
3How is transit access in Stapleton?
Stapleton has a commute score of 5/10. 2 subway stations serve the area: Tompkinsville, Stapleton.
4What are the best streets in Stapleton?
The best streets depend on your priorities. Use DwellCheck to compare specific addresses across livability, safety, transit, and environmental factors.
5What is Stapleton known for?
Stapleton sits in Staten Island and ranks #6 of 15 Staten Island neighborhoods scored from NYC Open Data on DwellCheck's livability score (5.8/10). It's served by 2 subway stations (Tompkinsville, Stapleton). Stapleton works best if you're prioritizing affordability and walkability over commute speed, and you're comfortable with Staten Island's pace of life.
6What is it like to live in Stapleton?
DwellCheck scores Stapleton, Staten Island from NYC Open Data on practical (HPD housing violations per residential lot over the last 12 months (higher = fewer violations)), commute (subway stations and lines in the neighborhood), ART (tree density and 311 noise complaints per resident), outdoor (trees and park proximity). Stapleton's composite is 5.8/10. Stapleton works best if you're prioritizing affordability and walkability over commute speed, and you're comfortable with Staten Island's pace of life. For the block-by-block view, run any specific Stapleton address through DwellCheck.
7Where is Stapleton?
Stapleton is in Staten Island, New York City, inside the Tompkinsville-Stapleton-Clifton-Fox Hills Neighborhood Tabulation Area (SI0102), the same area as DwellCheck's Tompkinsville guide. That NTA falls in the Census tabulation area that matches Staten Island Community District 1 (North Shore), and its main ZIP codes are 10304 and 10301. Subway stations in that area include Tompkinsville and Stapleton.
8What ZIP code is Stapleton in?
Stapleton has no Neighborhood Tabulation Area of its own, so its own ZIP codes can't be separated out. It sits inside the Tompkinsville-Stapleton-Clifton-Fox Hills Neighborhood Tabulation Area (SI0102), which spans ZIP codes 10304 (87% of residential units) and 10301 (13%). Shares are of the 6,608 residential units in that NTA, from NYC PLUTO 26v2 tax-lot records.
9How does Stapleton's tree coverage compare to other neighborhoods I might consider?
At 157 trees per 200m with 4.4/10 tree density, you're mid-pack citywide.
10Is there actually enough to do here, or will I feel isolated?
Stapleton has genuine commercial density and the developing St. George Theatre district nearby, but the Composite score of 5.8 reflects that it's still building. You won't have Brooklyn-level options, but you'll have more than typical Staten Island.
11What's the nearest major park, and how far is it?
The 3 nearest parks average 301m from the neighborhood's center. Stapleton Esplanade is your waterfront option; Tappen Park and Lyons Pool provide additional recreational anchors.
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