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I built a global city safety database, here's what the data reveals

Article news.ycombinator.com

I built a global city safety database, here's what the data reveals

Out of curiosity, I pulled together a city database combining safety stats from various places: crime records, how safe people feel walking around during daylight versus after dark, health care ratings, plus stories from neighborhood updates. The results? They tell a story words often miss.

The Rankings Since standard tables don't render well here, here is the raw data parsed out:

Rank City Country Score ----------------------------------------------- 1 Sapporo Japan 93.2/100 2 Nagoya Japan 91.0/100 3 Abu Dhabi UAE 88.9/100 4 Suzhou China 88.7/100 5 Hue Vietnam 87.6/100 6 Kyoto Japan 85.8/100 7 Fukuoka Japan 85.3/100 8 Doha Qatar 84.5/100 9 Dubai UAE 83.9/100 10 Taipei Taiwan 83.5/100 11 Kotor Montenegro 82.7/100 12 Queenstown New Zealand 82.5/100 13 Nuwara Eliya Sri Lanka 82.4/100 14 Ajaccio France 82.3/100 15 Dubrovnik Croatia 82.2/100 What Stood Out Japan Japan stands apart from most places. Four cities rank in the top seven: Sapporo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Fukuoka, all above 85. Nighttime safety comes close to daytime levels, something rarely seen elsewhere. When it comes to walking alone after dark, Nagoya hits 90.6.

The Cost of Safety Low cost does not mean high safety most of the time. Just two places appear on both top rankings: Hue at $309 monthly, and Nuwara Eliya with a rate of $432 per month. Safety often comes with steep prices: take Abu Dhabi, where rent hits $2,254 each month. Queenstown demands even more, sitting at $3,066. Dubai follows close behind with a monthly burden of $2,873.

Women's Nighttime Safety Hue takes first place when women travel alone after dark. Nighttime walks here score highest, landing at 94.4. Next comes Nagoya, holding steady with a 90.6 mark. Safety dips slightly in Ajaccio, yet it still makes the cut at 89.6. Sapporo follows close behind, rated 88.7 for evening movement. Rounding out the five, Kotor clocks in at 87.5.

What sets Hue apart isn't just safety; it also costs less than every other spot listed. That mix—secure streets and low prices—is tough to beat.

Europe's Hidden Gems Tiny towns beat big names when it comes to safety in Europe. Places like Kotor, Ajaccio, and Dubrovnik stay under the radar yet rank high. Meanwhile, major hubs such as Paris at 56.2, London with 46.4, and Rome scoring 53.8 fall short. None of them make it into the top fifty spots. Safety favors the quiet corners over famous streets.

Taipei Few people talk about how safe Taipei really is. With an 83.5 score overall, it stands out quietly. Walking after dark? That number climbs to 85.2. Daytime feels even more secure; 92.8 says enough. For $1,215 each month, comfort comes without surprise. When protection matters most, cities like this don't shout, but they deliver. Not every urban place offers this balance.

Data Sources : All data coming from novad.app

Curious about a place? I've got the details ready. Hit me with a name—one detail leads to another. Every spot has layers, and those come through just fine. Questions like that always open doors.

Discussion 0 comments · 4 points · nonmaskable · 2026-02-24
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