Is East Nashville A Safe Place To Live?

In this article, we’re taking a look into the crime statistics across East Nashville. We’ll see if its stigma of high crime has any legitimacy and compare the numbers against other Nashville neighborhoods. Lastly, we’ve gathered a list of the safest and least safe communities located throughout East Nashville to help you pick which area is best for you.

The focus of the article will be around the crime rates and safety in East Nashville specifically. If you’d like to learn more about safety in other Nashville neighborhoods, you can find that information here. You can also view our list of the top 10 safest places to live in Tennessee.

The History Of East Nashville

East Nashville is one of Music City’s most sought-after neighborhoods, but this wasn’t always the case for this trendy hotspot. As one of the largest neighborhoods in Nashville, its electric vibe is truly one of a kind. However, this location wasn’t always viewed in a great light, especially when it came to safety. In fact, even just 10 years ago, the sheer mention of East Nashville would’ve prompted a much different response than given today.

The development of East Nashville was the starting point of Nashville’s gentrification process. Over the years, much of the neighborhood had completely transformed, bringing with it new community buildings, restaurants, bars, and much more. The changes came with higher prices and sadly, pushed out some of the long-term residents. On the positive side, the growth and development also helped to lower neighborhood crime.

East Nashville as a whole has made huge improvements with its overall safety. Yet, some parts haven’t undergone development and are still largely impacted by high crime. This leads us to the most common concern of those wanting to move into the neighborhood, “Is East Nashville a safe place to live?”

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Methodology

To ensure we’re providing reliable and credible information, we will be referencing data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) and Crime Mapping. The two sources work in partnership with the Metro Nashville Police Department to collect and disclose reported crimes across the metropolitan region. For the purposes of this article, we’re explicitly looking into the criminal activity within the boundaries of East Nashville.

What Are The Different Types Of Crime That Are Tracked?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s first review the types of crime. The FBI tracks and groups crime statistics into two main categories; violent crimes and property crime. Both metrics are important when evaluating a location’s overall safety.

Violent Crimes

According to the FBI, violent crimes occur when a victim is harmed or threatened with force or violence. The types of violent crimes include murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.

Property Crimes

The definition of a property crime is when a victim’s property is stolen or destroyed, without the use or threat of force. This includes burglary, theft (larceny and motor vehicle), vandalism, and arson.

How Does East Nashville Compare To Other Neighborhoods In Nashville

Many neighborhoods in East Nashville experienced a huge amount of development, which then improved safety. If you’re only looking at the crime levels in those developed areas, you can easily say East Nashville is safer than many other neighborhoods in Nashville. However, being that it’s the largest neighborhood in the city, not every part has fully transitioned and some still report high levels of crime.

According to Area Vibes, 8 out of the 10 most dangerous Nashville neighborhoods are not located within East Nashville. Also, the UCR summarized by Council District, shows neighborhoods in South and North Nashville have a higher number of reported offenses.

What Are The Most Common Types Of Crime In East Nashville

Crime Mapping reports the most common type of crime reported in East Nashville is assault. Other types of prevalent crimes include larceny, vehicle break-in/theft, vandalism, and DUI. Overall, the number of property crimes is higher than the total number of violent crime offenses reported throughout East Nashville.

Is Gun Violence An Issue In East Nashville

The city of Nashville as a whole is facing concerns over the rise in gun violence. With an uptick in homicides, Nashville recognizes gun violence as a public health crisis. The 2020 homicide map discloses the location of each reported offense, many of which occurred in or around East Nashville. The Trace also shows an interactive map of all reported shootings (fatal & nonfatal) over the last five years. The map further brings to light the issue of gun violence not only in East Nashville but throughout the city.

Has Crime Been Increasing Or Decreasing In East Nashville Over The Past 5 Years

Over the past five years, East Nashville reported a continued decrease in crime. The area saw its biggest decline in violent crimes nearly 10 years ago, but murder and rape offenses continue to drop each year. Recently, there was a slight rise in East Nashville property crimes, but overall the numbers are a huge improvement.

What Are Some Initiatives The City Has Implemented To Decrease The Crime Rate

East Nashville’s gentrification and redevelopment process continue to be the number one driving force behind lowering neighborhood crime. In addition, the Metro Nashville Police Department implemented new strategies for helping reduce crime throughout the entire city. The neighborhood has a much stronger police presence than ever before, which helps to keep the East Nashville community protected and safe.

What Are The Safest Neighborhoods In East Nashville

1. Shelby Hills
2. Five Points
3. East End
4. Historic Edgefield
5. Inglewood

What Are The Least Safe Neighborhoods In East Nashville

1. Talbot’s Corner
2. Cleveland Park
3. McFerrin Park
4. Eastwood
5. Lockeland Springs