One of the key things people search for when considering a move to or planning a trip to Denver is whether the safety is good or bad.

To put it simply, Denver is not a city that is completely dangerous, but it is also not entirely safe.

Overall, many assessments indicate that the crime rate is slightly higher than the average for major U.S. cities.

In 2024, Denver reported about 7,170 violent crimes, including 71 homicides, and over 34,000 property crimes.

Theft of vehicles, breaking windows to steal items, and drug-related issues are consistently discussed locally. In particular, some areas of downtown have seen a shift in the nighttime atmosphere due to issues with homelessness and drugs.

However, the recent trend is changing a bit. Statistics from the first half of 2025 show that violent crime has decreased by more than 10% compared to the previous year, and homicides have nearly halved. This decline is considered significant among major U.S. cities. There are analyses suggesting that this is due to increased police staffing and focused crackdowns.

One characteristic of the Denver metro area is that its racial composition is rapidly diversifying. Originally a city with a high percentage of white residents, it has recently seen a continuous increase in Hispanic, Black, and Asian populations. Aurora, a large suburban city located just east of Denver, is known for its high influx of immigrants.

In recent years, a particularly noisy issue has been the gang problems originating from Venezuela. Following the increase in illegal immigration at the southern U.S. border, reports emerged that some gang members had entered the Denver and Aurora areas, causing significant local news coverage. There have been ongoing incidents of robbery, drug-related crimes, and armed thefts around certain apartment complexes and motels, leading to increased resident anxiety.

During the Donald Trump administration, ICE and federal law enforcement agencies intensified crackdowns on illegal immigrant crime organizations, particularly in the Aurora area.

Operations to arrest gang members and investigations into connections with international crime organizations from Venezuela were conducted, and this issue was highlighted in the media as "the border problem has spread to inland cities."

However, there are still significant disparities in safety levels across different areas of Denver.

Some parts of downtown, the eastern section of Colfax Avenue, Five Points, Montbello, and Globeville experience violent and property crimes more frequently than average. District 6, which oversees downtown, accounted for about 23% of all violent crime victims in the city during the first half of 2025.

In contrast, southern suburbs and upscale residential areas like Cherry Hills Village, Greenwood Village, Cherry Creek, Hilltop, and Lone Tree have very low crime rates and are suitable for family living.

Given the significant neighborhood variations, it is safer to check out potential areas directly on sites like 'NeighborhoodScout' or denvercrimes.com before making a decision.

Urban petty crimes such as package theft (3,245 cases in 2024) or bicycle theft (800 cases) cannot be ignored either.

It is advisable to retrieve packages from your doorstep as soon as possible or use alternative delivery locations like Amazon lockers or office deliveries.

In downtown and around some transit stations, there are also issues with concentrated homelessness and street drug problems.

Since the appointment of Mayor Mike Johnston, measures such as the establishment of the 'Department of Neighborhood Safety' and a goal to reduce shooting incidents by 15% are being pursued.

Ultimately, like other major cities in the U.S., Denver is a livable city as long as you choose your neighborhood wisely and ensure vehicle security.

It is recommended to check the crime statistics and recent trends of potential areas before moving.