<p>It seems as though i may be joining your community and i was wondering if anyone might share some insight about neighborhoods in Durham. I realize that Duke undergrads tend to live on campus and have minimal exposure to the town surrounding the university, but certainly some of you must have some knowledge of off campus areas and might know what pockets or blocks to avoid. Safety is a pretty important consideration, so with that in mind, what areas would you suggest that one check out or avoid?</p>
<p>My S attends. I can’t give you a lot of informtion and I am sure you can see a lot on the web on the areas if you look. There are aeas where a lot of students hang out and as in many areas going to places in groups is recommended and all the kids do so and I have not heasrd of any problems. In years past there were isolated incidents but honestly you can see this on a lot of campuses. Anywhere you travel in the world and any school you attend, if you leave your common sense behind trouble follows. All colleges attract problems and people you need to look out for. If you are th ekind of person that carries a lot of cash around and flashes it about, wears a lot of expensive clothes and jewelry and likes to show it off to people who are living at the edge-or hanging around late at nights by yourself in areas you feel uncomfortale- trouble will fou whether on a college campus or not. If you have common sense and ang out with freinds and go out in groups nornmaly as safety is a consideration and a precaution you always take- then you should be fine and safety not a real sigificant concern.</p>
<p><a href=“http://gisweb.durhamnc.gov/gis_apps/crimedata/index.cfm[/url]”>http://gisweb.durhamnc.gov/gis_apps/crimedata/index.cfm</a></p>
<p>I am looking at a map from the Durham police department of reported incidents of robbery, burglary, rape, motor vehicle theft etc. These are things that may affect random individuals that live in an area, regardless of their common sense and caution.</p>
<p>For background, I am a graduate student who will be relocating with my wife. We have two cars (potential targets for property crime) and living in what I can only assume will be unsafe areas (based on the cluster of red dots on the map of Durham). I was hoping for specific places to avoid in Durham rather than general advice about flashing cash or wearing expensive jewelry.</p>
<p>belevitt - most of the posters on this site are undergrads. You will have better luck posting on the City-Data.com Forum: Relocation, Moving, General and Local City Discussions website for Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary - lots of questions from individuals considering a move to the area - many of them from Duke graduate students.</p>
<p>There are many newer apartment complexes around Duke - especially on Erwin Road. Some students also like living near the mall, Streets at Southpoint, as there are newer complexes there.</p>
<p>There is a website by a Duke grad student - he admits the information is dated now, but there are some good tips - look for markrice.com</p>
<p>There are also some neighborhood websites: owdna.org and trinitypark.org. These are neighborhood associations for neighborhoods close to Duke.</p>
<p>This blog by a Duke employee and Trinity Park resident has good links to other Durham blogs so you can get a sense of the area:</p>
<p>see bullcityrising.com</p>
<p>Best of luck to you and your wife during your graduate studies at Duke.</p>
<p>I have sent you a private message with specific links to websites including some from Duke in which graduate and professional students evaluate their neighborhoods complete with crime statistics.</p>
<p>Saferides is mentioned as a tranport alternative in the evenings. There are only two vans so the service is not dependable - waits anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. This was confirmed by a Duke administrator that I spoke with this week.</p>
<p>Sorry I did not realize you were a grad student mmy fault. There have been off campus issues over the last few years, and I wou;ld talk to Duke about off Campus concerns as well as take advantage of the information offered above. I am sensitive to kids worrying about any particular campus as kids tend not to be careful and it results in trouble. As a grad student living off campus you would have to be aware of where you would want to live etc.</p>
<p>Wow, you guys have been very helpful. Thank you for these resources and your words of wisdom.</p>
<p>I found it interesting that you brought up the Saferide shuttle as my current employer has a similar setup. I have never made use of it despite parking amidst condemned trailer parks (not exaggerating, they are actually condemned) across from the university. I imagine that this is meant to transport people from their workplace to their parking lot? Or is it meant to transport people from their workplace to their home (eg. late at night)?</p>
<p>Thank you to everybody.</p>