Detroit’s neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You’ve got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there’s a neighborhood for everyone in Detroit.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in Michigan thanks in part to tons of entertainment and jobs, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine in Detroit. Some neighborhoods aren’t as safe as others.
So the question arises, which Detroit neighborhoods are the most dangerous and which are the safest?
Today, we’ll use Saturday Night Science to determine which Detroit hoods need a little tender loving care. We examined 82 of Detroit’s neighborhoods to find out the most dangerous places to live.
$30,170 median income
$29,596 median income
Located in the northwest part of the city, Brightmoor came into existence in the 1920s as a planned community. Fast forward to the early 21st century and the plan has gone awry. The neighborhood now stands as one of the worst places to live in all of Detroit.
A weak job market complicates life for Brightmoor’s 9,938 residents. They have to deal with an unemployment rate of 11.7%, along with a median income of $29,596. The median home value comes in at $36,667.
There are bright spots to life in Brightmoor. For instance, residents can check out Eliza Howell Park.
$29,368 median income
$22,070 median income
$16,558 median income
As you might guess from its name, Carbon Works has an industrial character. Unfortunately for this working-class neighborhood built along the Rouge River in southwest Detroit, residents can’t count on those industrial jobs anymore. The result: Carbon Works has become one of the least inviting neighborhoods in the city.
The unemployment rate says it all: 9.6% of the area’s 761 residents can’t find a job. Meanwhile, the median income comes in at just $16,558. The area also suffers from weak schools and worries about crime.
Still, there are attractions in the area. A strong nightlife and excellent diversity contribute to the local culture. Meanwhile, Forman Park provides a nice outdoor patch by the river.
$9,945 median income
$25,553 median income
Petosky-Otsego is a smaller neighborhood in central Detroit, with a population of 6,355. It also ranks as the number 7 least appealing place to live in the city.
The economy makes Petosky-Otsego a difficult place to put down roots. Residents suffer with a 9.8% unemployment rate and a $25,553 median income. At the same time, crime and education are also problems.
Petosky-Otsego has its upsides, though. The area is affordable, with median home values of $37,922. It also has its share parks.
$24,625 median income
Poletown East gets its name from the Polish immigrants who moved to the area, starting in the late 19th century. This east-side neighborhood is bounded to the north by I-94, within sight of a General Motors assembly plant (one dedicated to all-electric truck production). This doesn’t do much to provide jobs to the area – the local economy is so bad it dooms the neighborhood as the number 8 least attractive place to put down roots in Detroit.
Just look at the stats: a 6.8% unemployment rate and a $24,625 median income. Home prices are at least affordable, though that comes with a run-down housing stock. The median home value sits at $38,950.
$21,670 median income
$32,183 median income
A rough economic climate presents the main obstacle for people in Riverdale, a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city. The area also suffers from substandard schools and a high crime rate. Taken together, these forces make the area one of the least attractive spots in Detroit.
Just look at the numbers: Riverdale sports an unemployment rate of 9.1% and a median income of $32,183. These financial figures make it difficult for locals to fund schools and other services.
That said, Riverdale has its share of bright spots as well. The nightlife is engaging and the cost of living is affordable (the median home value sits at $35,538). The neighborhood houses its share of green spaces as well, including the Rouge Valley Parkway.
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Michigan’s statewide median.
Michigan statewide median: $259,857
Michigan statewide median: $72,875
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous Detroit neighborhoods in 2026
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We plugged the following criteria into Saturday Night Science to get the worst neighborhoods in Detroit:
- High crime (Estimated)
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one’s willing to pay to live here)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criterion into a “Worst Score.”
The neighborhood with the lowest “Worst Score” ranks as the most dangerous neighborhood of Detroit.
The article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2026. Skip to the end to see the list of all 82 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
The full plate
Most dangerous neighborhoods to live in Detroit for 2026
Click any column to sort. Search by neighborhood name.
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lasalle College Park | 2,986 | $29,850 | $30,170 |
| 2 | Brightmoor | 9,938 | $36,667 | $29,596 |
| 3 | Grandale | 5,819 | $41,671 | $29,368 |
| 4 | Fishkorn | 2,605 | $30,800 | $22,070 |
| 5 | Carbon Works | 761 | $56,900 | $16,558 |
| 6 | Nw Goldberg | 1,945 | $47,550 | $9,945 |
| 7 | Petosky-Otsego | 6,355 | $37,922 | $25,553 |
| 8 | Poletown East | 360 | $38,950 | $24,625 |
| 9 | Core City | 3,088 | $91,300 | $21,670 |
| 9 | Riverdale | 3,500 | $35,538 | $32,183 |
| 11 | Barton-McFarland | 9,437 | $39,000 | $30,206 |
| 12 | Kranz Woods | 4,438 | $31,967 | $36,712 |
| 13 | Pulaski | 4,391 | $32,150 | $32,964 |
| 14 | Belmont | 2,541 | $59,800 | $28,228 |
| 15 | Franklin Park | 10,830 | $42,500 | $33,092 |
| 16 | McDougall-Hunt | 993 | $65,000 | $27,344 |
| 17 | Warrendale | 20,647 | $32,118 | $26,435 |
| 18 | Van Steuban | 4,655 | $43,240 | $32,665 |
| 19 | Chaldean Town | 1,183 | $50,950 | $27,653 |
| 20 | Chandler Park | 1,496 | $53,100 | $31,282 |
| 21 | Ravendale | 2,304 | $32,950 | $32,595 |
| 22 | Fitzgerald | 6,434 | $42,025 | $33,257 |
| 22 | Greensbriar | 2,563 | $32,500 | $38,794 |
| 24 | Eight Mile Wyoming | 1,495 | $42,000 | $30,830 |
| 24 | Mohican Regent | 2,817 | $37,350 | $38,410 |
| 26 | English Village | 478 | $38,000 | $31,734 |
| 27 | Grandmont-Rosedale | 10,600 | $77,511 | $37,632 |
| 28 | Eliza Howell | 839 | $17,300 | $45,321 |
| 29 | Alden Park | 202 | $123,400 | $18,516 |
| 30 | Herman Gardens | 847 | $82,200 | $21,835 |
| 32 | Boynton | 3,422 | $47,600 | $32,478 |
| 32 | The Eye | 3,637 | $43,900 | $33,835 |
| 32 | Castle Rouge | 2,314 | $56,400 | $35,214 |
| 34 | Five Points | 2,721 | $41,667 | $36,870 |
| 35 | Berg-Lasher | 4,736 | $59,025 | $30,388 |
| 36 | Elmwood Park | 6,545 | $87,550 | $24,482 |
| 37 | Forest Park | 956 | $114,700 | $20,271 |
| 38 | Grandmont | 2,332 | $53,600 | $55,696 |
| 39 | Briggs | 1,482 | $100,050 | $30,023 |
| 40 | Weatherby | 1,414 | $50,750 | $31,667 |
| 41 | West Village | 1,035 | $191,800 | $27,486 |
| 42 | Millenium Village | 932 | $99,200 | $43,615 |
| 43 | Aviation | 3,888 | $44,625 | $37,824 |
| 44 | Islandview | 5,435 | $77,000 | $29,100 |
| 45 | Morningside | 11,077 | $56,950 | $40,168 |
| 46 | Michigan-Martin | 732 | $47,600 | $43,083 |
| 47 | Martin Park | 3,917 | $72,700 | $42,054 |
| 48 | Conner Creek Ind | 1,529 | $134,800 | $92,700 |
| 48 | Russell Woods | 2,106 | $66,300 | $29,366 |
| 50 | Regent Park | 2,504 | $50,150 | $61,724 |
| 51 | Springwells | 13,921 | $46,427 | $34,402 |
| 52 | Southwest Detroit | 13,628 | $72,842 | $39,042 |
| 52 | Park | 4,761 | $58,900 | $57,177 |
| 54 | Jefferson Chalmers | 5,450 | $109,860 | $43,693 |
| 55 | Old Redford | 499 | $151,100 | $66,524 |
| 56 | New Center | 1,344 | $224,750 | $34,956 |
| 57 | Rosedale Park | 3,918 | $129,500 | $66,431 |
| 57 | Bagley | 11,872 | $91,311 | $46,365 |
| 59 | East English Village | 3,392 | $70,250 | $59,015 |
| 60 | Hubbard-Richard | 1,880 | $101,867 | $47,120 |
| 61 | North Rosedale Park | 4,488 | $118,700 | $75,824 |
| 62 | Wayne State | 3,905 | $251,100 | $31,583 |
| 62 | Lasalle Gardens | 1,785 | $91,600 | $39,232 |
| 64 | Joseph Barry | 445 | $104,400 | $41,544 |
| 65 | Sherwood Forest | 975 | $297,900 | $113,750 |
| 66 | Woodbridge | 1,992 | $241,850 | $93,380 |
| 67 | Jefferies | 1,771 | $227,100 | $15,671 |
| 68 | Gold Coast | 1,376 | $57,000 | $48,433 |
| 69 | Detroit Golf | 1,976 | $300,550 | $71,984 |
| 70 | University District | 3,083 | $251,600 | $83,828 |
| 71 | Minock Park | 2,285 | $78,050 | $45,276 |
| 72 | Lafayette Park | 5,628 | $163,200 | $37,930 |
| 73 | Art Center | 2,225 | $256,100 | $31,264 |
| 74 | Corktown | 694 | $301,800 | $50,284 |
| 75 | Marina District | 416 | $238,100 | $92,700 |
| 76 | Rivertown | 1,308 | $238,150 | $56,804 |
| 77 | Midtown | 9,997 | $359,583 | $30,191 |
| 78 | Brush Park | 1,873 | $397,900 | $43,444 |
| 78 | West Side Industrial | 565 | $250,800 | $76,604 |
| 80 | Green Acres | 1,217 | $170,800 | $61,019 |
| 81 | Indian Village | 1,756 | $389,300 | $103,506 |
| 82 | Downtown | 5,889 | $371,700 | $65,153 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. All 82 Detroit neighborhoods.
Summary
Summary: The worst neighborhoods around Detroit
Well, there you have it — the worst of the neighborhoods in Detroit with Lasalle College Park landing at the bottom of the pack.
The worst neighborhoods in Detroit are Lasalle College Park, Brightmoor, Grandale, Fishkorn, Carbon Works, Nw Goldberg, Petosky-Otsego, Poletown East, Core City, and Riverdale.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Detroit aren’t all bad. Downtown takes the cake as the best place to live in Detroit.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below. Not sold on Michigan? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Worst Neighborhoods In Detroit FAQs
What is the most dangerous neighborhood in Detroit?
Lasalle College Park ranks as the worst neighborhood in Detroit for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Brightmoor and Grandale are next on the list.
What are the worst neighborhoods in Detroit?
The worst-ranked neighborhoods in Detroit are Lasalle College Park, Brightmoor, Grandale, Fishkorn, Carbon Works, Nw Goldberg, Petosky-Otsego, Poletown East, Core City, and Riverdale. We scored all 82 neighborhoods in the city.
Why does Lasalle College Park rank as the worst?
Lasalle College Park posts the roughest combined numbers in Detroit: a median household income of $30,170 and a median home value of $29,850, with crime, unemployment, and density folded into the score.
Are these neighborhoods dangerous everywhere?
No. The scores are neighborhood-wide averages, and conditions change block by block and hour by hour. Plenty of people live in these neighborhoods without incident; the numbers just say the odds run tougher.
How do you rank the worst neighborhoods?
Each neighborhood is scored on crime, unemployment, income, density, and home values, using Census tract and FBI data. The worst combined score tops the list.
