Fort Wayne’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 Fort Wayne.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in Indiana thanks in part to tons of entertainment and jobs, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine in Fort Wayne. Some neighborhoods aren’t as safe as others.
So the question arises, which Fort Wayne neighborhoods are the most dangerous and which are the safest?
Today, we’ll use Saturday Night Science to determine which Fort Wayne hoods need a little tender loving care. We examined 173 of Fort Wayne’s neighborhoods to find out the most dangerous places to live.
$29,762 median income
$15,640 median income
$22,396 median income
$25,204 median income
$31,802 median income
$29,805 median income
$28,443 median income
$36,843 median income
$25,572 median income
$37,058 median income
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Indiana’s statewide median.
Indiana statewide median: $254,122
Indiana statewide median: $71,957
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous Fort Wayne 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 Fort Wayne:
- 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 Fort Wayne, Indiana 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 Fort Wayne.
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 173 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
The full plate
Most dangerous neighborhoods to live in Fort Wayne for 2026
Click any column to sort. Search by neighborhood name.
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highland Park Forest | 87 | $54,400 | $29,762 |
| 2 | East Side | 1,004 | $35,800 | $15,640 |
| 3 | Ferndale | 272 | $77,000 | $22,396 |
| 4 | Poplar | 413 | $58,150 | $25,204 |
| 5 | Greater McMillen Park | 860 | $40,700 | $31,802 |
| 6 | Harvester | 341 | $29,300 | $29,805 |
| 7 | Oakland Park | 93 | $88,300 | $28,443 |
| 8 | Michigan Avenue | 656 | $50,867 | $36,843 |
| 9 | Memorial Park | 838 | $85,833 | $25,572 |
| 10 | Pontiac Place | 971 | $45,750 | $37,058 |
| 11 | Hickory Grove | 244 | $87,950 | $29,558 |
| 12 | Vesey | 430 | $72,550 | $38,894 |
| 13 | Pettit-Rudisill | 4,255 | $40,920 | $27,753 |
| 14 | Hanna-Creighton | 1,849 | $78,300 | $20,490 |
| 15 | Belle Vista | 166 | $79,400 | $46,186 |
| 16 | Continental Park | 169 | $87,600 | $30,673 |
| 17 | Creighton Home | 1,124 | $62,500 | $29,083 |
| 18 | Kingston Park | 123 | $111,500 | $34,233 |
| 19 | Casselwood Terrace | 204 | $87,600 | $30,673 |
| 20 | Westfield | 834 | $72,550 | $38,894 |
| 21 | Oxford | 4,931 | $46,300 | $29,582 |
| 22 | Nebraska | 1,630 | $64,600 | $37,130 |
| 23 | Morningside Terrace | 307 | $69,800 | $48,764 |
| 24 | Williams Park | 699 | $52,700 | $28,375 |
| 24 | South Suburan | 2,710 | $57,600 | $27,003 |
| 26 | Rudisill-Plaza | 351 | $54,900 | $37,115 |
| 27 | Anthony Wayne | 1,260 | $68,933 | $38,467 |
| 28 | Elmhurst | 224 | $83,800 | $51,365 |
| 29 | South Calhoun Place | 231 | $72,900 | $54,046 |
| 30 | East Central | 2,181 | $81,350 | $31,936 |
| 31 | Hazelwood | 82 | $110,900 | $49,583 |
| 32 | Rolling Rose | 433 | $35,500 | $22,250 |
| 33 | Taylor Street | 432 | $99,500 | $43,182 |
| 34 | Broad River | 1,472 | $52,700 | $40,966 |
| 35 | North Sherwood Terrace And Silver Maples | 219 | $88,600 | $56,857 |
| 36 | Victoria Park | 565 | $88,300 | $28,443 |
| 37 | Hillcrest | 637 | $69,800 | $48,764 |
| 38 | Maysville Heights | 271 | $86,600 | $18,967 |
| 39 | Bridlewood | 246 | $97,600 | $47,250 |
| 40 | Reckeweg Road | 273 | $100,000 | $47,727 |
| 41 | Eldrado Hills | 261 | $97,600 | $47,250 |
| 42 | Brookview | 1,027 | $61,925 | $37,778 |
| 43 | Lafayette Place | 749 | $72,900 | $54,046 |
| 44 | Hoagland Masterson | 987 | $92,600 | $35,769 |
| 45 | Greenview | 366 | $97,600 | $47,250 |
| 46 | Southeast Waynedale | 465 | $89,200 | $44,368 |
| 47 | Sand Point | 686 | $83,800 | $51,365 |
| 48 | Williams-Woodland Park | 731 | $106,700 | $35,768 |
| 49 | Summerfield | 453 | $88,600 | $56,857 |
| 50 | Hamilton | 2,928 | $66,950 | $40,261 |
| 51 | New Kirkwood Park | 259 | $110,900 | $49,583 |
| 52 | South Wayne | 1,205 | $80,333 | $47,478 |
| 52 | Fairfield | 1,900 | $85,550 | $45,199 |
| 54 | Bloomingdale | 3,541 | $58,050 | $37,472 |
| 55 | Westmoor Park | 248 | $116,800 | $45,404 |
| 56 | Avalon Place | 874 | $89,200 | $44,368 |
| 56 | Oakdale | 1,764 | $77,250 | $47,940 |
| 58 | Interurban Acres | 507 | $162,200 | $38,538 |
| 59 | Lofton Woods | 293 | $131,700 | $25,435 |
| 60 | Southwest Waynedale | 759 | $65,700 | $36,536 |
| 60 | Monarch Park | 347 | $131,700 | $25,435 |
| 62 | Crestwood Colony | 1,185 | $88,600 | $56,857 |
| 63 | Old Trail | 746 | $74,400 | $37,143 |
| 64 | Spy Run | 1,306 | $71,250 | $40,860 |
| 65 | Southwick Village | 1,141 | $87,300 | $55,192 |
| 66 | Lakewood Park | 290 | $127,600 | $42,142 |
| 67 | Larez | 1,390 | $63,750 | $28,514 |
| 68 | Crown Colony | 1,395 | $87,300 | $55,192 |
| 69 | Five Points | 1,033 | $79,233 | $55,260 |
| 70 | Imperial Gardens | 104 | $127,600 | $55,774 |
| 71 | North Anthony Area | 2,043 | $106,250 | $51,250 |
| 72 | Forest Park Boulevard | 531 | $118,650 | $48,037 |
| 73 | Saint Marys River | 394 | $113,700 | $56,985 |
| 74 | Blackhawk Forest | 404 | $127,700 | $50,804 |
| 75 | Kyle Road | 995 | $88,200 | $56,544 |
| 76 | Glenwood Park | 2,191 | $111,500 | $62,299 |
| 77 | Brookside-Parkerdale | 983 | $109,450 | $55,375 |
| 78 | Village Woods | 1,512 | $72,300 | $46,455 |
| 79 | Northside | 7,017 | $96,729 | $48,812 |
| 80 | Blackhawk Farms | 586 | $127,700 | $50,804 |
| 81 | North Franke Park | 429 | $101,700 | $57,019 |
| 82 | Somerset Acres | 117 | $116,400 | $62,917 |
| 83 | Lincoln Park | 756 | $80,000 | $59,276 |
| 84 | Bellair | 324 | $99,500 | $49,297 |
| 85 | Bohde Grove | 198 | $116,400 | $62,917 |
| 86 | Sawmill Woods | 308 | $101,250 | $41,262 |
| 87 | Westwood-Fairway | 1,154 | $121,050 | $49,540 |
| 88 | Irvington Park | 180 | $83,700 | $61,912 |
| 89 | Greentree | 238 | $116,400 | $62,917 |
| 90 | North Highlands | 1,630 | $85,050 | $52,750 |
| 91 | Blackhawk | 1,341 | $127,700 | $50,804 |
| 92 | Frances Slocum | 2,306 | $102,680 | $58,600 |
| 92 | West Central | 3,781 | $126,320 | $38,260 |
| 94 | Tanbark Trails | 323 | $117,000 | $67,234 |
| 94 | Audubon Park | 92 | $150,100 | $89,024 |
| 96 | Fairmont | 831 | $95,000 | $70,582 |
| 97 | Springwood-Orchard Woods | 433 | $95,300 | $51,224 |
| 98 | Valley Park Forest | 384 | $147,500 | $40,667 |
| 99 | Maplewood Gardens | 135 | $116,300 | $68,786 |
| 100 | Ranchwood | 756 | $136,800 | $31,960 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. All 173 Fort Wayne neighborhoods.
Summary
Summary: The worst neighborhoods around Fort Wayne
Well, there you have it — the worst of the neighborhoods in Fort Wayne with Highland Park Forest landing at the bottom of the pack.
The worst neighborhoods in Fort Wayne are Highland Park Forest, East Side, Ferndale, Poplar, Greater McMillen Park, Harvester, Oakland Park, Michigan Avenue, Memorial Park, and Pontiac Place.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Fort Wayne aren’t all bad. Pine Valley takes the cake as the best place to live in Fort Wayne.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below. Not sold on Indiana? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Worst Neighborhoods In Fort Wayne FAQs
What is the most dangerous neighborhood in Fort Wayne?
Highland Park Forest ranks as the worst neighborhood in Fort Wayne for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. East Side and Ferndale are next on the list.
What are the worst neighborhoods in Fort Wayne?
The worst-ranked neighborhoods in Fort Wayne are Highland Park Forest, East Side, Ferndale, Poplar, Greater McMillen Park, Harvester, Oakland Park, Michigan Avenue, Memorial Park, and Pontiac Place. We scored all 173 neighborhoods in the city.
Why does Highland Park Forest rank as the worst?
Highland Park Forest posts the roughest combined numbers in Fort Wayne: a median household income of $29,762 and a median home value of $54,400, 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.
