Indianapolis’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 Indianapolis.
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 Indianapolis. Some neighborhoods aren’t as safe as others.
So the question arises, which Indianapolis neighborhoods are the most dangerous and which are the safest?
Today, we’ll use Saturday Night Science to determine which Indianapolis hoods need a little tender loving care – the sore thumbs of the Indianapolis area if you will. Realistically, you can’t expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Lockerble Square ranks way above the rest.
We examined 26 of Indianapolis’s neighborhoods to find out the most dangerous places to live. These places don’t quite measure up to Indianapolis’s reputation.
The Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In Indianapolis For 2023
- Bos
- Concord
- Foxwood
- Far Eastside
- Near North
- West Indianapolis
- Martindale
- United Northeast
- United Northwest
- Westside
So what’s the worst neighborhood to live in Indianapolis for 2023? According to the most recent census data, Bos looks to be the worst neighborhood in Indianapolis.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Indianapolis that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don’t blame the messenger.
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Table Of Contents: Top 10 | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In Indianapolis For 2023
1. Bos
Population: 4,853
Median Home Value: $76,140 (6th worst)
Median Income: $20,135 (2nd worst)
2. Concord
Population: 199
Median Home Value: $122,226 (12th worst)
Median Income: $378 (worst)
3. Foxwood
Population: 7
Median Home Value: $201,083 (17th worst)
Median Income: $71,339 (23rd worst)
4. Far Eastside
Population: 11,421
Median Home Value: $85,365 (10th worst)
Median Income: $44,605 (16th worst)
5. Near North
Population: 5,352
Median Home Value: $71,996 (4th worst)
Median Income: $39,330 (13th worst)
6. West Indianapolis
Population: 16,238
Median Home Value: $53,428 (worst)
Median Income: $30,536 (7th worst)
7. Martindale
Population: 10,141
Median Home Value: $77,593 (8th worst)
Median Income: $24,851 (4th worst)
8. United Northeast
Population: 30,609
Median Home Value: $76,454 (7th worst)
Median Income: $26,548 (5th worst)
9. United Northwest
Population: 18,138
Median Home Value: $64,058 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $28,850 (6th worst)
10. Westside
Population: 27,239
Median Home Value: $61,476 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $31,634 (9th worst)
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous Indianapolis neighborhoods in 2023
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 Indianapolis:
- 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 Indianapolis, 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 Indianapolis.
The article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2023. This report is our time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Indianapolis.
Skip to the end to see the list of all 26 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Indianapolis
Well, there you have it — the worst of the neighborhoods in Indianapolis with Bos landing at the bottom of the pack.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Indianapolis aren’t all bad. Lockerble Square takes the cake as the best place to live in Indianapolis.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more Indiana reading, check out:
Most Dangerous Neighborhoods To Live In Indianapolis For 2023?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bos | 4,853 | $76,140 | $20,135 |
| 2 | Concord | 199 | $122,226 | $378 |
| 3 | Foxwood | 7 | $201,083 | $71,339 |
| 4 | Far Eastside | 11,421 | $85,365 | $44,605 |
| 5 | Near North | 5,352 | $71,996 | $39,330 |
| 6 | West Indianapolis | 16,238 | $53,428 | $30,536 |
| 7 | Martindale | 10,141 | $77,593 | $24,851 |
| 8 | United Northeast | 30,609 | $76,454 | $26,548 |
| 9 | United Northwest | 18,138 | $64,058 | $28,850 |
| 10 | Westside | 27,239 | $61,476 | $31,634 |
| 11 | Fountain Square | 450 | $107,135 | $24,006 |
| 12 | Southeast | 26,972 | $78,282 | $31,306 |
| 13 | Kingpark | 10,091 | $193,161 | $41,700 |
| 14 | Reserve At Spring Mill | 56 | $204,420 | $140,861 |
| 15 | Indy East | 43,511 | $73,301 | $32,375 |
| 16 | Pogue’s Run | 370 | $157,128 | $35,354 |
| 17 | Green Pastures | 6 | $218,130 | $66,250 |
| 18 | Meridian Meadows | 54 | $218,130 | $66,250 |
| 19 | Fletcher Place | 2,888 | $216,744 | $63,442 |
| 20 | Mapelton | 8,280 | $151,149 | $41,727 |
| 21 | Cornerstone Place | 30 | $218,130 | $77,256 |
| 22 | Lexington Farms | 276 | $243,046 | $68,727 |
| 23 | Orchard Estates | 24 | $243,046 | $91,552 |
| 24 | Irvington | 5,534 | $136,339 | $50,475 |
| 25 | Riley | 20,609 | $417,719 | $46,378 |
| 26 | Lockerble Square | 978 | $419,768 | $35,767 |