New study shows people feel safe in Times Square

For all New York City’s hustle and bustle and media depictions of crime-riddled cities, residents and tourists alike generally find Times Square a safe place to be, a new survey said.

With National Guard members on duty in the New York City subways but crime down overall in the Big Apple, the Times Square Alliance has released a timely survey about public safety in the district.

Over 10 days from Feb. 10 through 19, the alliance polled 1,500-plus people throughout Times Square, including the “bowtie” area (41st to 47th streets, along Broadway and Seventh Avenue) as well as throughout the pedestrian plazas, reaching both locals and visitors from home and abroad.

Overall, 83% of those polled said they “felt safe,” even after high-profile incidents and subsequent media coverage.   

The majority (67%) of those who said they felt unsafe gave reasons more to do with quality-of- life issues than public safety. The reasons included seeing media reports regarding crime in Times Square; too much soliciting; a bad experience on the subway; and witnessing drug use.

 Only 20% of those who said they felt unsafe gave reasons to do with actual crime. 

Of those polled, 31% were international visitors and 25% were New York City residents. Less than 1% were from the greater New York area. Eighty-eight percent of international visitors said they felt safe, compared with 71% of city residents and 80% of greater New York area residents.