Which is more safe? Living in downtown Anchorage or residing in Mountain View? While surfing the web, I came across a “Community Crime Map.” I lived in Mountain View for many years as a young adult. In my 40-plus years in Anchorage, the only other location I have lived as long as Mountain View is in the Downtown Community Council area — the heart of downtown Anchorage.
I remember in the 1980s or 1990s when Mountain View was deemed the most dangerous neighborhood, per capita, in the United States — something like that, right? I know that Mountain View has cleaned up — tenfold, if not more. However, if asked, I believe most would answer with a perceived stigma that Mountain View may not be that safe. Why is that?
From the data I viewed on this map, in the last 20-plus days, it was far more likely that I would experience an aggravated assault in downtown Anchorage than in Mountain View. It was just as likely that my residence would be burglarized — more so, on a per-capita basis. Since the middle of December, it was more likely I would experience theft, larceny or even be held up by force.
Can this be true? Downtown Anchorage — less safe than walking the streets of Mountain View? On a good note, it is slightly less likely that my car would have been stolen in downtown Anchorage, if I owned a vehicle. I do not. In the Downtown Community Council Area in the past 30 days, there have been 24 aggravated assaults, 14 home burglaries, 14 thefts and eight robberies downtown. There has been zero arson incidents and 15 vehicle thefts. As for the Mountain View area, approximate the same radius, with many more residents, there were 15 aggravated assaults, 14 burglaries, seven thefts, four robberies, one arson incident and 21 vehicle thefts.
Is living in downtown Anchorage safer than Mountain View or other parts of Anchorage?
— Russ Reno
Downtown Anchorage Community Council,
Anchorage
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