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Discover which Calgary neighbourhoods have the highest crime rates in 2026 — based on real Calgary Police Service data. From Forest Lawn to the downtown core, we break down what the numbers actually mean and what you can do to protect your property, business, or construction site.
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Calgary is one of the safest major cities in Canada. But that doesn't mean every neighbourhood is equal when it comes to crime.
Most people searching this topic are making a real decision — where to live, where to open a business, where to send their kids to school, or how to protect a property they already own. This guide gives you straight answers based on real Calgary Police Service data, not guesswork.
Here's what the crime data actually shows about Calgary's highest-crime communities in 2026.
These rankings are based on Calgary Police Service (CPS) reported crime data for 2023 and 2024 — the most recently available community-level statistics. We looked at both total reported crimes and crime rate per 1,000 residents to give a complete picture.
Important context before reading: a high total crime count doesn't always mean a neighbourhood is dangerous to live in. Some high-crime areas are commercial or industrial zones where crime happens at businesses, not homes. We've noted this where relevant.
Forest Lawn is East Calgary's most talked-about crime hotspot, and the data backs that reputation up. Located along 17th Avenue SE — sometimes called International Avenue — the area sees elevated rates of violent crime, property crime, and drug-related incidents compared to the city average. It's a densely populated, diverse neighbourhood with significant socioeconomic challenges that have persisted for decades.
That said, Forest Lawn is also a neighbourhood in transition. Community organizations, local businesses, and the City of Calgary have invested significantly in revitalization efforts. Crime rates in parts of Forest Lawn have been improving year over year — but it still ranks among the highest in the city by total incidents.
Primary crime types: Assault, theft, drug-related offences, vehicle break-ins
Sunridge is somewhat misleading on this list — it's not a residential neighbourhood in the traditional sense. It's a major commercial and institutional hub in Northeast Calgary, home to Sunridge Mall and the Peter Lougheed Hospital. The high crime count is almost entirely driven by its commercial nature — busy parking lots, retail stores, and high foot traffic create more opportunities for vehicle break-ins, shoplifting, and petty theft.
If you're considering living near Sunridge, the crime data is less alarming than the raw numbers suggest. If you're operating a retail business in the area, loss prevention is a real concern.
Primary crime types: Retail theft, vehicle break-ins, shoplifting
An established Northeast neighbourhood anchored by Marlborough Mall, this area faces typical urban fringe crime challenges. Its aging housing stock, busy commercial corridor, and mix of long-term residents and newcomers contribute to elevated property crime rates. Vehicle theft and shoplifting around the mall are persistent issues.
Primary crime types: Vehicle theft, shoplifting, property crime
Saddle Ridge is one of Calgary's fastest-growing communities in the far Northeast — and its crime numbers partly reflect that growth. As one of the largest communities in the city by population, higher total crime numbers are partly explained by sheer volume of residents. When adjusted for population, the picture is less alarming than the raw numbers suggest. Vehicle break-ins and home burglaries in quieter residential streets are the most common issues.
Primary crime types: Vehicle break-ins, home burglaries, property crime
Like Sunridge, Manchester Industrial isn't a residential neighbourhood — it's a large commercial and industrial district near Macleod Trail in central Calgary. Warehouses, auto shops, and storage yards dominate the area. After business hours, wide empty streets and minimal foot traffic make it a target for equipment theft, copper wire theft, and trespassing.
For businesses operating in Manchester Industrial, security is essential. There are virtually no residents to provide the natural surveillance that deters crime in residential areas.
Primary crime types: Equipment theft, copper wire theft, trespassing, break and enter
Bowness is a historic Northwest Calgary community along the Bow River — home to the beloved Bowness Park, tree-lined streets, and a strong small-town community feel. It's a genuinely beloved neighbourhood that has faced socioeconomic pressures in some pockets. Property crime and mischief persist in parts of Bowness even as residents and the community association work actively to improve safety.
Despite its crime numbers, many families choose Bowness specifically for its character and community — understanding that most crime is property-related rather than violent.
Primary crime types: Property crime, mischief, vehicle break-ins
Bridgeland is one of Calgary's trendiest inner-city neighbourhoods — walkable, filled with great restaurants, and popular with young professionals. Its central location near downtown means it experiences the urban crime challenges typical of dense, high-traffic areas. Most crime here is petty — opportunistic theft, vehicle break-ins, and minor mischief rather than serious violent crime.
Its revitalization over the past decade has significantly improved safety in many respects, but being an inner-city neighbourhood means certain challenges remain.
Primary crime types: Petty theft, vehicle break-ins, mischief
Calgary's downtown core doesn't show up as a single neighbourhood in crime statistics, but it consistently ranks among the highest-crime areas in the city when data is aggregated across the City Centre communities. Calls to police about disorder downtown reached a six-year high in 2025, driven by challenges around homelessness, drug use, and mental health crises concentrated in the area.
For businesses operating downtown, visible security has become increasingly important — particularly for retail stores, office building lobbies, and parkades.
Primary crime types: Disorder, assault, theft, drug-related offences
Several Northeast Calgary communities beyond Saddle Ridge and Marlborough show elevated crime rates in CPS data, including parts of Falconridge, Abbeydale, and Penbrooke Meadows. These are primarily residential communities with property crime challenges — vehicle theft and home break-ins — rather than significant violent crime concerns.
Primary crime types: Vehicle theft, residential break-ins
The eastern edge of Calgary — including Forest Heights and Erin Woods — consistently shows above-average crime rates in CPS community statistics. These are affordable, established communities with aging housing stock and some socioeconomic pressures. Property crime is the dominant concern.
Primary crime types: Property crime, vehicle break-ins, mischief
Before drawing conclusions from this data, a few important points:
Total crimes vs. crime rate matters. A large community will naturally have more total crimes than a small one, even if the per-capita rate is lower. Saddle Ridge's high total number partly reflects the fact that it's one of Calgary's largest communities by population.
Commercial areas inflate numbers. Sunridge and Manchester Industrial have high crime counts because of their commercial nature — not because they're dangerous places to walk around at night.
Calgary is still one of Canada's safest cities. Even the communities on this list would rank as average or below-average in many other Canadian cities. Statistics Canada's Crime Severity Index for Calgary dropped to 62.3 in 2024 — a 14% decline from the previous year, well below Edmonton's CSI of 101.1, Winnipeg's 124.4, and the national average of 77.9.
Crime is concentrated, not spread evenly. Most Calgary neighbourhoods have very low crime rates. The communities on this list account for a disproportionate share of the city's total incidents.
If you live, work, or own property in any of the communities listed above, there are practical steps you can take to significantly reduce your risk:
For residential properties:
For commercial properties and businesses:
For construction sites and industrial properties:
Guard Tower Security provides professional security guard services across all of Calgary — including mobile patrol, on-site uniformed guards, construction site security, and loss prevention for retail businesses in higher-crime commercial areas.
If your property, business, or construction site is in one of the communities listed in this article, a professional security assessment can identify your specific vulnerabilities and recommend the most cost-effective protection strategy.
Contact Guard Tower Security for a free, no-obligation site assessment — we serve all Calgary communities including the Northeast, East Calgary, downtown core, and surrounding industrial areas.
Q: What is the most dangerous neighbourhood in Calgary?A: Based on total reported crimes from Calgary Police Service data, Forest Lawn in East Calgary consistently ranks highest with 866 reported crimes in the 2023-2024 data period. However, "most dangerous" depends on what type of crime you're concerned about — Forest Lawn's elevated numbers are driven by a mix of property and violent crime, while some other high-ranking areas like Sunridge are primarily commercial crime hotspots.
Q: Is Northeast Calgary dangerous?A: Parts of Northeast Calgary — including Saddle Ridge, Marlborough, and some surrounding communities — show above-average crime rates compared to the city overall, primarily for property crime. However, the NE is also one of Calgary's most diverse and rapidly growing areas, and most crime is property-related rather than violent. Taking standard precautions significantly reduces your personal risk.
Q: Is downtown Calgary safe?A: Downtown Calgary has seen increased disorder in recent years, with calls to police reaching a six-year high in 2025. While violent crime against random members of the public remains relatively rare, property crime, theft, and disorder incidents are more common downtown than in Calgary's suburban communities. Businesses operating downtown should invest in professional security accordingly.
Q: What Calgary neighbourhoods should I avoid at night?A: Based on crime data, exercising extra caution after dark in Forest Lawn, parts of the downtown core near shelters and transit hubs, and some pockets of the Northeast is advisable. That said, Calgary's overall safety means even these areas are significantly safer at night than comparable neighbourhoods in most other major Canadian cities.
Q: How does Calgary compare to other Canadian cities for safety?A: Very favourably. Calgary's Crime Severity Index of 62.3 in 2024 is well below the national average of 77.9 and significantly lower than Edmonton (101.1) and Winnipeg (124.4). Even Calgary's highest-crime neighbourhoods would rank as moderate or below-average in many other cities.
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