Niagara Falls is one of the seven wonders of the world. The city is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world, bringing in billions of tourists every year. People venture from all over the world to the see the Falls, something that for millions of people, is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Despite the beautiful scenery of Niagara Falls itself, there are some not so beautiful neighborhoods in the area. Areas that over the years have been riddled with crime and poverty.
According to NeighborhoodScout.com, the crime index in Niagara Falls is 3, meaning it’s only safer than 3% of U.S. cities. In addition, the annual rate of violent crimes in Niagara Falls is 11.47 per 1,000 residents, three times the national median, which is 3.8.
The most notorious neighborhoods in Niagara Falls for crimes to occur include the Highland neighborhood just south of the Deveaux neighborhood along Route 104, as well as the Walnut Ave side of Pine Ave. These neighborhoods have been the most poverty-stricken neighborhoods in the Niagara Falls area. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 27.2% of Niagara Falls residents live in poverty as of July 2016.
According to a lifelong Niagara Falls resident, who requested to remain anonymous, the issues in Niagara Falls all started in 1956 when major industries in the Falls closed their doors, leading to a rise of unemployment. He also stated that there is a lack of motivation from residents in the Falls to get up and start taking action to resolve these issues.
As we’re all aware, Niagara University is known for having a beautiful campus. The campus is situated in a safe neighborhood, overlooking the Niagara Gorge. This kind of environment that surrounds the campus makes Niagara University a great place for students to grow and mature into young adults, as well as prepare for the real world, all while keeping a safe distance from the less appealing areas of the Niagara Falls area.
The important thing to remember is that while the Niagara University campus is situated in a safe and prosperous area of Niagara Falls, there are some areas of the Falls that aren’t as wonderful as the campus, or where the Falls is located. So just remember, stay safe Niagara!
Niagara Wire 
I used to live in the South End of Niagara Falls. Now I’m happy to be involved in an initiative with Niagara U, over twenty-five community partners, and a strong corps of committed residents. Rather than “stay safe” we should be saying “stay focused,” “stay involved” and “stay in it for the long haul.” Only a realistically optimistic, well-planned, collaborative effort can turn the tide, but the residents are committed, the partners are committed and NU is committed. https://news.niagara.edu/news/show/niagara-university-announces-collaborative-plan-to-revitalize-niagara-falls-south-end
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