New York Travel Risk — Moderate Risk (27/100)
Is New York safe to visit?
Moderate risk. Mostly safe. There are a few specific situations to watch for in New York — read the breakdown below.
Government advisory (score 20)
Crime (score 45)
August 12, 2026
70%
New York, United States has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 27 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is crime at 45/100; the lowest-rated category is government advisory at 20/100; last updated August 12, 2026. This page is a baseline travel safety overview for New York, United States, covering crime, health, government travel advisory, political stability, natural disasters, transport, environmental quality, digital security, and money safety. Real-time conditions — including today's weather, official US State Department advisory, GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices, and recent news headlines — are shown in the Live conditions section below and refreshed multiple times per day.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is New York to visit in 2026?
New York currently sits at 27/100 on our composite travel-risk index, which puts it in the moderate-risk tier. Most travelers will be fine with normal precautions, but a few categories below score high enough that planning matters. The highest-rated risk category for New York is crime (45/100), and the lowest is government advisory (20/100). This page was last updated on August 12, 2026; the baseline category scores are editorial estimates, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Aug 12, 2026
New York's overall safety rating is moderate, with a baseline composite score of 27/100, and while a green forest fire alert is active in the United States, it does not specifically target the city. Health officials note a Level 1 global dengue alert (low risk), and recent local news includes a new parks safety initiative, the arrest of a public‑safety official over a shooting‑related case, and a serious criminal allegation involving a New York man traveling to Massachusetts.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Aug 12, 2026 02:20 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Crime (score 45/100): Use registered taxis or ride-share apps. Keep electronics out of sight in public transit. Read recent reviews for your specific neighborhood.
- Environmental quality (score 30/100): Check air-quality forecasts. If sensitive, pack a mask and adjust outdoor activity. Hydration is critical in heat.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Safety by traveler type in New York
Computed from the category scores on this page plus general best practice — not personalized advice. For guidance tuned to your exact dates, transport, and profile, run a personalized assessment.
Solo travelers
Crime risk is moderate. Solo travelers should keep valuables out of sight, prefer well-lit routes after dark, and use registered taxis or ride-share.
Women traveling solo
General crime risk is moderate. Favor reputable accommodation, pre-book airport transfers, and keep to busier streets at night. We don't hold gender-specific incident data for New York, so also check the live official advisory above and local women-traveler communities.
Families with children
Health/disaster risk is moderate. Check required vaccinations, note the nearest hospital on arrival, and review any seasonal hazard for your dates.
Senior travelers
Health and transport risk are low. Carry medication in original packaging and keep a copy of prescriptions.
Business travelers
Digital and money risk are low. Standard precautions on public Wi-Fi and card use are enough.
LGBTQ+ travelers
Local laws and social attitudes toward LGBTQ+ travelers vary widely by country and are not captured in our category scores. The official advisory/political indicators are moderate. Review your government's LGBTQ+ travel guidance and the advisory shown above before booking.
Baseline scores
Source: Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + Global Peace Index references) · Confidence: 70
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | August 12, 2026 |
Live conditions in New York
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Official travel advisory
No current US State Department advisory entry matched United States in the latest feed. Check the official advisory directory before travel.
Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
-
Green forest fire notification in United States GREEN · country-wide · 2026-08-11
On 11/08/2026, a forest fire started in United States, until 11/08/2026.
-
Green forest fire notification in United States GREEN · country-wide · 2026-08-09
On 01/08/2026, a forest fire started in United States, until 09/08/2026.
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Green earthquake (Magnitude 5.6M, Depth:10km) in United States 08/08/2026 04:50 UTC, 2 thousand in MMI>=IV. GREEN · country-wide · 2026-08-08
On 8/8/2026 4:50:34 AM, an earthquake occurred in United States potentially affecting 2 thousand in MMI>=IV. The earthquake had Magnitude 5.6M, Depth:10km.
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Green forest fire notification in United States GREEN · country-wide · 2026-08-08
On 02/08/2026, a forest fire started in United States, until 09/08/2026.
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Green forest fire notification in United States GREEN · country-wide · 2026-08-07
On 06/08/2026, a forest fire started in United States, until 11/08/2026.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-08-12 02:19:26 UTC
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
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Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-07-30
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Samoa, Vietnam, New Caledonia (France), Maldives, Bolivia, Tonga, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia,
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-03-09
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-08-11 23:33:54 UTC
Recent headlines
Recent Headlines · New York United States
-
Buckle Up New York “Parks Occupant Safety Initiative” in Troop L
New York State Police (.gov) · 3d ago
-
New York public safety official arrested for allegedly helping son flee shooting in city: police
ABC7 Los Angeles · 6d ago
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New York man accused of traveling to Massachusetts to rape 13-year-old girl
Boston Herald · 4h ago
Source: Google News · headlines verbatim, dates from publishers · fetched 2026-08-12 02:20:34 UTC
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in New York
New York has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 2 embassies, 10 pharmacies and 5 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: Brookdale Hospital Medical Center
- Hospital: Brooklyn Hospital Center
- Hospital: Interfaith Medical Center
- Hospital: Kings County Hospital Center
- Hospital: Kingsboro Psychiatric Center
- Hospital: Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center
- Hospital: New York City Children's Center - Brooklyn Campus
- Hospital: NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull
- Hospital: University Hospital of Brooklyn
- Hospital: Wyckoff Heights Medical Center
- Police: 77th Precinct
- Police: Eightyfirst Precinct Police Station
- Police: Eightythird Precinct Police Station
- Police: New York City Police Department - 79th Precinct
- Police: NYC Housing Police #3
- Police: NYPD - 73rd Precinct
- Police: NYPD 83rd Precinct
- Police: NYPD 90th Precinct
- Police: NYPD Emergency Service Unit Squad 8
- Police: Seventythird Precinct Police Station
- Embassy: Consulate General of Bangladesh
- Embassy: Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations
- Pharmacy: CVS Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Fine Care Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Hancock Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Irving Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Marino Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: MG Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Mishkin's Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Myrtle Drugs
- Pharmacy: Shawn Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Wyckoff Drugs
- Fire station: FDNY - Engine Company 217
- Fire station: New York Engine Company 218
- Fire station: New York Engine Company 222
- Fire station: New York Engine Company 277
- Fire station: New York Ladder Company 112
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (United States)
| Police | 911 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 911 |
| Fire | 911 |
| General | 911 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Common scam patterns
- Pickpocketing & bag theft in crowds. Pickpocketing on the subway, in Times Square and at major stations/events; bag theft in busy bars and restaurants. Tip: Keep bags zipped and in front, phone in a front pocket, and never leave a bag on a chair back or unattended.
- Fake tickets / unofficial taxi touts. Fake attraction or show tickets, and unofficial "tour" or taxi touts at airports and Times Square that overcharge. Tip: Buy tickets from official box offices/apps; use yellow cabs at official ranks or Uber/Lyft; ignore airport touts.
- Times Square costume / CD hustles. Costumed characters or "rappers" hand you a CD or pose for photos, then aggressively demand cash; fake "monks" press bracelets for a "donation". Tip: Do not take anything handed to you and do not pose for photos unless you agreed a price; keep walking.
Major transport hubs
| Hub | Type | Risk | Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| JFK / LaGuardia / Newark airports | airport | 32/100 | Use the official yellow-cab queue or a ride-hail app; never accept a ride from someone approaching you inside the terminal. |
| Penn Station / Times Square subway | train_station | 30/100 | Keep valuables secure and phone away in the densest crowds and on packed trains. |
Area notes
- Times Square & major transit hubs. Heavily policed and safe, but the main spot for costume/CD hustles, fake-ticket touts and pickpocketing - keep walking and keep valuables secure.
- Overall. New York is one of the safest large US cities for visitors; the main risks are aggressive street hustles and pickpocketing in tourist crowds rather than violent crime in tourist areas.
Frequently asked questions
Is New York safe to visit right now?
Mostly safe. There are a few specific situations to watch for in New York — read the breakdown below. Composite score: 27/100 (Moderate risk). Crime category sits at 45/100; pickpocketing in crowded tourist areas is the most common issue, but violent crime against tourists is uncommon. Last refreshed August 2026.
What is the current travel advisory for New York, United States?
The current US State Department advisory level for United States is shown in the Live conditions section above. Always cross-check your home country's foreign-ministry advisory — for many countries the tier differs from the US assessment. Real-time advisory text is fetched every 6 hours from the US State Department RSS feed.
How safe is New York for tourists?
Mostly safe. There are a few specific situations to watch for in New York — read the breakdown below. The biggest risk factor right now is Crime (45/100). Even the highest category here is moderate, so a generally manageable risk profile with normal precautions.
What is the biggest risk in New York?
The highest-scoring risk category is Crime (score 45/100). Even the highest category here is moderate, suggesting a generally manageable risk profile. Full 9-category breakdown is in the Scores section of this page.
Is it safe to visit New York in August 2026?
For August 2026, the composite risk for New York is 27/100 (Moderate risk). Live weather, disaster alerts, and news shown in the Live conditions section above are refreshed every 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on the source. For an AI-synthesized briefing for your specific trip dates and traveler profile, use the Travel Risk Calculator linked at the top of this page.
How are these travel risk scores calculated?
Each category is scored 0-100 based on government travel advisories (US State Dept), crime indices (Numbeo), Global Peace Index data, WHO/CDC health context, and curated regional knowledge. The composite is a weighted sum — see /methodology for the full weight breakdown. Live data (weather, advisories, news) is layered on top of every assessment.
How often is this page updated?
This page is updated daily: live weather, official advisories, disaster alerts, health notices and news refresh automatically multiple times per day, and an AI safety snapshot is regenerated on the first visit each day. The baseline category scores are editorial estimates reviewed periodically (see the Transparency & Sources section below).
Is this a substitute for an official travel advisory?
No. Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated risk information for planning purposes only. Always check your home country's official travel advisory and any health notices from your national health authority before traveling.
Run a personalized assessment for New York
Get a tailored briefing in ~15 seconds, with live weather, advisories, and recent news.
Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2026 | — → 27 | moderate | initial snapshot Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + Global Peace Index references) |
70% |
Every editorial change to New York's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
Transparency & Sources
We try to be honest about what we know, what we estimated, and what we don't have. Below is the audit trail for this page.
Review status
verified
Last reviewed
2026-05-15 06:27:52
Data confidence
70%
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for New York
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
What is estimated
- Composite tier and category scores are an editorial baseline estimate, not a real-time measurement.
What is unavailable
- Specific medical-access detail (hospital list, embassy clinic).
Methodology · Data review process · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.