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Safety & Environment

6 data sources

Safety & Environment measures crime rates, natural disaster risk, air quality, flood hazards, neighborhood complaint patterns, and environmental quality. While these factors don't drive growth, they can significantly detract from a location's appeal and long-term viability. Low scores here represent risk factors.

Why it matters for CRE

Environmental and safety risks directly impact insurance costs, tenant retention, and property values. Flood and natural disaster risk are particularly important for long-term CRE investments. High crime areas see reduced foot traffic and higher turnover. Municipal complaint density reveals quality-of-life issues not captured by crime stats alone. These factors are weighted lower but can be deal-breakers.

Signal position in the octagon

2040608075COMPOSITE

Sub-scores

Crime Rate Index

Annually

Composite crime rate index based on violent and property crime statistics.

Methodology

Federal crime report data at city/county level. Lower crime = higher score (inverted).

Flood Risk Score

Annually

Flood zone classification and historical flood event frequency.

Methodology

Federal flood zone overlay. Higher risk zones receive lower scores.

Environmental Quality

Annually

Air quality, proximity to hazardous sites, and environmental justice indicators.

Methodology

Federal environmental screening indicators composite. Lower environmental burden = higher score.

Natural Disaster Risk

Annually

Composite risk score for 18 natural hazard types including earthquakes, hurricanes, and wildfires.

Methodology

Federal risk index expected annual loss and social vulnerability at census tract level. Lower risk = higher score.

Air Quality Index

Continuous

Real-time and historical air quality monitoring from nearby federal stations.

Methodology

Federal AQI data averaged over trailing 12 months. Lower AQI (better air) = higher score.

311 Complaint Density

Daily

Density of neighborhood complaints covering noise, sanitation, and quality-of-life issues.

Methodology

Municipal complaint volume per capita within radius. Lower complaint density = higher score.

How the score is calculated

A Safety & Environment score of 70 means environmental and safety conditions score 70 out of 100. Low crime, minimal flood and disaster risk, and clean air are the primary positive factors.