Safe places to live on St. Croix

Some posters on this site tend to over emphasize crime in the Virgin Islands. Yes there is crime, yes too much crime. However, it is still not as scary as any big city in the world. St Croix actually is rather small and rural, so you are not far from the young gangsters where ever you live. That usually is not a problem. However break- ins are common, so you will see window bars on some condos, cars left unattended are often targeted . Violent crime can surprise and hurt us all, just look at some restaurant shootings and Rotor's terrible ordeal. Mostly though it is confined to domestic and drug insanity in the projects.

The public projects are the breeding ground of young gangsters. Drugs and guns are common and many kids there are products of teenage mothers with little guidance or family values. So, look on the map and find a place away from public housing. That is mostly the east end and north/west shore.

St Croix has two historic towns (Christiansted and Fredrekstad) , neither are really what you would consider towns. The housing is old and probably not what you would want.

Thank you for the info! 🙂 Seems like Fredriksted's on the east side I should cross off the list. So mid-island, south shore, and part of north shore are great quiet areas?

frederiksted is on the west end of hte island, I live there (sorta) in a secluded area and have big dogs, but I've never felt threatened or in danger.

The east end is "US in the VI" lots of higher income people with gated communities that aren't really intigrating very well (IMO). the west end is more laid back, more local and is considered a rain forrest (so no water issues).

I prefer the west end, plenty of property and rentals all over though, I suppose this is where a PMV helps a lot.

lol I have seen a lot of maps of STX, looks like I forgot which way was east and which way is west for second :D. I do not plan on staying on the island long maybe 2 semesters of school. Maybe just one semester. I am retireed from the marines and 100% disabled with the VA. I want to experience different cultures, ways of life and start traveling the world soon. If I love the island I may stay longer but not in my nature to stay one place to long.

so Frederiksted is back on the table.

i live in christiansted. some places are not good and some are. we have a nice place with plenty of room. we do hear gunshots once in a while-sound carries.
be cautious where you go and when. we have not been victims of violent crime but know people who have. we have been victims of theft and car break ins-stuff like that
you can read more about the crime if you choose to. plenty here about the murder rate.

frederiksted is on the west end of hte island, I live there (sorta) in a secluded area and have big dogs, but I've never felt threatened or in danger.

The east end is "US in the VI" lots of higher income people with gated communities that aren't really intigrating very well (IMO). the west end is more laid back, more local and is considered a rain forrest (so no water issues).

I prefer the west end, plenty of property and rentals all over though, I suppose this is where a PMV helps a lot.

I take issue with your description of the East end of St Croix. Many families on the east end have been here for generations. They are just as "native...local" as most of the island. Most folks on the east end are not rich or "not intigrated" (sic) as you seem to think. I arrived here in 1990 (just after Hugo) and I am considered a newcomer. So, until you have more experience I suggest you do more research.

My advice "ikory", is to ignore "Liquidfloride" and his big dogs and wait to hear from some others who can really help you.

Just a feeling I get traveling between the two locations, I've been to a lot of countries & west end has a more "authentic" feel (notice I said more)

and yes, I've only been here a month.

Mostly I was trying to communicate the fact that the west end has a lot of good places to live, I would still use common sense & avoid "city" settings as those seem to be the troubled areas (densely populated lower income areas).

Plus I've heard a lot of what I just said from people living here, I've also heard a lot of co workers that live on the east end say they love it.

The problem with generalizations of any kind is that those who don't fit them take offense, none was meant, I was just giving my opinion.

Well I like the idea of the rain forest and privacy. Any opinions on the locations I mentioned in my original post?

I can personally attest that no place on St Croix is a safe place to live.

Rotor I read your story and glad your okay. Something like that changes a person. 🙁

Maybe a Condo on the beach with security would give some peace of mind for me. I am in East St. Louis at night and never worry about violence and I think they are 2 1/2 times higher on murder than VQ. I have ran into several robbers and they tend to run away once you catch them. I never want a gun pointed at my face again but something I realize might happen.

Look into Quests Verde condo complex. It's mid island, overlooks christiansted . It's quiet, gated, family oriented, a fantastic swimming pool, close to town and shopping but far enough, and its breezy because up on a hill.

We lived on the east end and I felt safer there. If you are in a condo community its safer.
There are usually people always around and workers there all day. We also lived in a house
on the far East end also and never had issues. You just need to use common sence at
night. Stay where there are people and watch yourself. Dont carry big amounts of cash

I didnt feel unsafe and I think stuff gets carried way over board. Its no more unsafe
than state side. BTW...Detroit and Flint MI are the most dangerous places in the
US. Just a stones throw from me. I loved the island. It has its issues but its
greatness out weighs those issues.

i think it is what you get use too. when i moved here in 1990 we were told to stay east. not sure why, but we did and glad of it, a bit of a country feel out here and closer to c'sted then being out west.
but like the others said you have to be alert wherever you choose,

Like animals, people can smell fear. 😉

I've lived west in downtown Fsted and never felt unsafe. I work down there now too and never feel unsafe. I also work in downtown Csted and had a gun pulled on me 2 days ago, put I was smoking in a dark ally. My bad. I didn't feel very safe center island, but still always left my door open when I was home for the dog. Out east in Grapetree I usually felt safe, but I also felt too isolated. Now I live on south shore on the Hovensa side of it. I love where I'm at now. Close to everything, can't here a car drive by. I do get woken up early by the cows at times (like today). If I didn't live where I do, I would absolutely move west now that I'm working out there. Once the sun goes down, there is almost nothing to do out west, so it can be boring. Csted has the night life. West end has more culture, farms, better beaches, is cheaper.

I can personally attest that no place on St Croix is a safe place to live.

Living is the most dangerous thing you can do & your guaranteed to die.

no where in the world is "safe" it's having the desire to be "safe" that got us the Patriot act, naked body scanners in air ports, children groped by over paid over staffed federal security agency members, and a number of other ridiculous things that do very little for actual "safety".

Be a hard target, keep your focus, if you see a dark alley, don't walk near it at night; travel in groups, get a dog, learn some self defense; so many things can be done for peace of mind, but in the end you still could get hit by a bus or shot or struck by lightning... Living is dangerous.

I haven't read what happened to you Rotor, I wish you were not one of the unlucky ones that had a bad experience. I've been beat unconscious, blown up (well attempted, those IED's sure seem hard to "aim") several times, shot at & stabbed ( only once, thankfully) & found that in the end... it's all in how you handle it, it's all in how you get back up and your attitude, life only sucks as much as you let it & everything is perception based.

I look around at this amazing environment that we live in, the weather & the local flora /fauna; I'm pretty darn happy, even if I have to watch where I step from time to time.

Yeah those pesky IED's. Hard to aim, unless it's a pressure plate. 😉

IMHO, Queens Quarter, Judith's Fancy, Questa Verde, STC condos, and out east are the safest places.

Well thank you for all the advice. I have a lot better idea where to go from here. I was orignally hoping there was just one really bad part of the island you should avoid, but I am getting a picture how it is. I am not a person who likes to leave at night. My wife really wants a condo now, but we will see.

The most coveted areas on STX, or any island really, are properties that are high up. Lots of good breezes and long views. Often times neighborhoods have modest hmes down low and million-dollar homes up high. It's not unusual to drive past small, run-down homes on your way up to your very nice home.

[Sorry, my spelling is requiring rewrites and it got a bit long and rambling as I wrote it...]. We live at Coakley Bay Condos.....it is out on the East End. We have been here for years, and before that my parents lived here....back before Hugo. We haven't lived elsewhere on STX, but I have spent years in the hearts of both New York City and DC, and on STT. I feel as safe at CB as anywhere--more so than some places in NYC and much more so than at 16th NW and V in DC in the late 70's ! Here, you know and talk to your neighbors, the staff looks out for us and we have full backup power -- so it is always lit and with power. (That seems more important the older we get.). As I say, I can't speak about other places on STX, but having come to the VI since '62 (my family had a place here) and being a lawyer licensed here (who has done mandatory, court-appointed criminal and family court cases since the early 90's) I'd say that dire sounding statistics can be misleading......like everywhere, there are places you want to avoid and there is certainly crime that reaches out and gets even innocent, careful folks (as Rotorhead attests) who are not where drugs are transacted or out at marginal clubs at 2 am... It is always be good to be very careful, but I do that on E. 94th St and Lex in NYC too....just 4-5 blocks away it is way, WAY more iffy than at CB! And, I would bet statistically more dangerous.). So......I think you are asking exactly the right questions....and here is my observation: even though I have a lot of time here, I can't talk with any real authority about where I don't live, and you might want to weigh advice on that basis......Here is what i do know.....Coakley is a nice place to live. I don't feel disconnected from the rest of the island, or like we're insular, although the East is drier and sparsely populated generally and you need a car/cycle as our public transportation out here is basically n/g.) ....... In any case--a little 'slice of life' that gives you the vibe......The Board just voted to add video coverage all over the property, with internet based recording -- and a gated entrance. But when we all talked about it at the annual meeting, the general feeling was that it wasn't necessary....ALTHOUGH....everyone agreed that it might be a comfort (especially to new people who have concerns) to put in the video...So the video is a 'go', but no gate. The good news is that as a result of 'no-gate' we're re-paving the internal drives instead!! Hope this helps !

I live in Hermon Hill, one house away from Questa Verte and overlook the harbor. I find this area very safe, but my house has barred windows, porches and gates. There is crime everywhere, but don't tempt it!

Just relax and enjoy where you are moving. We all know crime will find you if it wants. Of course be mindful and try to move to a decent area. But worrying to much just makes paradise a jail cell. And who wants to live in a jail called paradise?

BTW we had three breakins last night. And over a dozen cars over the weekend. And this is in Vermont, so if it's here it's everywhere.