Huntington, West Virginia has higher crime rates than the national average, but safety varies significantly by neighborhood. In 2023, the city recorded 8.36 violent crimes per 1,000 residents and 36.80 property crimes per 1,000 residents, both well above national averages. That said, many parts of the city are relatively quiet, and conditions have improved in recent years as the community addresses its well-known opioid crisis.
If you’re searching about Huntington, New York, or Huntington, Indiana, those are quite different situations. This article covers all three, starting with Huntington, WV, which is the city most people are asking about.
Huntington, WV: Crime by the Numbers
Huntington is West Virginia’s second-largest city with roughly 45,000 residents. FBI data from 2023 shows 379 violent crimes and 1,668 property crimes reported that year. To put that in perspective, the national average for violent crime is around 4 per 1,000 people. Huntington’s rate of 8.36 per 1,000 is roughly double that.
Property crime tells a similar story. At 36.80 per 1,000 residents, you’re looking at rates that exceed most similarly sized cities. Burglary accounted for about 14% of all property crimes, with 272 incidents reported, while motor vehicle theft made up nearly 8% with 150 cases. These numbers mean property crime is the more common concern for residents and visitors, which is typical for cities dealing with substance abuse challenges.
How the Opioid Crisis Shaped Safety
Huntington became a national symbol of the opioid epidemic in the mid-2010s. Cabell County, where Huntington sits, saw 184 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2017 alone. Drug activity drove a significant share of the city’s crime, from theft to fund addiction to violent disputes tied to the drug trade.
Federal intervention through Operation S.O.S. and aggressive prosecution of fentanyl dealers helped bring overdose deaths down 52% by 2019, falling to 88 that year. The city also invested heavily in prevention and treatment programs. While Huntington still deals with substance abuse at higher rates than most American cities, the trajectory has been moving in the right direction. Drug-related crime hasn’t disappeared, but coordinated enforcement and public health efforts have made a measurable difference.
Safest Neighborhoods in Huntington, WV
Crime in Huntington is not evenly distributed. Some neighborhoods have crime rates comparable to quiet suburban areas, while others see a disproportionate share of incidents. According to NeighborhoodScout, the safest areas include:
- Pea Ridge (including West Pea Ridge, Southwest Pea Ridge, and Hodges Pea Ridge)
- Southern Hills / Harveytown
- Beverly Hills
- Buffalo Creek / Neal
- Altizer
- Camden Park area
These neighborhoods, mostly on the southern and western edges of the city, tend to be residential with lower density and less foot traffic. If you’re considering a move to Huntington or visiting Marshall University, choosing where you stay matters more than the citywide statistics might suggest. Downtown and areas closer to major corridors see more incidents, while the neighborhoods listed above are noticeably calmer.
Practical Safety Tips for Visitors
Huntington’s downtown has seen revitalization in recent years, with restaurants, shops, and Marshall University events drawing regular crowds. During daytime hours and in busier commercial areas, most people feel comfortable. Standard urban awareness applies: lock your car, don’t leave valuables visible, and stick to well-lit streets at night.
Property crime is the most likely risk you’d encounter, particularly car break-ins and package theft. Violent crime in Huntington tends to be concentrated among people involved in the drug trade rather than random attacks on strangers or tourists. That pattern is consistent across most small cities with elevated crime stats.
Huntington, Indiana
If you’re asking about Huntington, Indiana, the answer is straightforward: it’s a small, safe community. FBI data from 2024 shows just 8 violent crimes and 59 property crimes for the entire county. With a population of around 17,000 in the city itself, those are very low numbers. Huntington, IN is a quiet Midwestern town where safety is not a significant concern for residents or visitors.
Huntington, New York
Huntington on Long Island is a large, affluent hamlet in Suffolk County. The village area, often called Huntington Village, is a popular dining and nightlife destination. Residents generally report feeling safe walking around at night, and the commercial district stays busy into the evening hours. The area closer to Huntington Station, near the Long Island Rail Road stop, has a slightly rougher reputation, and the area near the convergence of Route 110 and Depot Road has a gunfire detection system installed. But overall, Huntington, NY is considered a safe, family-friendly community with crime rates well below national averages.