This 2025 study examines the perceived safety of walking alone at night across European countries. It focuses on how secure individuals feel in their environments—an important aspect of quality of life that doesn’t always align with official crime statistics. Perception is shaped by many factors, including urban lighting, local crime stories, infrastructure design, and even the visibility of law enforcement.
In some cases, feelings of unsafety may arise in places with low actual crime rates due to underreporting, media amplification of isolated events, or broader societal mistrust. Conversely, people may feel safer in environments that foster community cohesion and provide a visible sense of order, regardless of official statistics.
Top Five Countries by Perceived Safety (2025):
- Croatia – 75.93
- Slovenia – 73.74
- Iceland – 71.55
- Montenegro – 70.46
- Estonia – 69.69
These nations lead the rankings, reflecting strong public confidence in safety and security measures. Notably, all top five countries are in Balkan peninsula or the Nordics, highlighting regional strengths in fostering personal safety at night.
Lowest Perceived Safety:
- France – 35.23
- Belgium – 40.79
- United Kingdom – 41.71
- Ireland – 42.23
- Belarus – 42.87
Despite high GDP and modern infrastructure, several Western European nations report relatively low perceived safety. This may suggest rising public concerns around urban crime, social unrest, or inadequate policing visibility in certain areas.
Interestingly, countries like Sweden (43.66) and Germany (50.92) —often associated with social stability— fall below the median, reinforcing that economic development alone doesn’t guarantee a strong sense of safety.
Regional Trends:
The 2025 data continues to show that residents of the Balkans and Baltic countries generally feel safer walking alone at night compared to those in Western Europe. This diverges from common assumptions linking economic wealth with security. Instead, the findings suggest that social trust, cultural cohesion, and perhaps even familiarity with one’s community may play more important roles.
It’s important to remember that this analysis captures broad national averages. Perceptions can vary significantly between urban and rural areas, and among different demographic or socioeconomic groups. Still, these findings offer a valuable lens through which to view evolving public sentiment on safety across Europe.
Data Source: Numbeo
