This study investigates the subjective feeling of safety experienced by individuals when walking alone at night in various countries. It seeks to gauge how secure people feel in their environments, acknowledging that these feelings might not always correspond to actual crime statistics. Influences such as the presence of dangerous wildlife or urban design may affect one’s perception of safety.
Moreover, factors like crime underreporting or diminished trust in law enforcement might skew the relationship between actual crime rates and perceived safety. Nonetheless, exploring these perceptions of nighttime safety offers valuable insights into the overall sense of security in each nation.
In terms of perceived safety, the top five countries are Croatia, Slovenia, Iceland, Estonia and Czech Republic. Croatia leads with a notable safety rate of 75.21, followed closely by Slovenia at 74.38. Iceland is third with 71.83, while Estonia and Czech Republic complete the top five with rates of 69.46 and 68.91, respectively. These rankings highlight a robust sense of security felt within these countries.
Conversely, France is at the bottom of the list with a safety rate of 35.28, followed by Belgium at 40.88. Belarus is third from the bottom with a rate of 41.05, and the United Kingdom and Sweden finish the bottom five with rates of 42.26 and 43.4, respectively.
Surprisingly, countries like France, the UK, and Sweden, known for their economic prosperity and stable socio-political climates, report lower perceived safety. This may indicate a gap between real and perceived safety levels or reflect deeper societal issues affecting public security.
Although there appears to be a regional trend with individuals in the Balkans and Baltic regions feeling safer than those in Western and Eastern Europe, the data shows that GDP does not have a strong correlation with perceived safety. This underscores the complexity of safety perception, which is influenced by various factors beyond economic conditions. It’s important to recognize that these findings offer a broad overview and can vary locally across different cities, neighborhoods, and demographic groups.
| Country | Safety walking alone during night |
| Croatia | 75,21 |
| Slovenia | 74,38 |
| Iceland | 71,83 |
| Estonia | 69,46 |
| Czech Republic | 68,91 |
| Denmark | 68,63 |
| Switzerland | 68,07 |
| Finland | 67,34 |
| Netherlands | 67,06 |
| Montenegro | 67,02 |
| Cyprus | 66,21 |
| Slovakia | 64,45 |
| Serbia | 63,63 |
| Austria | 63,19 |
| Portugal | 62,31 |
| Hungary | 61,45 |
| North Macedonia | 60,71 |
| Norway | 59,4 |
| Romania | 59,26 |
| Poland | 59,25 |
| Bulgaria | 58,85 |
| Spain | 58,8 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 57,75 |
| Lithuania | 57,5 |
| Latvia | 55,32 |
| Malta | 54,83 |
| Luxembourg | 54,55 |
| Albania | 52,19 |
| Germany | 51,51 |
| Russia | 50,93 |
| Turkey | 49,24 |
| Greece | 49,05 |
| Moldova | 45,94 |
| Italy | 44,22 |
| Ireland | 43,77 |
| Sweden | 43,4 |
| UK | 42,26 |
| Belarus | 41,05 |
| Belgium | 40,88 |
| France | 35,28 |
These numbers come from Numbeo as they were on the 24th of April 2024.
11 Responses
More interesting would be to ask only women that question.
Best, men and women should be asked separately. Senior citizen might also constitute a risk group especially for robbery and hostile wildlife
could you give more information on the basis of the study. Who and how many men, women, children were asked?
Children walking alone at night? Hmm!
Try being less self-centered for a change
Where did you get Belarus statistic?
It is absolutely false
I’m from Belarus and I’m shocked about your ranking…
I don’t know your method of research, but I could totally ensure you that its 100% incorrect…
D’innombrables études et avertissements des Ministères des affaires étrangères européens qui déconseillent un voyage et des séjours en Bélarus sont disponibles sur le Web.
Donc, Oui, le Bélarus, régime totalitaire et dictatorial est un pays absolument pas Secure.
Votre avis en tant que citoyen belarus est totalement partial, sans valeur objective, et vous vivez dans votre bulle de déni.
These are some random numbers thrown around. It has nothing to do with reality
I’d like to know if it is just residents or are visitors included in this study.
I am from Croatia and I would agree very much! I never felt unsafe walking in any city in Croatia and especially in Zagreb (capital) where I very often walk alone home from a night out and never felt like something might happen. I lived abroad in Spain and Greece, so comparing to these countries Croatia is safer. Speaking from someone who lived in Athens, feel Greece should bea bit higher in this ranking. I have been to Bruxelles 3-4 time and for sure would say I didnt feel super comfortable walking alone at night or even in company, only place where I really felt uncomfortable/unsafe.