Crime & Safety
Neighbourhood safety is one of the most consistently searched factors in Australian property research and one of the most frequently underestimated during the buying process. A short inspection on a quiet Saturday morning tells you very little about what a suburb is like at other times of the week, or how local crime patterns have trended over recent years. Official crime data and incident maps are the most reliable way to go beyond first impressions and assess neighbourhood risk with real evidence.
The tools on this page aggregate and visualise crime data, allowing you to compare reported offence rates across suburbs, identify hotspots for specific crime categories (such as property crime, theft or assault), and track whether trends in a neighbourhood are improving or worsening over time. This context is particularly useful when comparing two similar-priced suburbs or when shortlisting areas you haven’t personally spent much time in.
Understanding what crime data can and can’t tell you: Crime statistics reflect reported incidents — not all crimes are reported to police, and reporting rates can vary between communities and offence types. Higher absolute numbers in a suburb may sometimes reflect a larger or denser population rather than a genuinely less safe environment. Always look at crime rates per capita or per 1,000 residents when comparing suburbs of different sizes, and consider the mix of offence types (e.g., theft, vandalism vs. violent crime).
Safety considerations should also extend beyond crime statistics to broader infrastructure: how close is the nearest public hospital? how close are emergency service stations and facilities (Police, Ambulance, Fire etc.)?
The resources on this page are best viewed alongside our Livability page, as well as Noise Pollution and Climate & Environmental Hazards, because location suitability is rarely determined by a single factor alone.
IMPORTANT: This is a directory of external property research tools. We do not provide, control, or verify these third-party resources. Information is for general guidance only and does not replace professional advice. Read our Terms of Use and Disclaimer.
'Red Suburbs' - Crime Map
Provider: Red Suburbs
Description: Red Suburbs is a third-party platform that presents suburb-level crime-related data in a visual map format drawn from third-party data sources. Data sources, methodology, and update frequency may vary. Outputs should not be treated as official crime statistics. Findings should be cross-checked against the relevant state or territory police statistics agency before being relied upon.
Key Features
- Interactive crime data map at suburb and LGA level
- Multiple crime category breakdowns
- National coverage across Australian states and territories
Best For: Buyers conducting an initial visual comparison of crime-related data across suburbs, to be followed by verification against official state police crime statistics.
Cost: Free
'Open Stats' - Crime Map
Provider: Open Stats
Description: Open Stats Crime Map is a third-party tool that displays crime-related data by suburb and LGA in a visual format. Data sources, methodology, and update frequency may vary. Outputs should not be treated as official statistics. Findings should be verified against the relevant state or territory police crime statistics agency before being relied upon.
Key Features
- Crime-related data displayed at suburb and LGA level
- Offence category filtering
- Interactive map interface
Best For: Buyers conducting an initial comparison of crime-related data across suburbs and LGAs, to be followed by verification against official state police statistics.
Cost: Free
'Open Stats' - Public Housing Map
Provider: Open Stats
Description: Open Stats Public Housing Map is a third-party tool that displays public housing-related data by suburb and area. Figures are drawn from third-party sources and may not reflect current housing stock. It can be used to view neighbourhood housing mix as contextual information. It should not be used as a standalone assessment of suburb suitability, desirability, or property value.
Key Features
- Public (social) housing distribution data at suburb and LGA level
- Interactive map interface
- National coverage
Best For: Buyers viewing neighbourhood housing mix data as contextual suburb information alongside other research sources.
Cost: Free
'Nearby Public Hospitals'
Provider: Australian Government — Digital Atlas of Australia
Description: The Nearby Public Hospitals dataset is available through the Australian Digital Atlas and displays the location of declared public hospitals across Australia. It can be used to screen hospital proximity as part of suburb and property research. It does not provide information on care quality, hospital capacity, or emergency response times.
Key Features
- Location of declared public hospitals mapped nationally
- Official government-sourced data
- Interactive map with address navigation
Best For: Buyers screening hospital proximity as part of suburb livability research, particularly for regional and outer suburban properties.
Cost: Free
'Nearby Emergency Services'
Provider: Australian Government — Digital Atlas of Australia
Description: The Nearby Emergency Services dataset is available through the Australian Digital Atlas and displays the location of emergency service facilities including fire, ambulance, police, SES, and rural fire service infrastructure. It can be used to screen proximity to emergency services as part of suburb research. Facility locations should not be interpreted as measures of emergency response times or service capacity.
Key Features
- Police, ambulance, and fire station locations mapped nationally
- SES and rural fire service facility locations
- Official government-sourced data
Best For: Buyers screening emergency service facility proximity as part of suburb research, particularly for regional and outer suburban properties.
Cost: Free