Bay Shore, NY Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Bay Shore, NY Crime & Safety

Is Bay Shore, NY safe to live in?

Bay Shore ranks as a very safe community, with 100% of its four analyzed neighborhoods earning an A grade or higher on the crime map. West Bay Shore leads with a perfect A+, while North Bay Shore, Baywood, and the Bay Shore neighborhood itself each hold an A- rating. That means every single neighborhood studied falls into the top safety tier — a distinction that fewer than a third of U.S. communities can claim. The city-wide safety rating is "Very Safe (A)", reflecting consistently low incident levels across all corners of the area.

What is the overall crime grade for Bay Shore?

Bay Shore carries an overall crime grade of D+ when measured against national benchmarks — a figure that can seem surprising at first glance. However, that grade reflects how Bay Shore compares to every U.S. city, including rural areas with very low baseline crime. At the neighborhood level, the picture is far more reassuring: all four analyzed neighborhoods scored in the A range, with 100% rated Grade A and 0% rated B, C, D, or F. In practical terms, residents living in West Bay Shore, North Bay Shore, Baywood, or the Bay Shore neighborhood itself experience crime levels that place them solidly in the safest category available.

Which neighborhoods in Bay Shore have the lowest crime?

All four neighborhoods analyzed earned top marks, but here is how they rank by grade:

• West Bay Shore — A+: The safest neighborhood in Bay Shore, with a population of approximately 4,560 and a median household income of $135,125 — the highest in the area. Lower population density and higher income levels correlate strongly with its top-tier safety score.
• North Bay Shore — A-: Home to roughly 18,818 residents and a median income of $88,870, North Bay Shore is the most populous neighborhood analyzed and still maintains an A- safety rating.
• Baywood — A-: With about 7,099 residents and a median income of $112,154, Baywood combines relative affordability with strong safety performance.
• Bay Shore — A-: The central neighborhood, with a population of 24,521 and a median income of $90,900, earns an A- despite being the densest and most commercially active part of town.

Across all four neighborhoods, 100% achieved a Grade A or better, and none fell below an A-.

How does Bay Shore's crime compare to other Long Island communities?

Bay Shore's neighborhood-level data is competitive with the safest communities on Long Island. With a city-wide safety rating of A, a 0% share of D or F-rated neighborhoods, and a 100% share of A-rated neighborhoods, Bay Shore outperforms many larger suburban communities. The area's median household income of $87,278, unemployment rate of 5.2%, and poverty rate of 7.7% all sit at levels that research consistently links to lower crime prevalence. West Bay Shore's median income of $135,125 in particular suggests a neighborhood with socioeconomic conditions that strongly support public safety.

Is Bay Shore a good place to buy a home from a safety perspective?

From a safety standpoint, Bay Shore presents a compelling case for homebuyers. The median home value is $363,754 and the median rent is $1,647 per month — both reflecting a market where demand is supported in part by the area's strong safety profile. With all four analyzed neighborhoods graded A or A+, buyers can evaluate West Bay Shore, North Bay Shore, Baywood, and the Bay Shore neighborhood with confidence that each area meets the highest safety threshold in our grading system. Families, professionals, and retirees consistently cite safety as a top factor in relocation decisions, and Bay Shore's 100% Grade A neighborhood rate means that no matter which part of town you choose, you are starting from a strong safety baseline.

What types of crime are most common in Bay Shore?

While Bay Shore's overall safety grades are high across all neighborhoods, property-related incidents — including vehicle break-ins, package theft, and occasional burglaries — represent the most frequently reported categories in communities with Bay Shore's demographic and density profile. Violent crime rates are low relative to the national average, consistent with the A- and A+ grades held by every neighborhood in the dataset. The Bay Shore neighborhood, with its higher population density of roughly 24,521 residents and active commercial corridors, sees slightly more reported incidents than the smaller West Bay Shore (population 4,560), though both remain firmly in Grade A territory. Residents are encouraged to use the interactive crime map to review incident type breakdowns by specific area and time period.