Is Southampton a safe city?

I am currently looking at going to study in Southampton and was wondering if it is a nice place to live. I have recently looked it up, and crime rates are apparently quite high so I was wondering if any students have ever felt a victim to it?

Reply 1

CheeseIsVeg

Original post by Livie1717

hi!
Southampton is pretty safe
low areas of crime are around the uni and around wide lane/Wessex lane halls so you're gonna be fine don't worry!

just like any city ofc there are nice and run down parts . the latter you'll find in the portswood area where there are lots of pubs etc.
the union has a night bus every night that u can call if u are feeling unsafe, it's only £1.50 to get you from wherever home!
all halls and university campuses have patrolling safety guards so I have never felt unsafe there :smile:

I've been at Southampton uni for 2 yrs now and not heard of any incident so :erm:

hope this helps

University of Southampton

Southampton

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Reply 2

Livie1717

Thank you, that has really helped! Although I've heard the place where many students move to after first year is in and around the Portswood area, would you say that is a relatively rough area?

Original post by CheeseIsVeg

I've been at Southampton uni for 2 yrs now and not heard of any incident so :erm:

hope this helps

Reply 3

CheeseIsVeg

Original post by Livie1717

Thank you, that has really helped! Although I've heard the place where many students move to after first year is in and around the Portswood area, would you say that is a relatively rough area?

idk I think it's just a bit older
there are some nice bits and it's a popular area to live as it's v residential but also near Sainsbury's etc.
I think it's a personal preference and up to you where you decide to go. I preferred living closer to the uni personally as portswood is a 20min walk away .
there are nicer and more expensive homes near avenue campus/Southampton common or behind the university engineering department

Reply 4

nutz99

I think it comes down to what do you want on your doorstep. Portswood has the bars, takeaways and larger supermarkets. There is only more crime in the area because of those facilities - bicycle theft, mobile phone theft and shoplifting etc. I wouldn't say Portswood is a rough area.

The area around the uni is more upmarket and has less crime but has less facilities.

There are a lot of places in the UK with much higher crime rates than Southampton so I wouldn't worry about that. Hopefully you will make friends in Southampton and decide between you where is best to live in your 2nd year.

Reply 5

TajwarC

Yeah as everyone else is saying it's not rough, if you live in a student area (basically within a ~1.5km radius from campus) you'll be perfectly safe but that's not to say everywhere else is unsafe. There are some actual rough parts but they're miles away from where you'll spend most if not all your time

Reply 6

singhekta2471996

Is it expensive to stay near university area? Can you give cost of 1 student to live in that area?

Reply 7

Greywolf.

Southampton is a great city, now it very well myself, it’s just like all cities when it comes to crime and diversity

Reply 8

Greywolf.

Original post by singhekta2471996

Is it expensive to stay near university area? Can you give cost of 1 student to live in that area?

There are some really expensive areas near there yes but they have student halls

Reply 9

nutz99

Original post by singhekta2471996

Is it expensive to stay near university area? Can you give cost of 1 student to live in that area?

The cost of staying in halls is here - https://www.southampton.ac.uk/~assets/doc/Accomodation/Feestable-2020-21.pdf

If you want to rent a room in a private house then it can cost anywhere between £375 and £500 per month. Some rents include utilities and some don't so you may also have to budget for gas, electric, rates etc.

Reply 10

Anonymous #1

Not to scare you or anything but there's a co-op next to my halls and they got robbed at knifepoint last week.
The longer I live here the more I realise how unsafe this city really is.