Why Redfin and Other Real Estate Sites Avoid Displaying Neighborhood Crime Data

Online real estate platforms have made vast amounts of property data accessible to home buyers. However, one type of information you will not find on Redfin.com—and arguably should not find on any major real estate site—is neighborhood crime data. Based on an internal assessment, the decision was made to exclude this data due to fundamental issues with accuracy and the significant risk of perpetuating racial bias. This article explains the three core reasons behind this industry-relevant policy.

What is the primary reason real estate websites avoid crime data? The central reason is a critical misalignment between the data available and what users actually seek. When potential buyers express concerns about neighborhood safety, their definitions are highly personal and varied. For some, safety is exclusively about violent crime rates. For others, it encompasses the presence of litter, the frequency of seeing unhoused individuals, or the general upkeep of properties. Standardized crime data cannot accurately measure this broad, subjective concept of safety. Presenting incomplete crime statistics could therefore provide a false sense of security or alarm, failing to answer the user's fundamental question.

How accurate are reported crime statistics for neighborhoods? Even if safety is narrowed to just crime, the data itself is inherently flawed. The most common source is the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report (UCR), a database of crimes reported to police departments nationwide. A major flaw is underreporting; the Bureau of Justice Statistics notes that a majority of crimes in the U.S. are never reported to police. Furthermore, most reported crimes go unsolved, meaning some incidents categorized as crimes may not be. When this incomplete data is extracted to a hyper-local neighborhood level, the risk of significant inaccuracy becomes high. A single reported incident can disproportionately skew the perceived crime rate of a small area, making the data an unreliable metric for home buying decisions.

Could crime data introduce racial bias into home searches? Yes, this is a considerable risk. To address underreporting, some consider using survey-based data like the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). While it captures unreported crimes, it also introduces the potential for respondent bias. For instance, the 2019 NCVS data showed that respondents describing offenders were more likely to characterize them as young, male, and Black than demographic data would suggest is accurate. Given the long history of redlining and discriminatory housing practices in the United States, displaying crime data that may reflect racial biases could unfairly influence buying patterns and reinforce residential segregation.

Practical advice for evaluating neighborhood safety. Since standardized crime data is not a reliable tool, home buyers should adopt a more holistic approach to assess a community.

• Visit at Different Times: Spend time in the neighborhood on a weekday afternoon, a weeknight, and a weekend. This allows you to observe traffic patterns, noise levels, and general activity.
• Talk to Residents: There is no substitute for local knowledge. Strike up conversations with people you see outside and ask about their experience living in the area.
• Observe the Environment: Look for indicators of a cared-for community, such as well-maintained parks, clean streets, and active local businesses.
• Review Non-Police Data: Consider checking city databases for code enforcement violations or 311 service requests, which can indicate community engagement and upkeep.

The decision to exclude crime data is made with the intention of preventing harm and providing accurate, equitable information. Real estate platforms have a responsibility to carefully weigh the impact of the data they publish. In this case, the potential for inaccuracy and bias outweighs the perceived benefit.