You can't count on being completely safe in your home regardless where you live, but the neighborhood can make a huge difference. For the last 7 1/2 years I've lived only about 10 miles from one of my former homes. There, we we burglarized a few times (one of the thugs stole my Lorcin
), vandalized, and threatened. We had neighbors who were assaulted, maimed and killed. Felt like we lived in a prison.
Our current neighborhood is not gated, but is considered one of the most exclusive areas in the county. The only crime happening here (that I'm aware of) was the murder of a wealthy business man, shot to death about five years ago in his $5M estate. The crime has not been solved, but the DA has been investigating his daughter-in-law for years. That's it. Oh.... the Sheriff's department once shot a high speed chase suspect who pulled a gun on them on a nearby dead end road.
So... an eighteen hundred person community on the fringe of the 7 million people in the Bay Area.... two incidents in 7 1/2 years is worth every penny of the mortgage I pay, thank you.