Nashville residents report feeling safe in new survey

• Metro Nashville Police Department stats show crime is declining, but residents have said in recent years they believe it is increasing.

• Last year, 58% of those surveyed believed crime was rising — that number fell to 49% in the new poll.

By the numbers: According to the survey, 47% give positive ratings for the city's handling of crime and public safety. In 2025, the number was 38%, establishing a positive trend.

• North Nashville/Bordeaux experienced the largest improvement in perceived safety, rising 16 percentage points from 60% in 2025 to 76%.

Friction point: Policing technology polls pretty poorly. Just 36% view technology like license plate readers as effective.

• And just 33% view additional security cameras and lighting as effective, down from 49% in the previous survey.

Between the lines: The survey of 1,000 residents across 12 of Nashville's largest neighborhoods was conducted in September by Impact Research using cell phones and landlines.

• The citywide margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points.

Go deeper: Read the organization's full report on the survey results.