I wanted to respond , but PB put it so well . Obviously , NYC is safer than it was 25 years ago , and the gentrifying hipsters have helped BUT , unless you lived in or really knew the marginal outer borough neighborhoods,u wont understand. Most people (outsiders and even some NYC natives) dont realize how the changes came about . With the middle class flight of the 70s and 80s, many neighborhoods were left barren or populated with elderly (many areas of BX and BK and Queens , uptown Manhattan) The immigration of the late 80's and 90's filled the BX , and BK and Queens with vibrant communities with activity . These are the people who suffered most, by living in 'ghettos' from the citys downturn and helped turn these areas in to vibrant retail strips (The Hub , Lydig ave/pelham pkwy, Westchester ave and Brook ave all in BX. Roosevelt ave ,Steinway , 37th ave and Main ST all in Queens . Broadway , knickerbocker ave , Coney Island ave , Flatbush ave, Brighton Beach ave all in Brooklyn . In manhattan , Broadway uptown , 181st and 116 th st on the east side .) These neighborhoods are all where many were afraid to walk 20 years ago , were vibrant with with economic activity from majority immigrants who settled in these forgotten areas. Yes , change is inevitable , and these areas are now better and , just as quick , the ones who helped make changes for the better are being priced out . Unfortunately , the new residents(hipsters) , put very little into the community , before moving on . and their also OBNOXIOUS . ps I am not a NYC native myself (20 yr resident of BX, Queens and now Manhattan), so I may be a bit hypocritical but I am no hipster . What pisses me off most , is when i wanna get a newspaper, a sandwich(without pre sliced coldcuts) or a coffee and I cant find one(unless I goto 7/11 or a chain) , because of the new retail places that can only afford the rents .