Search for "is Almere safe?" and you usually get a yes or a no. The honest answer sits somewhere in between. Almere is not a dangerous city, but on the national measure for nuisance and crime the municipality does score low. At the same time, residents on Buurtje.nl give their own neighbourhood an average of 7.4 out of 10 for safety. How do those two fit together? You have to look district by district.
First: what are we measuring?
The order of this list does not come from reviews but from the Leefbaarometer, the liveability monitor of the Dutch Ministry of the Interior. It gives every district in the Netherlands a score for "nuisance and insecurity", based on things like registered crime, vandalism, violence and reports of nuisance. We turn that score into a comparison with the rest of the country: "better than 55%" means a district does better than just over half of all Dutch districts.
And here is the caveat to keep in mind before reading the list: Almere as a whole scores better than only 15% of Dutch districts on this measure. Even the safest district in the city ends up just above the national middle. So this is a list of the districts that do best within Almere, not of districts that stand out nationally. Only districts with at least 1,000 residents are included.
The 10 districts in Almere with the least nuisance and crime
- Vogelhorst: better than 55% of Dutch districts
A small district in Almere Hout, with around 1,600 residents and the golf course in the Almeerderhout woods next door. It is the only district in Almere that scores above the national middle. Supply is limited, but homes for sale in Vogelhorst come up regularly, and now and then a rental. - Oosterwold: better than 45%
Oosterwold is the rural area on the eastern side of Almere, where people build their own homes on large plots. Lots of space, little bustle, and the figures reflect that. One resident calls it a tidy area and notes that a primary school is coming nearby. Supply is relatively large: see the homes for sale in Oosterwold or the homes for rent. - De Velden: better than 39%
The first of several Almere Haven districts on this list. De Velden is small, about 1,500 residents. If you want to live here, check the homes for sale in De Velden. - De Gouwen: better than 37%
Here the Leefbaarometer and the residents agree. Five residents give safety an average of 8.4. They describe a district of small courtyards without through traffic, where young children play outside safely and neighbours know each other. One compares the wooden houses to a Swedish holiday park. There are homes for sale and occasionally a home for rent. - Nobelhorst: better than 35%
A new district in Almere Hout, still very much under construction. One resident finds it pleasant and fairly safe, but complains about roadworks that close every entrance and exit at the same time. See the homes for sale in Nobelhorst. - Sieradenbuurt: better than 30%
A small area in Almere Buiten, next to the Oostrandpark, with just over 1,000 residents. A few homes are for sale. - Noorderplassen: better than 29%
Waterside living in Almere Stad, and with over 8,000 residents the largest district in this top 10. There is plenty of choice: homes for sale and homes for rent in Noorderplassen. - De Meenten: better than 29%
Almere Haven again, and again a quiet residential area with small streets. See the homes for sale in De Meenten. - De Marken: better than 25%
Also in Almere Haven, with almost 3,000 residents. A notable number of homes in De Marken are for sale, and sometimes a rental. - De Grienden: better than 25%
The last Almere Haven district in the top 10. Right behind it, with the same score, is De Laren. See the homes for sale or homes for rent in De Grienden.
What stands out: six of the ten places go to residential districts in Almere Haven, the oldest part of the city. They are quiet areas with courtyards and traffic-calmed streets. The other winners are in Almere Hout, on the green eastern side.
What residents think
On Buurtje.nl, residents also rate their area for safety. There are not many ratings per district, so treat them as an impression. We only mention districts with at least three reviews. And something interesting shows up: some districts that score low on the Leefbaarometer get a comfortable pass from their own residents.
- De Werven is only around 10% on the Leefbaarometer, yet four residents give safety an 8.5. They call it quiet, with the bus and the supermarket around the corner. There are homes for sale in De Werven.
- Stripheldenbuurt: an 8.3 from three residents, who describe a mixed, well-kept area where neighbours drop in on each other. See the homes for sale.
- Filmwijk and Eilandenbuurt both get an 8.0 from five residents. In Filmwijk people mention living near the little beach and neighbours who say hello. One resident of the northern part does see the area going downhill, with nuisance and litter. Looking there? Check the homes for sale in Filmwijk or in Eilandenbuurt.
- At the other end is Tussen de Vaarten Noord, where three residents rate safety a 4.0. One mentions attempted burglaries and people hanging around at night, but also enough schools, shops and playgrounds. Bouwmeesterbuurt also falls short, with a 5.8 (five reviews).
Where the figures are lowest
At the bottom of the Leefbaarometer list are mostly the town centres: Centrum Almere Stad is among the lowest-scoring districts in the country, and Centrum Almere Buiten and Centrum Almere Haven are near the bottom too. Staatsliedenwijk and De Hoven also score low. With centres, keep things in proportion. Where there are shops, bars and a station, many people come in from elsewhere, and so do more incident reports. That says something about the centre as a whole, less about how quiet a residential street behind it is.
So, is Almere safe?
For most people who live there, yes, judging by the reviews. But on the official figures the city has more nuisance and crime than the average Dutch municipality, and it varies a lot by district. If you are after peace and quiet, you will quickly end up in the residential districts of Almere Haven and the newer areas of Almere Hout.
See all districts and reviews on the page for the municipality of Almere, or go straight to the homes for sale and homes for rent in Almere. Live in Almere yourself? Rate your neighbourhood and help sharpen the picture per district.
More on the region: the districts of Lelystad according to residents, the best municipalities in Flevoland and, for comparison, the safest districts in Amsterdam.
