I moved out roughly four years ago, and no longer follow their news very closely, so take my response with a grain of salt. When I was living there, I generall

I moved out roughly four years ago, and no longer follow their news very closely, so take my response with a grain of salt. When I was living there, I generally didn't feel unsafe. As long as you avoid dangerous areas, I think the likelihood of something happening to you is fairly low. Although I'll admit I feel safer in Santa Clara. Certain parts of San Francisco feel pretty unsafe to me. I'd avoid walking around Tenderloin at night just as much as La Perla. I've been told that even though the murder rate is high, it's mostly due to gang and drug related violence. One of my friends that lives in the metropolitan area told me that in recent years she has felt less safe than before. She claims that she has perceived an increase in brutality, and that criminals no longer give a fuck. This is a rough paraphrased translation.