Methodology
How we grade neighborhoods
Every NeighborScope report stitches together the same federal- and agency-grade data feeds, then converts them into a single 0–100 score plus per-factor sub-scores. The pipeline is transparent: every number traces to a public source, and the weights below are the same for every address.
The score
Each factor is normalized to a 0–100 scale against its national distribution, then combined with the weights below. A neighborhood scoring 75 sits roughly in the top quartile of the United States on the bundle of measures NeighborScope tracks.
| Factor | Weight | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Crime & safety | 25% | The strongest single predictor of perceived quality of life in homebuyer research. |
| Schools | 20% | Matters disproportionately to families and to resale value. |
| Climate & natural hazard risk | 15% | Flood, fire, earthquake and severe-weather exposure shape long-run insurability. |
| Walkability & amenities | 15% | Density of essential services within a 15-minute walk or short drive. |
| Demographics & affordability | 15% | Stability indicators: tenure mix, age distribution, income. |
| Environment & air quality | 10% | Long-run health signal that often goes unmentioned in listings. |
Data sources
NeighborScope reads from authoritative public sources only. We do not scrape anonymous reviews, neighborhood gossip or social-media sentiment.
FBI Crime Data Explorer
Part-1 offenses (violent + property) by reporting agency.
Annual, updated each fall.
US Census ACS 5-Year
Population, density, age, income, education, housing tenure.
Refreshed annually.
FEMA NFHL & Disaster Declarations
Flood zones, special flood hazard areas, declared disaster history.
Continuous (disasters), versioned panels (flood).
USGS Earthquake & National Map
Seismic hazard probabilities, elevation, terrain.
Hazard maps updated every ~6 years; elevation continuous.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Tornadoes, hurricanes, severe storms, heat & cold extremes.
Monthly updates.
NCES & state report cards
Public school enrollments, ratings, test scores.
Annual.
EPA AQS & PurpleAir
Air-quality history and live AQI.
Hourly live, multi-year history.
OpenStreetMap (Overpass)
Walkability inputs: sidewalks, transit, amenities, intersection density.
Continuously edited by the OSM community.
What the score is not
It is not a prediction of future home prices. It is not a measure of any individual's safety. It does not factor in subjective signals like “vibes” or anonymous neighborhood reviews. A score is a compact summary of public data — your judgment, your visit, and your agent still matter.
Updates & corrections
Each report shows the freshness of its inputs. If a value looks wrong, email hello@neighborscope.com and we'll trace it back to the source.
Ready to see it in action?
Browse a sample report or scope your own address.