Trying to figure out where to stay in Hong Kong? According to a study by language learning platform Preply, Yuen Long is the most liveable district in the city, as it ranks high in terms of the number of parks, playgrounds, schools, and transport connections it offers residents. It’s also less crowded than other parts of the SAR and more budget-friendly when it comes to buying a home.
However, the tourist hotspot of Yau Tsim Mong emerged as the most dangerous area of Hong Kong, thanks to its high crime rate. The survey also ranked all 18 districts in the territory based on resident distribution, environmental quality, and food and retail options.
Yuen Long, North District and Sha Tin Rank As Best Districts To Live
The survey considered several criteria that influence daily life to assess which district in Hong Kong is the most desirable. Factors like population density, real estate prices, crime rates, the number of parks, playgrounds, and schools, public transport options like trains and buses, the quality of air and water, and noise levels all came into play to determine the final ranking.
Yuen Long took the top spot because it has the most outdoor recreation spaces (188 parks and playgrounds) and the third-highest number of schools (288) in the city, as well as relatively affordable housing (HK$9,476 per square foot) and the most bus stops in the territory, making it the best connected district in Hong Kong.
North District came in at No. 2 as it’s the safest part of town with only 586 crimes reported to the police between January and October 2024. It’s also the second-cheapest area real estate-wise (HK$9,319 per square foot) and the second least crowded neighbourhood (2,269 people per square kilometre). Sha Tin is the third-most liveable district because of its abundance of schools (293) and parks and playgrounds (131), as well as its comparatively low population concentration (10,082 people per square kilometre) and fifth-highest number of shopping malls and supermarkets (193) in the SAR.
Wong Tai Sin, Sham Shui Po, and Wan Chai are the least liveable localities in Hong Kong. Wong Tai Sin took the bottom spot as it has the fewest bus stops, is the fourth-most densely populated area (43,730 residents per square kilometre), and has the second-lowest number of restaurants and bars (1,170). Sham Shui Po’s status as the second-most crowded part of Hong Kong (46,067 people per square kilometre) and Wan Chai’s lack of schools (the lowest at 114) and costly housing (HK$17,269 per square foot) saw them figure at the lower end of the list.
Hong Kong’s Most Dangerous and Safest Districts
In a packed city like Hong Kong, safety is a key factor when it comes to evaluating liveability. Yau Tsim Mong is the most dangerous district in the city, with the police reporting 8,883 crimes here in the first 10 months of last year. This is hardly surprising as the area covers Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Mong Kok, which are popular among locals and tourists for shopping and late-night entertainment.
Kwun Tong is the second-least safe part of town (7,608 cases), which could be linked to the fact that it’s also the most crowded (59,704 people per square kilometre). Sha Tin rounds out the top three in this category, with 6,519 cases. North District’s 586 reported cases make it the safest locality, followed by Islands District (2,208 cases) and Wan Chai (2,523 cases).
In addition, the survey revealed that Tuen Mun is the cheapest place to buy a home in the SAR, as the district commands the lowest property prices at HK$9,204 per square foot, which is extremely reasonable compared to the sky-high rates of HK$21,181 per square foot in Central and Western District. Findings also showed that Yau Tsim Mong boasts the most bars and restaurants in town (6,243), while Southern District as the fewest (777).
Image credits: johnlsl via Flickr
