Is Southwest Philly a safe area to live?

Area near Dekalb-Wyckoff station safe to live?

• My friend and I are looking for our first apartment, but our budget is kinda tight, since we're both 20 yr old college students ($1300/mo + extra utilities). How safe is the area around Dekalb-Wyckoff station in the Williamsburg/Bushwick area of Brooklyn? We know how to be street smart and mind our own business, but as I said we're both 20 years old + female and Caucasian (well, actually, I'm Cuban, but I don't look it at all, so screw it). How safe is the area for living? Since there is definitely the possibility of getting back late from Manhattan, what with possible night classes, work, or just hanging out there, and we'd be traveling alone most days. Any other safe areas in Brooklyn you'd recommend that don't have that bad of a commute via subway to Manhattan? We're also looking in Queens (Astoria/Sunnyside/LIC). Any suggestions within our budget would be great. Thanks.

• Answer:

  Please don't let anyone try to tell you that Wyckoff Avenue is in Williamsburg -- it's in Bushwick. I personally would feel a lot safer in LIC/Sunnyside/Woodside/Astoria than in Bushwick.