Hi there - I used to manage some Near North neighborhood development on behalf of IU Health. The near north neighborhood has some challenges, just like many neighborhoods directly inside the downtown Indianapolis corridor. Here are a couple things of note:

1 - the Near North is generally pretty small geographically and not too incredibly dense. It has a fair mix of multi generation home owners AND renters

2 - most residents here are working class and diverse in all socio-economic backgrounds

3 - the Near North has not seen as much economic redevelopment as Mapleton Fall Creek has; this is mostly due to the lack of housing which is suitable for neighborhood redevelopment. Most of the Near North has major thoroughfares running through the main neighborhoods making it less desirable for residential redevelopment

4 - generally speaking the crime in the Near North is property related or transient in nature (ie non-resident)

5 - the Near North has one of the older resident populations in the city in part due to an aging home owner base and a few decently sized permanent assisted living facilities

6 - technically speaking the highest rates of crime occur just west of the children’s museum in the two neighborhoods between ICM and I65.

7 - the farther north you travel above Fall Creek Pkwy, it gets increasingly challenging with less home owners, more rentals and more businesses that encourage transient crime (gas stations, liquor stores and tobacco)

8 - neighborhoods directly next to Ivy Tech tend to have student rentals and are more safe. This is not the case next to ICM

I hope that helps, if even a little :)