Best areas to live in Kalmar for expats

Moving to Kalmar? We compared all 17 neighbourhoods on safety, schools and transport using official Swedish data — police crime reports, Statistics Sweden (SCB) and the National Agency for Education (Skolverket).

Short answer: For safety, look at Boholmarna-Dunö-Rinkabyholm, Bergavik-Björkenäs and Kalmar norra kommundelen. For families, Östra Norrgård-Östra Malmen and Tegelviken-Västra Malmen combine good schools, preschools and low crime. For a car-free life, Östra Norrgård-Östra Malmen and Djurängen-Funkabo-Oxhagen have the best public transport and services nearby.

Safest neighbourhoods in Kalmar

Ranked by reported crime relative to the number of people who live, work and spend time there.

#NeighbourhoodSafety
1Boholmarna-Dunö-Rinkabyholm74
2Bergavik-Björkenäs72
3Kalmar norra kommundelen70
4Berga69
5Påryd65

Best neighbourhoods for families in Kalmar

Weighs school quality, preschools, safety, services and the share of children.

Best-connected neighbourhoods in Kalmar

Weighs nearby public transport stops, distance to the nearest stop, and shops and services.

Scores run from 0 to 100, where higher is better. Data: Swedish Police (reported crime 2024–2025), SCB, Skolverket and OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kalmar safe?

Kalmar has an average safety index of 54 out of 100 across its neighbourhoods (Average), where higher is safer. 76% of residents feel safe outdoors after dark (municipal citizen survey, 2025). Safety varies a lot between neighbourhoods, so compare the areas above.

Which area in Kalmar is best for families?

Östra Norrgård-Östra Malmen has the highest family score (67 out of 100), followed by Tegelviken-Västra Malmen and Djurängen-Funkabo-Oxhagen. The score weighs school quality, preschools, safety, services and the share of children.