Best areas to live in Umeå for expats

Moving to Umeå? We compared all 42 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 Ersmark, Tomtebo östra-Innertavle and Mariehem västra. For families, Berghem södra and Mariehem västra combine good schools, preschools and low crime. For a car-free life, Berghem södra and Mariehem västra have the best public transport and services nearby.

Safest neighbourhoods in Umeå

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

#NeighbourhoodSafety
1Ersmark97
2Tomtebo östra-Innertavle97
3Mariehem västra94
4Berghem södra93
5Täfteå tätort92

Best neighbourhoods for families in Umeå

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

#NeighbourhoodFamily
1Berghem södra80
2Mariehem västra78
3Öst på stan75
4Ålidhem södra74
5Mariehem östra-Olofsdal70

Best-connected neighbourhoods in Umeå

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 Umeå safe?

Umeå has an average safety index of 72 out of 100 across its neighbourhoods (Good), where higher is safer. 88% 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 Umeå is best for families?

Berghem södra has the highest family score (80 out of 100), followed by Mariehem västra and Öst på stan. The score weighs school quality, preschools, safety, services and the share of children.