Is Anderlecht safe?
Anderlecht has a safety score of 32/100 in Brussels. That makes it a caution area that needs careful review.
Brussels
Anderlecht is a large, densely populated commune in the southwest of Brussels, best known as home to RSC Anderlecht football club. It has one of the highest crime rates in the Brussels Capital Region, with drug-related gang activity and street violence reported regularly, particularly in the Cureghem neighbourhood near the abattoir area. Not recommended as a tourist base.
Travel score
36
Safety perception
32
Tourist convenience
30
Transport
65
Accommodation
38
Night risk
88
Community score
36
Anderlecht has a score of 36/100. That means for a first-time stay there are usually better alternatives at a similar price point.
Places in the database
0
Community reviews: 0
District guide
Anderlecht is not a district to dismiss outright, but it asks for more care than the stronger parts of the ranking.
Anderlecht scores 36/100 overall and 32/100 for safety perception in Brussels. Use that as a direct stay-area signal, then check whether the exact street and arrival route fit your trip.
Anderlecht is best suited to tourist. That fit label should be read with the score profile rather than as a universal recommendation.
Anderlecht can still be fine for budget travelers who understand the trade-off, check the exact street, and avoid treating a low price as the only signal.
The main things you give up in Anderlecht are one of the most dangerous communes in Brussels Capital Region; consistently flagged in Belgian police data, Cureghem sub-area known for drug trafficking, gang activity, and street violence, drug-related shootings reported in 2024.
The strongest reasons to consider it are Constant Vanden Stock stadium (RSC Anderlecht) for football fans, good metro and tram connections to Brussels city centre, affordable accommodation options.
Anderlecht has a night score of 88/100, which suggests fewer late-evening trade-offs than the weaker side of the ranking.
Nightlife is not automatically negative, but the question is whether the area still works as a stay base after dinner, with luggage, or for a family return route.
Anderlecht scores 65/100 for transport. A strong transport score can make a district easier to use even when it is not the absolute safest area; a weak score makes every stay decision more dependent on the exact address.
Check walking distance to reliable transit and late-evening routes before treating the district as convenient.
Before choosing Anderlecht, compare it with Watermael-Boitsfort, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, and Uccle. The useful difference is usually not just the total score, but what changes in safety, night comfort, transport, and stay practicality.
If another district gives similar access with fewer warnings, it may be the cleaner base even when Anderlecht looks cheaper or more familiar.
Stay in Anderlecht if you understand the trade-offs, can verify the exact address, and value the district's practical upside enough to accept more checking.
Avoid it if this is a first visit, you arrive late, you are traveling with family, or you want the lowest-friction stay base available.
FAQ
Anderlecht has a safety score of 32/100 in Brussels. That makes it a caution area that needs careful review.
Anderlecht is not the cleanest first-visit default. Compare it with higher-safety, lower-friction districts before booking.
Anderlecht has no major weak-night signal in the current profile, but travelers should still verify the exact street and return route.
Anderlecht scores 36/100 overall, while Watermael-Boitsfort scores 82/100. Compare the safety score and transport reality before choosing between them.
Anderlecht is a caution-profile district, so it should not be the default for a first stay. It can still work if you know why you are choosing it and verify the exact address carefully.