Data were collected through person-to-person interviews with women living in Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. While local crime rates were positively correlated with fear, neighborhood bonds were inversely and more strongly related to fear levels. Residential ties to the community were also related to less fear; however, social interaction with neighbors and use of local facilities were not associated with fear levels. Neighborhood bonds and residential ties appear to be directly related to fear levels rather than acting as mediators of the impact of crime rates. Baumer and Hunter suggest that integration into community settings mitigates fear of crime by decreasing the number of people who are strangers and increasing the recognition of strangers in the community and also by increasing the belief in or ability to rely on neighbors for assistance. The results of this study suggest that the role of neighborhood involvement should not be overlooked when examining the quality of contemporary urban life. Seven reference notes, 33 references, and tabular data are provided. (Author abstract modified)