New york is not as unsafe as you think, but it can't be said to be 100% safe. At home, you have to be careful not to be robbed by your tail. In addition, you should pay more attention when you are abroad, and don't wander the streets alone in the middle of the night.
If English is not good, mobile phones have translation software, and many Chinese restaurants also have waiters who can speak Chinese, the basic life should be fine.
The mode of public security in the United States is completely different from that in China. Perhaps there is only one street between the rich area and the poor area, but everyone is generally quiet and everyone has their own excitement. As you said, the places where China people come to settle down are generally (or eventually live in) rich areas, with rich public security resources, beautiful street scenes and good school districts. The following is my experience.
When I was at school, I lived in a black family, which was traditionally regarded as a dangerous area. However, even so, after living for more than two years, I still haven't heard of or seen any shooting incidents. I walk at 7 o'clock every morning for about 15 minutes to take the bus and then transfer to the subway. I will go home around 8-9 pm. Although there are few people on the street, on the whole, the public security is not as bad as I thought.
Street view of black host families in Hyde Park
Later, I went to new york, where the economic conditions were better. I live in a middle-class area in Brooklyn, near Chinatown. According to the truth, public security is very chaotic, but I have lived there for more than two years, and I have never heard of it or seen any dangerous activities.
Street view of Brooklyn middle-class community
Now in the Bay Area, both the company and the residence are very good security areas. It's basically not in the bullets reported on TV at all.