The violence is limited to the local communities, and NY state and city pale in comparison to Chi, DC, Balt. Even with the spike NYC would have around 300 homicides. Less than half of Chi whose population is maybe 30% of NYC’s. So the violence barely affects most people.
I must assume that people live where they live because they want to live there.
HST, the cities you mentioned are not where I’d want to live or work.