Upstate and downstate New Yorkers agree. Crime is a problem.

Upstate New Yorkers can agree on at least one thing with folks living in New York City and its suburbs. Crime is an everyday fear.

Eighty-seven percent of New Yorkers polled say crime is a serious problem, with little variation in responses between upstate residents and people living in New York City and its suburbs, according to a survey released today by Siena College’s Research Institute.

Their concerns extend to their own personal well-being. Forty-one percent said they have never been this worried about their personal safety.

Sixty-one percent of New Yorkers polled say they’re somewhat or very concerned they could be a victim of a crime.

And in the past year, 40% have spent $100 or more on anti-crime measures like home security cameras, security lights or motion sensors, and nearly a quarter purchased a professionally monitored home security system.

Don Levy, the director of the Loudonville college’s institute, says worried New Yorkers “are taking steps to protect themselves as best they can.”’

“Is this the worst it’s ever been?,” Levy said. “Forty-one percent of all New Yorkers with little variation across most demographic groups, say that they’ve never been this worried about their personal safety.”

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More than half say they fear for their or their family’s safety in public places like schools, stores or houses of worship.

The findings appear to echo concerns expressed by voters during last’s year’s governor’s race. Republican challenger Lee Zeldin attacked Gov. Kathy Hochul’s record on crime, forcing the governor to recast her message in the campaign’s final weeks and nearly scoring an upset in the closest governor’s race in decades.

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The Siena survey showed crime worries are more pronounced in New York City where 16% of residents polled said…