Buyer’s remorse for purchasing a home in a central, urban location over a safe suburb

My husband and I live in Orange County, CA. I’ve always valued walkability, so we paid $1.2m for what I thought was a forever home in Orange, close to a major street so I can walk to most major needs, and walking distance to our old town there as well.

That was three months before I had my daughter.

Now, I’m noticing what I didn’t notice before: homeless people everywhere, grimy-looking men at the 7-11 every day on the corner of the shopping center 2 blocks away from us. Grimy-looking men who may also be homeless riding their bikes down our street.

I’m wondering if I made a mistake. I always wanted my daughter to walk through her neighborhood on her own, which is another reason I wanted walkability. Now I don’t even know if I would feel comfortable letting her play in the front yard.

Part of me wishes I had spent all that money purchasing a home in a master planned community like Brea or Lake Forest, which are nearby cities that aren’t as central or walkable but feel safer.

Did we make a huge mistake?