Is Ben Hill Terrace safe?
Atlanta, Georgia · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Ben Hill Terrace as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Ben Hill Terrace
“Go with care. Ben Hill Terrace is primarily a quiet, working-class residential subdivision, but it sits within Atlanta Police Department Zone 4, which experiences above-average rates of property crime and occasional violent incidents along nearby commercial corridors. Daytime visits to local community parks or family-owned eateries are generally uneventful, but visitors should remain vigilant and avoid walking through adjacent transit hubs or commercial strips after dark.”
City of Atlanta initiatives along the Campbellton Road corridor continue to focus on public safety enhancements and transit investment to curb property crime and retail area disturbances.
About the area
Ben Hill Terrace is an established mid-century residential neighborhood located in Southwest Atlanta just off the Campbellton Road corridor. It is characterized by modest brick ranch homes, mature trees, and a strong sense of long-term community ownership. While purely residential and lacking traditional tourist draws, it offers authentic local Southern dining and community parks nearby.
- Quiet Residential
- Car-Dependent
- Mid-Century Suburb
- Longstanding Community
Walking and biking in Ben Hill Terrace
Walk score: 32/100 · Bike score: 28/100
There are no dedicated bike lanes in the immediate neighborhood, and city bike-share programs do not operate in this area. Cycling is mostly confined to low-traffic residential roads.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Stable residential core with a high proportion of long-term homeowners
- Abundant mature tree cover and quiet interior residential side streets
- Direct access to classic Southern and soul food culinary staples along Campbellton Road
- Lower violent crime frequency within interior residential blocks compared to adjacent commercial strips
Cons
- Elevated property crime rates, including vehicle break-ins and residential theft
- Proximity to higher-crime commercial nodes along major thoroughfares in APD Zone 4
- Car-dependent infrastructure with limited sidewalks on many interior residential streets
- Poverty rates in the broader surrounding census tract exceed the national average
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is minimal within the interior residential blocks of Ben Hill Terrace, though individuals experiencing homelessness and occasional panhandling are visible along the Campbellton Road commercial corridor and near major bus stops.
What Ben Hill Terrace is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and quiet as residents commute, with light residential traffic and safe conditions for walking dogs.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Calm throughout the residential streets, though commercial plazas on main border roads see increased activity and require situational awareness.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet residential feel, but visitors should avoid idling in parked cars or lingering along commercial avenues after dusk.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Not recommended for foot travel; nighttime activity on surrounding arterials increases the risk of crime.
Transit, parking and getting around
Public transit is operated by MARTA. The neighborhood is served primarily by MARTA Bus Route 83 along Campbellton Road, which connects riders directly to the Oakland City rail station roughly 4 miles east.
Parking is abundant and free. Residential streets allow easy curbside parking without meters, and local strip centers offer ample free surface parking lots.
Things to do in Ben Hill Terrace
- Spend time outdoors or play basketball at the nearby Ben Hill Park and Recreation Center.
- Sample legendary Southwest Atlanta soul food and barbecue along the Campbellton Road corridor.
- Take a short drive to the nearby Cascade Springs Nature Preserve for wooded hiking trails and a historic springhouse.
Local favorites
- JJ's Rib Shack · Barbecue Restaurant · 4.3★ (850)A long-running Southwest Atlanta institution known for generous portions of ribs, smoked wings, and classic Southern sides.
- Big Daddy's Dish · Soul Food Restaurant · 4.1★ (420)Popular local counter-serve spot dishing out fried chicken, meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, and collard greens.
- Ben Hill Park & Recreation Center · Community Park · 4.4★ (290)Neighborhood park offering athletic fields, a playground, tennis courts, and indoor recreation programs.
Scores are safety-driven — recent reported crime and local news plus Census income, poverty, housing, education, household and access data — refreshed nightly. Walk and bike scores are shown separately and do not affect the safety score. A guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.