Is Buckingham West safe?
Gainesville, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Buckingham West as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Buckingham West
“Go. Buckingham West is a quiet, established residential neighborhood in Northwest Gainesville that is exceptionally safe for visitors and residents alike. While primarily suburban with few direct tourist attractions inside the subdivision itself, it offers a peaceful, secure environment with very low violent crime rates.”
About the area
Buckingham West is a mature suburban neighborhood in Northwest Gainesville characterized by tree-canopied streets, single-family homes, and manicured lawns. It sits conveniently close to the commercial hubs of NW 43rd Street and NW 39th Avenue, making it a stable and quiet residential pocket.
- Suburban / Peaceful
- Tree-Lined
- Family-Friendly
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Buckingham West
Walk score: 32/100 · Bike score: 52/100
Cyclists can utilize bike lanes on NW 43rd Street and NW 23rd Avenue, connecting to the broader city bike network and routes leading toward Possum Creek Skatepark and Santa Fe College.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Substantially lower violent and property crime rates compared to Gainesville citywide averages
- High rate of owner-occupied single-family homes and well-maintained properties
- Close proximity to grocery stores, neighborhood medical clinics, and established local dining
- Quiet, low-traffic interior streets ideal for daytime and evening walks
Cons
- Car-dependent layout with minimal commercial venues directly within neighborhood bounds
- Occasional isolated vehicular burglaries involving unlocked cars typical of suburban pockets
- Limited continuous sidewalk and street lighting networks throughout some interior cul-de-sacs
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is not a notable presence within Buckingham West's interior residential streets, with occasional panhandling limited to major retail intersections on surrounding arterials.
What Buckingham West is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and active with dog walkers, joggers, and school-commute traffic along main connector roads.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Very quiet and safe with light residential traffic and typical suburban calm.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Calm and relaxing; neighbors often walk outside before dusk in a secure setting.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Extremely low activity with quiet, dark streets where basic suburban awareness is sufficient.
Transit, parking and getting around
Public transit is operated by Gainesville Regional Transit System (RTS); bus routes along nearby NW 43rd Street and NW 23rd Avenue connect directly to the University of Florida campus and downtown Gainesville.
Parking is readily available and free throughout the area, primarily via private driveways and unrestricted residential curb parking, with ample free surface lots at nearby shopping plazas.
Things to do in Buckingham West
- Stroll the shaded residential streets and loop through the tranquil adjacent neighborhoods
- Visit nearby Cofrin Nature Park for hiking shaded forest trails along Beville Creek
- Spend an evening dining and listening to live music on the lawn at Magnolia Parke
Local favorites
- One Love Cafe · American Restaurant & Bar · 4.5★ (1850)Popular open-air gathering spot serving farm-to-table casual fare, local beers, and live music.
- The Bagel Bakery · Bakery & Cafe · 4.6★ (1120)Long-running neighborhood staple offering New York-style kettle-boiled bagels, spreads, and breakfast sandwiches.
- Uppercrust · French Bakery & Wine Shop · 4.7★ (980)Artisanal bakery known for authentic French croissants, baguettes, pastries, and fine specialty wines.
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.