Is Cameo Villas safe?
Tampa, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Cameo Villas as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Cameo Villas
“Go with care. Cameo Villas is a modest residential pocket in North Tampa/Egypt Lake-Leto that experiences moderate property crime rates typical of auto-oriented outer suburban corridors. Visitors will find little tourist appeal inside the subdivision itself, but nearby commercial thoroughfares provide straightforward dining and shopping options.”
About the area
Cameo Villas is an established, primarily residential enclave located in the northwest Tampa area near Egypt Lake-Leto and Carrollwood. The housing stock consists of mid-century single-family homes and small condominium clusters surrounded by commercial strip malls along Dale Mabry Highway and Waters Avenue.
- Suburban Residential
- Car-Dependent
- Working-Class Pocket
- Strip-Mall Adjacent
Walking and biking in Cameo Villas
Walk score: 48/100 · Bike score: 42/100
There is no local bike-share program in this district, and dedicated bike lanes on major arterials like Waters Avenue are intermittent and high-stress due to vehicular speeds.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Lower violent crime compared to urban core neighborhoods of East and Central Tampa
- Close proximity to extensive shopping, dining, and healthcare corridors on Dale Mabry Highway
- Stable residential occupancy with established multi-family and single-family communities
Cons
- Elevated rate of opportunistic vehicle break-ins and property thefts along nearby commercial strips
- Pedestrian infrastructure is limited with heavy vehicular traffic on bordering arterials like Waters Ave
- Household income levels trail the broader Tampa metro average, reflecting modest economic buffers
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is minimal within the interior residential streets, but individuals experiencing homelessness and occasional panhandling are seen near intersections and bus stops along West Waters Avenue.
What Cameo Villas is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Quiet and calm as residents commute to work; walking within the subdivision streets is generally safe.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Busy traffic builds on adjacent thoroughfares while residential streets remain relatively quiet and peaceful.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Commercial areas nearby experience steady activity; standard situational awareness is advised around parking lots.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Streets are poorly illuminated in sections, and foot traffic drops significantly; wandering alone late is discouraged.
Transit, parking and getting around
Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) serves the periphery of the neighborhood via Route 16 on Waters Avenue and Route 36 on Dale Mabry Highway, providing connections to transit centers across Tampa.
Free residential driveway and community parking is standard within the neighborhood; adjacent commercial plazas feature ample free surface parking lots.
Things to do in Cameo Villas
- Explore local Latin American and Caribbean dining along West Waters Avenue
- Visit nearby Al Lopez Park for scenic lakeside walking paths and fitness trails
- Shop at the variety of retail centers lining North Dale Mabry Highway
Local favorites
- Brocato's Sandwich Shop · Cuban / Deli · 4.5★ (3200)Famed local institution known for massive Cuban sandwiches and stuffed devil crabs.
- La Teresita Grocery & Bakery · Bakery / Market · 4.4★ (450)Neighborhood staple offering traditional Cuban bread, fresh pastries, and prepared dishes.
- Arco Iris Restaurant · Cuban / Chinese-Cuban · 4.3★ (1100)Longstanding favorite serving hearty Cuban platters and traditional comfort fare.
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.