Is Cedar Acres safe?
Columbia, Maryland · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Cedar Acres as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Cedar Acres
“Go. Cedar Acres is a quiet, exceptionally safe residential enclave nestled within Columbia's planned community network. While primarily residential with little direct tourist nightlife, visitors will experience negligible violent crime and high peace of mind.”
About the area
Cedar Acres is a tranquil, tree-lined suburban neighborhood in eastern Columbia characterized by detached single-family homes and townhouses. It offers easy access to Columbia's extensive paved pathway network, neighborhood parks, and regional shopping centers.
- Quiet Suburb
- Family-Friendly
- Tree-Lined
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Cedar Acres
Walk score: 28/100 · Bike score: 52/100
While Columbia lacks a municipal bike-share system, the neighborhood provides easy connection to the Columbia Association's 95+ miles of interconnected paved multi-use pathway network.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Violent crime rates are vastly lower than state and national averages
- High median household income exceeding $120,000 with low poverty rates
- Well-maintained single-family housing stock and high homeownership rate
- Direct proximity to Howard County's top-tier emergency and municipal services
Cons
- Strictly suburban design requires a car for almost all errands and dining
- Occasional opportunistic property crimes like unlocked vehicle break-ins
- Limited street lighting on residential cul-de-sacs after dark
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is not a notable presence in this residential neighborhood, with services and minimal transient activity concentrated near major highway commercial nodes elsewhere in the county.
What Cedar Acres is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and serene with neighborhood joggers, dog walkers, and light school commuting traffic.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Calm residential atmosphere with children playing outside and delivery vehicles passing through.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet and relaxing as residents return home, feeling completely safe for evening walks.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Extremely low activity with minimal ambient noise, remaining calm and safe throughout the night.
Transit, parking and getting around
Public transit is limited; Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland (RTA) operates bus routes along major corridors like Route 108 and Broken Land Parkway, but direct rail connections require driving to the Dorsey or Savage MARC train stations.
Parking is abundant and hassle-free, with private driveways, dedicated townhouse lots, and free, unrestricted curb parking throughout the neighborhood.
Things to do in Cedar Acres
- Walk or jog along the scenic Columbia Association paved pathway system
- Spend a relaxing afternoon with family at nearby Blandair Regional Park
- Explore the waterfront trails, concerts, and dining around Lake Kittamaqundi
Local favorites
- The King's Contrivance Restaurant · Fine Dining · 4.5★ (780)Upscale New American dining situated in a historic 1900s mansion nearby.
- Cured / 18th & 21st · American Restaurant & Speakeasy · 4.4★ (1150)Popular Columbia venue serving craft cocktails, charcuterie, and live jazz.
- Pub Dog Pizza & Drafthouse · Pub / Brewery · 4.4★ (920)Lively local spot serving specialty thin-crust pizzas and house-brewed draft beers.
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.