Is Central Hollywood safe?
Charleston, South Carolina · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Central Hollywood as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Central Hollywood
“Go. Central Hollywood is a quiet, rural-to-suburban Lowcountry community with low violent crime rates and an easygoing pace. Visitors should be comfortable driving, as amenities are spread out and pedestrian infrastructure is almost nonexistent.”
About the area
Central Hollywood encompasses the small municipal core and surrounding woodlands of Hollywood in western Charleston County. It offers a pastoral setting characterized by live oaks, marshland views, local seafood spots, and historic plantation grounds nearby.
- Rural / Semi-Rural
- Quiet & Spread Out
- Car-Dependent
- Lowcountry Nature
Walking and biking in Central Hollywood
Walk score: 14/100 · Bike score: 22/100
There is no bike-share program and roads lack dedicated bike lanes, making cycling on local highways like SC-162 best left to experienced distance cyclists.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Violent crime rates are significantly lower than regional and national averages
- High rate of homeownership with peaceful, spacious residential properties
- Friendly, tight-knit small-town Lowcountry atmosphere
- Close proximity to the Stono River and coastal marsh estuaries
Cons
- High car dependency with limited sidewalks and unlit rural corridors
- Property crime and vehicle theft occasionally occur along highway corridors
- Pockets of lower household income and limited immediate medical access
- Sparse commercial infrastructure requiring driving to neighboring towns for major retail
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is not a notable presence in Central Hollywood, with virtually no encampments or panhandling observed.
What Central Hollywood is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and breezy with school and commuter traffic along Highway 162.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Calm and quiet with regular local business activity around the town center.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet and dark; dining spots wind down early and residential roads become tranquil.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Very quiet and deserted with low street lighting; safety risk is low, but rural wildlife and dark roads require caution.
Transit, parking and getting around
CARTA provides limited rural commuter express bus service (Route 204) connecting Hollywood to downtown Charleston, but frequency is sparse and a personal vehicle is essential.
Parking is abundant, easy, and completely free in private lots and roadside business plazas throughout the town.
Things to do in Central Hollywood
- Play a round of golf along the tidal marshes at The Links at Stono Ferry
- Pick up fresh local oysters and shrimp from roadside seafood markets
- Take a scenic driving or kayaking route along the historic Stono and Toogoodoo Rivers
Local favorites
- The Links at Stono Ferry · Golf Course · 4.5★ (420)Acclaimed championship golf course set along the historic Stono River battlegrounds.
- Hollywood Diner · Southern Restaurant · 4.4★ (510)Unpretentious local favorite serving classic Southern breakfasts, fried chicken, and sweet tea.
- Ravenel Seafood · Seafood Market & Restaurant · 4.6★ (1280)Longstanding local institution on the town border known for garlic blue crabs and fresh catch.
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.