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Is Columbia Heights safe?

Winston-Salem, North Carolina · safety score updated nightly

54out of 100

Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.

VibeLoco rates Columbia Heights as “Caution”.

Gogo's take on Columbia Heights

“Go with care. Columbia Heights is a historic neighborhood anchored by Winston-Salem State University, offering cultural richness and easy access to university events and Bowman Gray Stadium. However, visitors should exercise situational awareness and stick to main corridors due to above-average property and violent crime rates in the surrounding East Ward.”

City officials and community groups have focused recent violence-prevention initiatives and increased patrols along the Martin Luther King Jr. Drive corridor following periodic incidents of gun violence.

About the area

Columbia Heights is a predominantly residential and collegiate neighborhood located directly southeast of downtown Winston-Salem. It borders Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), giving parts of the area a distinct campus rhythm alongside modest, older single-family homes. While convenient for university and sports events, it exhibits notable economic distress and sporadic crime on off-campus residential streets.

  • University-Adjacent
  • Historic
  • Quiet Residential
  • Event-Driven

Walking and biking in Columbia Heights

Walk score: 48/100 · Bike score: 44/100

Bicycle infrastructure consists of sporadic campus-adjacent bike lanes, with no direct multi-use trail connections without riding in mixed traffic on arterial roads.

Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice

Pros

  • Immediate adjacency to Winston-Salem State University provides campus security presence and cultural programming.
  • Proximity to major city venues like Bowman Gray Stadium and the downtown Innovation Quarter.
  • Strong, close-knit neighborhood identity rooted in historic African American heritage.

Cons

  • Elevated rates of violent and property crime relative to Forsyth County and statewide averages.
  • Economic distress reflected in poverty rates exceeding 30% and a high concentration of rental housing.
  • Sparse commercial, dining, and grocery retail within immediate neighborhood blocks.

Homelessness: Visible homelessness is low to moderate, mostly limited to occasional individuals walking along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive toward services in downtown Winston-Salem rather than permanent encampments.

What Columbia Heights is like at each time of day

Morning · 5a – 11a
Peaceful and quiet with routine commuter and student foot traffic heading toward campus.
Afternoon · 11a – 5p
Moderately active around MLK Jr. Drive and the university edge with daylight keeping risks low.
Evening · 5p – 10p
Calm on residential streets but caution is advised outside of well-lit campus borders.
Late night · 10p – 5a
Streets become deserted with heightened risk for opportunistic street crime; walking alone is not recommended.

Transit, parking and getting around

Winston-Salem Transit Authority (WSTA) serves the neighborhood via Route 85 and Route 107, connecting residents directly to the downtown Clark Campbell Transportation Center.

Residential street parking is generally free and accessible, though parking becomes restricted and heavily congested during WSSU home games and Bowman Gray race events.

Things to do in Columbia Heights

  • Attend a Winston-Salem State University Rams football game or campus cultural event.
  • Experience grassroots stock-car racing on Saturday nights at neighboring Bowman Gray Stadium.
  • Tour the historic campus grounds and architecture of Winston-Salem State University.

Local favorites

  • Bowman Gray Stadium · Racetrack & Stadium · 4.6★ (1420)
    Historic NASCAR short track and sports stadium hosting legendary Saturday night races and college football.
  • A&J Fish and Chicken · Southern Fast Food · 4.2★ (240)
    Straightforward local spot along MLK Jr. Drive serving fried fish, tenders, and quick comfort bites.
  • The Enterprise Center · Community Center & Event Venue · 4.6★ (115)
    Repurposed historic building hosting local non-profits, small business incubators, and civic meetings.

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.