Is Raleigh Northeast safe?
Memphis, Tennessee · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Raleigh Northeast as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Raleigh Northeast
“Go with care. Raleigh Northeast is a sprawling, working-class suburban area with specific commercial and recreational amenities, but elevated crime rates across greater Memphis make constant vigilance necessary. Daytime visits for dining or community spaces are generally uneventful, but nighttime foot travel along commercial corridors is best avoided.”
Memphis Police Department regularly focuses auto-theft deterrence operations around commercial parking centers along Austin Peay Highway.
About the area
Located in northeast Memphis along corridors like Austin Peay Highway and Covington Pike, Raleigh Northeast blends mid-century residential subdivisions with strip retail centers. While it offers authentic local eateries and recent civic investments, it faces typical urban-suburban challenges including economic stagnation and auto-related property crime.
- Suburban Corridor
- Car-Dependent
- Working-Class
- Commercial Strip
Walking and biking in Raleigh Northeast
Walk score: 34/100 · Bike score: 36/100
Bicycle infrastructure is extremely limited with few designated lanes, though riders occasionally connect south toward the Wolf River Greenway trails.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Lower violent crime frequency compared to inner-city core Memphis neighborhoods
- Revitalized public amenities centered around the Raleigh Springs Civic Center
- Diverse and affordable local dining options along Austin Peay Highway
Cons
- High rates of vehicle break-ins, auto theft, and retail larceny
- Elevated poverty rate exceeding 22% with pockets of housing distress
- Car-dependent arterial roads with low pedestrian lighting and sidewalk gaps
Homelessness: Visible panhandling occurs moderately near major intersections and retail centers along Austin Peay Highway, but large encampments are uncommon in the residential tracts.
What Raleigh Northeast is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Calm and residential with commuter traffic heading out toward I-40 and Stage Road.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Busy along shopping plazas and strip centers with standard commercial activity and transit riders.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Residential areas quiet down quickly, while commercial parking lots require extra vigilance against auto theft.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Not recommended for foot travel due to sparse lighting, isolated corridors, and heightened risk of crime.
Transit, parking and getting around
MATA (Memphis Area Transit Authority) serves the area primarily via Route 40 and Route 19; there is no light rail or BRT service in this sector of the city.
Ample free surface parking is available at all shopping plazas, civic buildings, and residential streets, with no metered zones or parking garages.
Things to do in Raleigh Northeast
- Visit the Raleigh Springs Civic Center lake and modern public skatepark
- Sample regional Mexican and soul food eateries along Austin Peay Highway
- Fish or walk the scenic perimeter trail at Raleigh Springs Park
Local favorites
- Tops Bar-B-Q · Barbecue Restaurant · 4.2★ (460)Longstanding local counter-serve chain serving classic pulled pork sandwiches and burgers.
- Tacos Los Jarochos · Mexican Restaurant · 4.5★ (340)Popular local spot offering authentic street tacos, tortas, and fresh salsas.
- Raleigh Library at Raleigh Springs · Public Library · 4.7★ (115)Modern civic hub with community workspaces, books, and scenic lake views.
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.
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