Is Dunbar-Broadway safe?
Baltimore, Maryland · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Dunbar-Broadway as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Dunbar-Broadway
“Go with care. Dunbar-Broadway is an urban East Baltimore community directly adjacent to the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, characterized by a mix of institutional activity and distressed residential blocks. Daytime visits along primary hospital corridors are generally manageable, but visitors should avoid unfamiliar residential streets and quiet side alleys after dark.”
Recent East Baltimore policing and community initiatives have focused on curbing illegal firearm possession and targeted violence along the Broadway and Fayette Street corridors.
About the area
Dunbar-Broadway is an East Baltimore neighborhood centered around historic rowhome streets, public housing complexes, and the prominent Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. Its proximity to major medical centers creates a noticeable contrast between heavy institutional investment and localized urban challenges.
- Urban Institutional
- Historic Rowhomes
- Hopkins-Adjacent
- Transitioning
Walking and biking in Dunbar-Broadway
Walk score: 86/100 · Bike score: 74/100
Broadway features dedicated on-street bike lanes providing direct north-south connectivity down to the Baltimore Waterfront Promenade.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- High concentration of Johns Hopkins campus security patrols along the northern and eastern borders
- Direct walking access to Johns Hopkins Hospital and associated medical facilities
- Continuous city-led streetscape improvements and housing rehabilitation efforts
Cons
- Violent crime and robbery rates remain well above both state and national averages
- Poverty rates exceed 25% with visible pockets of distressed and vacant rowhouses
- Heightened property crime risk including auto theft and vehicle break-ins
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is moderately common, with individuals and panhandling primarily concentrated near major bus stops, hospital intersections, and the Orleans Street corridor.
What Dunbar-Broadway is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Lively and relatively secure along main avenues as hospital employees, students, and transit riders commute.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Steady foot traffic continues along Broadway and Orleans Street, though standard urban vigilance is advised.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Pedestrian presence drops noticeably away from medical facilities, increasing the need for situational awareness.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Streets become quiet and poorly lit in residential pockets, with elevated risks of street crime; walking alone is discouraged.
Transit, parking and getting around
MTA Maryland operates several core bus routes through the area including the CityLink Blue, Orange, and Pink lines, with the Johns Hopkins Metro SubwayLink station located a short walk north.
On-street parking is a mix of residential permit zones and meters, while paid parking garages are available around the Johns Hopkins campus for roughly $5 to $15 per hour.
Things to do in Dunbar-Broadway
- Visit the historic campus and memorial grounds of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
- Tour the architectural historic dome building on the adjacent Johns Hopkins Medical Campus
- Walk a few blocks south to explore the diverse dining scene in neighboring Upper Fells Point
Local favorites
- Northeast Market · Public Market · 4.4★ (2150)Historic indoor marketplace featuring dozens of local food stalls serving seafood, soul food, and baked goods.
- Ministry of Brewing · Brewery · 4.7★ (540)Vast craft brewery and gathering hall set inside a magnificently restored 19th-century Catholic church.
- Water for Chocolate · American Restaurant · 4.6★ (980)Acclaimed neighborhood bistro serving creative comfort cuisine and upscale Southern-inspired dishes.
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.