Is Dutch Square safe?
Columbia, South Carolina · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Dutch Square as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Dutch Square
“Go with care. Dutch Square is predominantly a commercial and retail district that is fine for daytime shopping and dining, but it experiences above-average property crime and periodic evening disturbances. Stick to well-trafficked business plazas during daylight hours and exercise standard precautions around mall parking lots at night.”
Local law enforcement has maintained regular patrol initiatives along the Broad River and Bush River Road corridors to address vehicle break-ins and retail theft.
About the area
Dutch Square is an established commercial and residential hub in northwest Columbia centered around the historic Dutch Square Center mall and the Bush River Road corridor. It is characterized by retail strip centers, casual dining spots, and surrounding multi-family apartment communities with quick highway access.
- Commercial Corridor
- Car-Dependent
- Suburban Retail
- Busy Thoroughfare
Walking and biking in Dutch Square
Walk score: 48/100 · Bike score: 38/100
Dedicated cycling infrastructure is virtually nonexistent along Bush River and Broad River roads, with no bike-share stations available.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Convenient access to major interstates I-20 and I-26
- Abundant everyday retail, discount shopping, and international dining options
- Extensive commercial parking availability across all shopping plazas
Cons
- Elevated rates of property crime including retail theft and vehicle break-ins
- Aging commercial infrastructure with noticeable retail vacancies
- Heavy vehicular traffic and poor pedestrian infrastructure along major arteries
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is moderately noticeable around major intersections and shopping center perimeters, with occasional panhandling along Bush River Road.
What Dutch Square is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Active with delivery trucks, morning commuters, and opening retail staff, feeling generally safe and calm.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Busy commercial traffic throughout shopping plazas, requiring normal vigilance in large parking areas.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Activity concentrates around restaurants and the cinema; foot traffic drops significantly elsewhere.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Quiet along commercial lots but prone to loitering and property crime; walking outside designated venues is not advised.
Transit, parking and getting around
Public transit is operated by The COMET, with Dutch Square Mall serving as a key transfer hub connected by routes like Route 88 and Route 83LU.
Parking is abundant and free across massive surface lots at Dutch Square Center and adjacent strip plazas.
Things to do in Dutch Square
- Catch a current blockbuster movie at AMC Dutch Square 14
- Explore authentic international cuisines along Bush River Road
- Shop for bargains and everyday essentials at Dutch Square Center
Local favorites
- Real Mexico Restaurant · Mexican Restaurant · 4.6★ (2350)A bustling local favorite serving authentic Mexican dishes, tacos, and house margaritas.
- Sun Ming Chinese Restaurant · Chinese Restaurant · 4.5★ (980)Long-running strip-mall eatery known for traditional Cantonese and Sichuan specialties.
- AMC Dutch Square 14 · Movie Theater · 4.2★ (1250)Spacious multiplex cinema offering digital projection, concessions, and reserved seating.
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.