Is Guilford Hills safe?
Greensboro, North Carolina · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Guilford Hills as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Guilford Hills
“Go. Guilford Hills is an established, quiet mid-century residential neighborhood in northwest Greensboro that offers a safe and peaceful environment for visitors. Violent crime is rare, and risks are largely limited to occasional property crimes along nearby major commercial corridors.”
About the area
Guilford Hills is a classic post-WWII neighborhood characterized by mature canopy trees, brick ranch-style homes, and manicured yards. Positioned between the bustling Friendly Shopping Center area and Battleground Avenue, it provides a quiet suburban retreat close to prominent shopping, dining, and parks.
- Suburban / Residential
- Tree-Lined
- Quiet
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Guilford Hills
Walk score: 42/100 · Bike score: 48/100
There are no dedicated bike lanes within the neighborhood, but it connects via short street rides to the Downtown Greenway and nearby green space trails at the Bog Garden.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Significantly lower violent crime rates compared to the citywide average
- High rate of owner-occupied homes and stable, well-maintained properties
- Close proximity to the Friendly Center retail and dining district
- Low-traffic interior streets ideal for daytime jogging and dog walking
Cons
- Isolated vehicle break-ins and opportunistic property theft near perimeter arterial roads
- Lack of sidewalks on many interior neighborhood streets
- Commercial edges on Battleground Avenue and Friendly Avenue experience heavy vehicular traffic
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is not a notable presence within the residential core of Guilford Hills, though occasional panhandling occurs along the commercial strips of Battleground Avenue and West Friendly Avenue.
What Guilford Hills is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and active with residents walking dogs and heading out for morning jogs along quiet residential roads.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Very quiet and safe, with light local traffic and standard neighborhood deliveries.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Calm and residential, with pleasant suburban ambiance and minimal ambient noise.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Extremely dark and sleepy due to limited street lighting, but generally safe provided normal nighttime precautions are taken.
Transit, parking and getting around
Greensboro Transit Agency (GTA) operates bus routes along perimeter roads like Friendly Avenue (Route 7) and Battleground Avenue (Route 8), but interior streets require a car. Greensboro does not have a local passenger rail or BRT system.
Street parking in the residential interior is free, plentiful, and unrestricted, while nearby shopping centers feature extensive free surface lots.
Things to do in Guilford Hills
- Stroll or jog beneath the mature hardwoods along the rolling, curvilinear residential streets
- Spend a morning shopping and dining at the adjacent open-air Friendly Center complex
- Visit the nearby Greensboro Bicentennial Garden and Bog Garden for quiet nature walks
Local favorites
- Maxie B's Bakery & Dessert Cafe · Bakery / Dessert Cafe · 4.6★ (2350)Beloved local institution known for Southern-style cakes, cupcakes, and scratch-made pies.
- Green Valley Grill · Mediterranean / American Restaurant · 4.6★ (1820)Upscale dining adjacent to the O.Henry Hotel offering Mediterranean-inspired fare and patio seating.
- The Porch Greensboro · Southern / American Restaurant · 4.5★ (310)Casual dining spot serving comforting Southern staples and craft beverages in a laid-back atmosphere.
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.