Is Hickory Hill North safe?
Memphis, Tennessee · safety score updated nightly
Not recommended for casual walking around, especially after dark.
VibeLoco rates Hickory Hill North as “No-go after dark”.
Gogo's take on Hickory Hill North
“Skip unless visiting specific local businesses, family, or community venues during daylight hours. Hickory Hill North experiences violent and property crime rates substantially higher than national averages. Visitors unfamiliar with the area should remain alert and avoid poorly lit commercial plazas and apartment complexes after dark.”
Local law enforcement regularly directs proactive saturation patrols to the Hickory Hill corridor to address recurring auto thefts, break-ins, and firearms offenses.
About the area
Hickory Hill North is a sprawling, vehicle-oriented suburban sector in southeast Memphis largely developed in the 1970s and 1980s. It features a mix of single-family subdivisions, dense multi-family apartment communities, and aging strip commercial corridors. Disinvestment over recent decades has contributed to elevated crime risks despite the presence of established neighborhood establishments.
- Car-Dependent
- Post-War Suburban
- Strip-Mall Commercial
- High-Crime Risk
Walking and biking in Hickory Hill North
Walk score: 38/100 · Bike score: 35/100
There is no bike-share access in this neighborhood, and wide, high-speed arterial streets lack protected bike lanes, making cycling hazardous.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Convenient driving access to TN-385 (Bill Morris Parkway) and major logistics employment hubs near the airport
- Diverse selection of authentic independent dining spots representing various regional and international cuisines
- Affordable retail services and convenient surface parking across the district
Cons
- Violent crime and property crime rates are notably above state and national medians
- High rental density with pockets of structural disrepair and commercial vacancy
- Car break-ins and opportunistic thefts are common in open apartment and retail parking lots
- Pedestrian infrastructure is weak, with high-speed multi-lane traffic posing safety hazards
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is moderately low compared to central Memphis, primarily consisting of occasional panhandling near busy intersections like Winchester and Hickory Hill roads rather than fixed encampments.
What Hickory Hill North is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Relatively calm as residents commute to work, though general situational awareness is advised at commercial plazas.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Activity increases along arterial corridors with moderate retail traffic; property crime risk remains elevated in parking lots.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Pedestrian foot traffic thins out rapidly, and caution is strongly warranted around apartment communities and strip malls.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Walking is unsafe due to low visibility, reduced traffic, and heightened risks of robbery and gun violence.
Transit, parking and getting around
Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) serves the area via local bus routes including Route 36 (Hickory Hill) and Route 42; there is no passenger rail or BRT connection.
Parking is readily available and free of charge in large strip-mall lots and residential driveways, though leaving valuables visible in vehicles is not recommended.
Things to do in Hickory Hill North
- Sample slow-smoked dry-rub ribs and pulled pork at long-standing neighborhood barbecue joints
- Explore international food markets and specialty eateries situated along Mount Moriah and Hickory Hill roads
- Utilize the indoor gymnasium and recreational athletic fields at the nearby Hickory Hill Community Center
Local favorites
- A&R Bar-B-Que · Barbecue Restaurant · 4.3★ (850)Celebrated local counter-serve fixture famous for authentic Memphis-style ribs, hot links, and smoked turkey sandwiches.
- Mayuri Indian Cuisine · Indian Restaurant · 4.3★ (920)Popular dining spot offering extensive North and South Indian curries, dosas, and a well-regarded lunchtime buffet.
- Tops Bar-B-Q · Barbecue & Burger Joint · 4.2★ (740)Memphis institution serving charcoal-cooked pork barbecue sandwiches, breakfast platters, and classic griddle burgers.
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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