Is Parkway Village Southeast safe?
Memphis, Tennessee · safety score updated nightly
Not recommended for casual walking around, especially after dark.
VibeLoco rates Parkway Village Southeast as “No-go after dark”.
Gogo's take on Parkway Village Southeast
“Go with care. While Parkway Village Southeast features established residential subdivisions and authentic local dining, elevated rates of violent crime, property offenses, and auto theft warrant continuous situational awareness. Visitors should limit their visits to daylight hours and exercise standard precautions regarding personal and vehicle security.”
Southeast Memphis police precincts regularly report on investigations involving motor vehicle theft, commercial burglaries, and localized gunfire incidents across the Parkway Village corridor.
About the area
Parkway Village Southeast is a post-war suburban district in Southeast Memphis characterized by single-family ranch homes, apartment complexes, and auto-oriented commercial strips. It serves primarily as a residential community with an increasingly diverse population, though it contends with substantial economic strain and high crime rates.
- Car-Dependent
- Post-War Suburban
- Residential
- Multicultural
Walking and biking in Parkway Village Southeast
Walk score: 38/100 · Bike score: 34/100
The area lacks dedicated bike infrastructure and has no connection to major greenway trails, requiring cyclists to share high-speed commercial arterials with vehicular traffic without bike-share services.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Diverse selection of affordable, family-run restaurants and international markets along major corridors.
- Straightforward vehicular access to regional highways including I-240 and TN-385.
- Lower housing costs relative to national and regional metro averages.
Cons
- Significantly elevated rates of violent crime and property crime compared to national benchmarks.
- Frequent incidents of vehicle break-ins and auto theft in commercial lots and multi-family complexes.
- Elevated poverty rate exceeding 25% alongside pockets of vacant and deteriorating retail properties.
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is moderately noticeable along commercial intersections such as Perkins Road, mostly limited to individuals asking for assistance near shopping centers rather than large encampments.
What Parkway Village Southeast is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Morning hours are relatively calm as residents commute and local retail opens, making it the safest time to visit.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Strip centers and arterials see steady traffic; commercial errands are generally fine, though locking car doors remains essential.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Activity tapers off in residential areas while strip mall parking lots become noticeably less secure as darkness falls.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Late night presents severe safety concerns due to heightened violent crime risks, gun activity, and theft; walking after midnight is strongly discouraged.
Transit, parking and getting around
Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) serves the neighborhood primarily along bus lines like Route 2 (Park) and Route 32 (Hollywood & Perkins). There is no light rail or BRT service in this part of the city.
Parking is abundant and entirely free in private business surface lots and along quiet residential side streets; metered parking and parking garages do not exist here.
Things to do in Parkway Village Southeast
- Enjoy authentic regional dining and Southern comfort classics at long-standing neighborhood eateries.
- Visit nearby Sea Isle Park just to the north for disc golf, open green spaces, and a walking trail.
- Shop for international specialty ingredients and baked goods at neighborhood grocery markets along Perkins Road.
Local favorites
- Los Comales Mexican Restaurant · Mexican Restaurant · 4.2★ (650)A popular neighborhood staple serving traditional Mexican dishes, tacos, and house margaritas.
- D'bo's Wings N More · Chicken Wings Restaurant · 4.0★ (1250)A well-known Memphis chain location offering flavored chicken wings, burgers, and seafood baskets.
- A&J's Catfish Station · Seafood Restaurant · 4.4★ (380)A casual local counter-service eatery dishing up seasoned fried catfish, hushpuppies, and Southern sides.
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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