Is Hickory Oaks safe?
Durham, North Carolina · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Hickory Oaks as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Hickory Oaks
“Go. Hickory Oaks is a quiet, family-oriented residential community in Durham with very low rates of violent crime and a stable suburban environment. Visitors and residents face minimal safety concerns beyond basic property precautions like locking vehicle doors.”
About the area
Hickory Oaks is an established suburban neighborhood in Durham featuring tree-lined streets, cul-de-sacs, and well-maintained single-family homes. While it is strictly residential with little commercial activity within its borders, it offers peaceful living with convenient access to Research Triangle Park and Southpoint.
- Quiet Residential
- Suburban
- Car-Dependent
- Tree-Lined
Walking and biking in Hickory Oaks
Walk score: 22/100 · Bike score: 35/100
There are no bike-share stations in the immediate neighborhood, but the paved American Tobacco Trail and Third Fork Creek Trail networks are easily reachable via a short ride or drive.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Significantly lower violent crime rates compared to broader municipal Durham averages
- High rate of owner-occupied housing with stable property values and low vacancy
- Quiet, low-traffic residential streets ideal for peaceful neighborhood walks
Cons
- Opportunistic property crime such as unlocked vehicle break-ins and package theft occurs occasionally
- Car-dependent layout with no commercial amenities or restaurants within immediate walking distance
- Limited street lighting along some interior cul-de-sacs and connecting corridors
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is not a notable presence within Hickory Oaks, though occasional unhoused individuals may be seen near major retail plazas along nearby arterial highways.
What Hickory Oaks is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and active with residents jogging, walking dogs, and heading out on school runs.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Very quiet with minimal road traffic and a safe, sleepy suburban ambiance.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Calm and residential, safe for evening strolls although street lighting is subdued.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Dark and very quiet with virtually no foot traffic; standard vehicle-locking precautions apply.
Transit, parking and getting around
GoDurham provides bus transit along nearby arterial corridors such as Route 5 and Route 7, but lines do not run through the neighborhood's interior streets, requiring personal vehicle use for most trips.
Free and plentiful street parking is available along residential curbs, alongside private driveways, with no metered zones or garage fees.
Things to do in Hickory Oaks
- Enjoy a morning run or stroll along the shaded residential streets and cul-de-sacs
- Access the nearby American Tobacco Trail for long-distance cycling and walking
- Visit nearby Piney Wood Park for tennis, pickleball, and open green spaces
Local favorites
- Dulce Cafe · Cafe & Bakery · 4.7★ (1250)Popular local spot serving gourmet sandwiches, espresso, and artisanal pastries in a relaxed setting.
- Pulcinella's Italian Restaurant · Italian Restaurant · 4.5★ (1120)Longtime neighborhood staple offering classic pasta dishes, pizza, and Italian comfort food.
- Nantucket Grill · American Restaurant · 4.4★ (1400)Casual dining venue known for New England-style seafood dishes and towering slices of cake.
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.