Is Highland Meadows safe?
Jackson, Mississippi · safety score updated nightly
Not recommended for casual walking around, especially after dark.
VibeLoco rates Highland Meadows as “No-go after dark”.
Gogo's take on Highland Meadows
“Skip unless you have specific family or personal business in the area. Highland Meadows is a strictly residential subdivision facing broader urban challenges common to West Jackson, including elevated rates of property crime and violent crime in surrounding corridors. Visitors will find virtually no tourist amenities and should exercise heightened situational awareness.”
Jackson continues to address infrastructure upgrades to its municipal water system alongside broader regional law enforcement initiatives targeting violent crime in West Jackson.
About the area
Highland Meadows is a quiet, modest mid-century residential neighborhood situated in the western section of Jackson, Mississippi. The area consists primarily of single-family ranch-style homes and local community churches, separated from major commercial hubs. There is little commercial activity within the subdivision, making it an entirely car-dependent enclave.
- Suburban Grid
- Quiet Residential
- Car-Dependent
- Low-Density
Walking and biking in Highland Meadows
Walk score: 14/100 · Bike score: 22/100
There is no bike-share program in the neighborhood, and dedicated bike lanes or connections to the Jackson greenway network are nonexistent.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Primarily owner-occupied and long-term resident pockets within inner residential loops
- Lower traffic volume and quieter streets than major adjacent thoroughfares
- Relatively low housing density with single-family yard setbacks
Cons
- Significantly elevated rates of violent and property crime compared to national benchmarks
- Economic distress with below-average median household income and elevated poverty levels in the broader census tract
- Complete lack of pedestrian infrastructure, commercial hubs, or visitor attractions
- Proximity to higher-crime arterial corridors along West Jackson
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is minimal within the interior residential streets of Highland Meadows, though unhoused individuals and panhandling can be observed along nearby commercial corridors and highway junctions.
What Highland Meadows is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Mornings are generally calm with minimal neighborhood traffic as residents commute to work.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Afternoons are quiet along residential streets, though caution is advised when traveling along adjacent commercial connectors.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Dusk sees diminished visibility due to sparse street lighting, warranting increased caution.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Late nights carry a significantly elevated safety risk, and walking through the area after dark is not advised.
Transit, parking and getting around
JTRAN provides public bus service across the city, though routes in this immediate western sector run infrequently and with limited stops; there is no light rail or BRT system in Jackson.
Parking is exclusively free on-street or in private residential driveways, with no paid meters or parking structures present.
Things to do in Highland Meadows
- Take a quiet morning walk through the interior loops of the subdivision
- Visit nearby Buddy Butts Park for open green space and youth soccer fields
- Explore the historic campus of Jackson State University located a short drive east
Local favorites
- Bully's Restaurant · Soul Food Restaurant · 4.6★ (820)James Beard Award-winning classic nearby serving authentic Southern soul food, chitterlings, and ribs.
- Stamp's Super Burger · Hamburger Restaurant · 4.5★ (640)Longstanding local joint celebrated for generously portioned, seasoned, made-to-order burgers and lemon pepper wings.
- Big Apple Inn · Sandwich Shop · 4.5★ (750)Historic Jackson institution famed for its unique smokes and pig ear sandwiches on soft buns.
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.