Is Highland Park safe?
Knoxville, Tennessee · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Highland Park as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Highland Park
“Go with care. Highland Park offers charming historic architecture and quick access to downtown Knoxville and the vibrant North Central corridor. While violent crime directly targeting tourists is rare, higher rates of opportunistic property crime and occasional vehicle break-ins require visitors to keep valuables secured and stay aware at night.”
About the area
Highland Park is a historic residential neighborhood in North Knoxville characterized by Craftsman bungalows, Victorian-era homes, and mature trees. Located just minutes from Downtown and the Old City, it is a gentrifying, close-knit community with a mix of longtime residents and young professionals.
- Historic / Tree-Lined
- Residential
- Up-and-Coming
- Close to Downtown
Walking and biking in Highland Park
Walk score: 58/100 · Bike score: 52/100
Biking is manageable on neighborhood streets, with easy connections to the North Knoxville Greenway and urban bike lanes heading south into the Old City.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Convenient 5-minute drive to Downtown Knoxville, the Old City, and Market Square
- Active neighborhood association and high rate of historic home renovations
- Moderate violent crime rates compared to broader inner-city Knoxville corridors
- Broad access to high-speed broadband and essential municipal services
Cons
- Elevated rates of opportunistic property crime, vehicle prowling, and porch theft
- Pockets of blight, rental disinvestment, and higher local poverty relative to Knox County averages
- Inconsistent street lighting and occasional sidewalk gaps on secondary residential streets
Homelessness: Visible homelessness within the residential core is low, though unhoused individuals are occasionally seen along nearby commercial thoroughfares like Broadway and near major bus stops.
What Highland Park is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and calm with residents walking dogs and commuting; generally very safe.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Quiet and residential with pleasant pedestrian activity and light local traffic.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Mostly serene, but dimly lit side streets require staying alert and adhering to main routes.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Noticeably quiet with occasional opportunistic property crimes; solo walking after midnight is not recommended.
Transit, parking and getting around
Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) provides bus coverage via nearby major arteries including Broadway and Central Street (such as Route 22 and Route 20), connecting to Knoxville Station downtown in 10-15 minutes.
Street parking is free, plentiful, and unmetered throughout residential side streets, though visitors should lock doors and remove valuables.
Things to do in Highland Park
- Take an architectural walking tour admiring early 20th-century Craftsman bungalows and historic cottages
- Visit nearby Sharps Ridge Veterans Memorial Park for panoramic scenic views and hiking trails
- Explore the nearby craft breweries, artisan shops, and eateries along North Central Street
Local favorites
- K-Brew · Coffee Shop · 4.6★ (1150)Popular local cafe known for specialty espresso, organic roasted coffee, and handmade bagels with artisan cream cheese.
- Elst Brewing Company · Brewery · 4.7★ (320)Laid-back neighborhood taproom offering an inventive lineup of IPAs, sours, and lagers in a converted industrial space.
- Central Depot · Bar · 4.6★ (290)Historic-inspired watering hole serving craft beers, cocktails, and hosting neighborhood trivia and events.
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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