Is Highlands safe?
Dothan, Alabama · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Highlands as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Highlands
“Go. Highlands is a quiet, well-established residential enclave in western Dothan that is very safe for visitors and residents alike. While it lacks intense nightlife or dense entertainment, it presents minimal safety concerns beyond standard precautions against opportunistic property crime.”
About the area
Highlands is a mature, tree-canopied suburban neighborhood in western Dothan centered near Highlands Elementary and Westgate Park. The area is characterized by single-family brick ranch homes, manicured lawns, and a tranquil residential rhythm. Visitors generally find a calm, community-oriented atmosphere with easy access to major commercial corridors along Ross Clark Circle.
- Quiet Suburban
- Family-Friendly
- Tree-Lined
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Highlands
Walk score: 24/100 · Bike score: 36/100
There is no municipal bike-share system, but the neighborhood provides easy street connectivity to the multi-use paved trails and mountain bike paths at Westgate Park.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Significantly lower violent crime rates compared to eastern and central Dothan districts
- High rate of owner-occupied single-family homes with well-maintained properties
- Close proximity to Westgate Recreation Center and the Dothan nature trails
Cons
- Occasional opportunistic property crimes such as unlocked vehicle break-ins
- Very car-dependent layout with limited continuous sidewalk infrastructure
- Minimal commercial or dining establishments within direct walking distance
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is practically nonexistent within the Highlands neighborhood itself, as services and unhoused individuals are concentrated closer to downtown Dothan and eastern commercial corridors.
What Highlands is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and active with dog walkers, morning joggers, and school-bound traffic; exceptionally safe.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Calm residential atmosphere with children playing outside and light neighborhood vehicular traffic.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet and serene as residents return home; streets are safe for walking before dark.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Very dark and low-traffic with minimal street lighting; safe from violent crime, but basic alertness is recommended.
Transit, parking and getting around
Public transit is very limited across Dothan; the Wiregrass Transit Authority operates demand-response curb-to-curb van service requiring advance booking, with no fixed-route rail or bus network in the neighborhood.
Parking is abundant and hassle-free, with private driveways throughout the neighborhood and free, unrestricted street parking along residential roads.
Things to do in Highlands
- Walk or jog along the paved recreation pathways at the nearby Westgate Tennis and Nature Trails
- Take children to the playgrounds and athletic fields at Westgate Park
- Browse local boutiques and dining options along the nearby West Main Street and Ross Clark Circle corridor
Local favorites
- KBC · American Restaurant & Bakery · 4.6★ (1150)Popular eatery by Top Chef winner Kelsey Barnard Clark serving creative Southern comfort food and pastries.
- The Cellar · Fine Dining Restaurant · 4.5★ (420)Upscale neighborhood staple offering steaks, seafood, and an extensive wine list in an intimate setting.
- Fire Stone Wood Fired Pizza & Grill · Pizza Restaurant · 4.4★ (1380)Casual, vibrant dining spot serving artisanal wood-fired pizzas, craft beer, and wings.
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.