Is Highlandtown safe?
Baltimore, Maryland · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Highlandtown as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Highlandtown
“Go with care. Highlandtown is an energetic, culturally rich arts and dining district that offers fantastic authentic dining and creative community spaces, but typical urban street smarts are required. Visitors should stick to well-lit commercial corridors after dark and ensure parked vehicles are secured with all valuables removed.”
Local business associations and the Highlandtown Main Street program have recently prioritized enhanced pedestrian lighting and security camera networks along the Eastern Avenue commercial strip.
About the area
Highlandtown is a historic, arts-designated neighborhood in East Baltimore celebrated for its classic brick rowhouses, traditional painted window screens, and rich multicultural culinary scene. Positioned directly east of Patterson Park, it blends working-class immigrant traditions with a vibrant Latino community and a bustling corridor of independent businesses.
- Multicultural
- Arts & Culture Hub
- Historic Rowhouses
- Walkable Dining Hub
Walking and biking in Highlandtown
Walk score: 91/100 · Bike score: 74/100
Bicyclists have convenient access to neighborhood bike lanes connecting directly into Patterson Park's paved paths and south toward the Canton waterfront trail network.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Designated Arts & Entertainment District anchored by community fixtures like the Creative Alliance
- Significantly lower housing vacancy and higher residential stability compared to broader East Baltimore
- Dense, diverse concentration of authentic eateries, bakeries, and local markets along Eastern Avenue
Cons
- High prevalence of urban property crime, particularly auto break-ins, package theft, and catalytic converter theft
- Occasional street robberies and muggings on dimly lit side residential streets late at night
- Immediate borders to the north transition quickly into neighborhoods with higher rates of violent crime and poverty
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is low to moderate, primarily limited to individuals panhandling near major commercial intersections along Eastern Avenue and Conkling Street, with no permanent large-scale encampments in the residential core.
What Highlandtown is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Active and safe with residents walking dogs, opening shops, and stopping by local bakeries and cafes.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Eastern Avenue is lively with steady foot traffic and daytime shoppers, feeling open and generally comfortable.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Popular dining spots and taverns draw patrons, though visitors should remain alert and stick to well-lit main corridors.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Residential streets become quiet and isolated, increasing the risk for opportunistic street robberies and vehicle prowling.
Transit, parking and getting around
Operated by the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), the area is served primarily by the CityLink Navy and Blue bus lines along Eastern Avenue; the nearest rail connection is the Shot Tower Metro SubwayLink station roughly two miles west.
Parking consists almost entirely of tightly packed on-street parallel parking, which is metered along Eastern Avenue and heavily competitive on residential blocks in the evening; there are no municipal parking garages directly in the neighborhood.
Things to do in Highlandtown
- Attend a live performance, independent film screening, or gallery exhibition at the Creative Alliance
- Sample regional Latino and traditional Polish bakeries and taquerias along Eastern Avenue
- Take a short walk west into adjacent Patterson Park to visit the historic Pagoda and community lake
Local favorites
- Creative Alliance · Cultural Center · 4.7★ (620)A dynamic multi-arts venue housed in a renovated historic theater featuring concerts, exhibits, and community classes.
- Matthew's Pizzeria · Pizza Restaurant · 4.6★ (1580)A landmark neighborhood institution operating since 1943, famous for its distinct Baltimore-style pan and deep-dish pies.
- Snake Hill Tavern · Bar & Grill · 4.6★ (460)A cozy, craft-focused neighborhood bar serving gourmet specialty sausages, craft beers, and vegan-friendly bites.
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.