Is Hillwood safe?
Nashville, Tennessee · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Hillwood as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Hillwood
“Go. Hillwood is a peaceful, affluent West Nashville neighborhood characterized by spacious lots, rolling hills, and mature trees. Visitors will find it exceptionally safe, quiet, and welcoming, though entirely car-dependent.”
About the area
Hillwood is an established, upper-income residential neighborhood situated between Charlotte Pike and Belle Meade in West Nashville. Composed primarily of mid-century ranch homes, modern custom builds, and manicured yards, it provides a quiet suburban sanctuary within easy driving distance of Nashville's central attractions. Commercial activity is clustered along the perimeter corridors, leaving the interior streets calm and purely residential.
- Affluent
- Quiet / Residential
- Tree-Lined
- Car-Dependent
- Family-Friendly
Walking and biking in Hillwood
Walk score: 24/100 · Bike score: 29/100
Hillwood lacks dedicated bike lanes and public bike-share stations; the nearest paved connection is the Richland Creek Greenway roughly two miles to the east.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Violent crime rates are negligible and well below the Nashville and national benchmarks.
- High homeownership rate and strong household incomes support well-maintained properties and infrastructure.
- Tranquil, low-traffic neighborhood environment with abundant green space and tree canopy.
Cons
- Lack of continuous sidewalks on residential streets requires pedestrians to walk along roadway shoulders.
- Almost completely car-dependent with no retail or dining located directly within the interior residential core.
- Occasional opportunistic property crimes such as unlocked vehicle break-ins along perimeter streets.
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is essentially absent within the residential interior, though minor panhandling occasionally occurs at busy commercial intersections along Charlotte Pike.
What Hillwood is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Crisp and peaceful with residents walking dogs and light neighborhood commuter traffic exiting toward major arterials.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Very calm and secure, with delivery drivers and occasional landscape crews being the primary activity.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet and relaxing, though pedestrians should wear reflective gear due to rolling topography and limited streetlights.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Virtually deserted and tranquil with minimal safety concerns aside from low road visibility.
Transit, parking and getting around
Public transit is provided by WeGo Public Transit, primarily via Route 50 along the northern border of Charlotte Pike, with no internal bus routes navigating the residential interior.
Parking is completely hassle-free with spacious private driveways, free off-street surface lots at commercial plazas, and unrestricted curbside parking on residential streets.
Things to do in Hillwood
- Take a scenic driving or walking tour through the quiet, rolling residential streets to view mid-century and modern estate architecture.
- Explore shopping, dining, and specialty retail at the nearby Nashville West Shopping Center along Charlotte Pike.
- Take a short drive to the nearby Richland Creek Greenway or Percy Warner Park for hiking and nature walks.
Local favorites
- Hugh-Baby's BBQ & Burger Shop · Fast Casual Restaurant · 4.5★ (1650)Retro-style roadside counter serving classic smash burgers, smoked BBQ, hand-cut fries, and milkshakes.
- TailGate Brewery - West Nashville HQ · Brewery & Taproom · 4.6★ (2100)Sprawling craft brewery with an expansive outdoor patio offering creative beers and artisan pizzas.
- VN Pho & Deli · Vietnamese Restaurant · 4.6★ (680)Authentic, no-frills neighborhood staple renowned for traditional pho, banh mi, and noodle dishes.
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.