Is Johnston Square safe?
Baltimore, Maryland · safety score updated nightly
Not recommended for casual walking around, especially after dark.
VibeLoco rates Johnston Square as “No-go after dark”.
Gogo's take on Johnston Square
“Go with care. Johnston Square is largely an overlooked residential enclave undergoing community-driven revitalization, but it lacks traditional tourist attractions and experiences higher violent and property crime rates than surrounding central districts. Visitors should stick to daylight hours, travel with purpose, and remain aware of their surroundings.”
Community development initiatives led by ReBUILD Metro and the Johnston Square CDC have recently broken ground on multi-phase affordable housing renovations and new green spaces.
About the area
Johnston Square is a historic East Baltimore rowhouse neighborhood bordered by Greenmount Avenue and the I-83 corridor. While historically challenged by disinvestment and high residential vacancy, ongoing grassroots redevelopment is slowly restoring community infrastructure and parks.
- Under Revitalization
- Historic Rowhouses
- Urban Residential
- Gritty & Quiet
Walking and biking in Johnston Square
Walk score: 78/100 · Bike score: 68/100
Cyclists can connect to the nearby Maryland Avenue and Fallsway cycle tracks, though dedicated bike lanes directly through Johnston Square are limited.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Active neighborhood reinvestment led by local non-profits creating renewed parks and community assets
- Close proximity to Baltimore Penn Station and the Mount Vernon cultural district
- Rich African American history anchored by historic religious institutions
Cons
- Elevated violent and property crime rates compared to Maryland and national averages
- Persistent structural housing vacancy and abandoned rowhomes on several blocks
- Substantial poverty rate exceeding 30 percent and very limited neighborhood retail options
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is moderately present along the Greenmount Avenue corridor and near highway underpasses, though expansive tent encampments are generally not located within the interior residential blocks.
What Johnston Square is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Relatively calm as residents commute, though caution is recommended near vacant corridors and transit stops.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Moderate activity around local parks and schools, generally quiet but requiring basic situational awareness.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Streets clear out quickly after dusk, and limited commercial activity means fewer eyes on the street.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Not recommended for walking due to sparse lighting, high risk of street crime, and low pedestrian volume.
Transit, parking and getting around
MTA Maryland operates several bus routes through the neighborhood including the CityLink Brown and LocalLink lines, and Baltimore Penn Station is approximately a 15-minute walk to the west for MARC and Amtrak service.
Free on-street parking is generally easy to find along residential streets, though caution regarding vehicle break-ins is advised; there are no public parking garages within the neighborhood proper.
Things to do in Johnston Square
- Visit the renovated Ambrose Kennedy Park and community pool
- View the historic exterior of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the first Black Catholic parish in the United States
- Explore community art installations and urban greening projects along the Oliver Street corridor
Local favorites
- Open Works · Makerspace · 4.8★ (160)A massive collaborative makerspace and community workshop on the Greenmount Avenue border offering tools, studios, and classes.
- Guilford Hall Brewery · Brewery · 4.6★ (750)A sprawling European-style craft brewery and restaurant set in a restored historic industrial complex just west of the neighborhood.
- St. Francis Xavier Church · Historic Landmark · 4.8★ (45)Historic Catholic church operating as a vital spiritual and social anchor in East Baltimore since the 19th century.
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.