Is Lakewood safe?
Auburn, Alabama · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Lakewood as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Lakewood
“Go. Lakewood is a peaceful, well-established residential neighborhood characterized by very low crime rates and a strong sense of community. Visitors will find safe, quiet streets near municipal parks, though personal transportation is required to access dining and entertainment.”
About the area
Lakewood is an established suburban neighborhood in east-central Auburn featuring mature pine canopies, spacious single-family homes, and manicured yards. It offers a calm, family-oriented residential setting directly adjacent to key municipal recreation facilities like Duck Samford Park.
- Quiet Residential
- Family-Friendly
- Tree-Lined
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Lakewood
Walk score: 24/100 · Bike score: 38/100
There are no dedicated bike lanes within the neighborhood, but wide, low-speed residential streets easily connect cyclists to the multi-use path system around Duck Samford Park.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Exceptionally low incidence of both violent crime and property crime.
- High homeownership rate with stable, well-maintained single-family properties.
- Immediate access to Duck Samford Park's sports facilities, playgrounds, and walking tracks.
- Above-average household income levels and strong local school zoning.
Cons
- Purely residential zoning requires driving to reach all retail, dining, and grocery options.
- Interior neighborhood streets lack continuous sidewalks and formal pedestrian crossings.
- Negligible access to fixed-route public transit.
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is not a factor in Lakewood, with no encampments or panhandling present in the subdivision.
What Lakewood is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Pleasant and quiet with neighbors walking dogs and light morning traffic heading toward nearby schools.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Calm and peaceful with children playing in yards and minimal vehicular through-traffic.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Settled and safe, though walkers should be aware that some interior blocks have intermittent street lighting.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Exceptionally quiet with virtually no foot traffic; perfectly safe but highly secluded.
Transit, parking and getting around
Lakewood is not served by municipal fixed-route transit; Lee-Russell Public Transit (LRPT) provides demand-response van service by reservation across the county.
Parking is abundant and hassle-free, with private driveways standard and free on-street curb parking available across the neighborhood.
Things to do in Lakewood
- Walk or jog the paved perimeter trails under the pines at neighboring Duck Samford Park.
- Catch local baseball, softball, and athletic competitions at the Duck Samford Sports Complex.
- Play a round of tennis or pickleball at the nearby Auburn Tennis Center.
Local favorites
- Bow & Arrow · Barbecue Restaurant · 4.4★ (1850)Popular local smokehouse crafting Texas-style brisket, Southern sides, and specialty tacos.
- Niffer's Place · American Restaurant · 4.4★ (2150)Family-friendly institution famous for specialty burgers, fishbowls, and a casual patio.
- Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers · Bookstore & Cafe · 4.8★ (260)Independent bookshop and cafe offering curated titles, specialty coffee, and local baked goods.
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.