Is Normal North safe?
Memphis, Tennessee · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Normal North as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Normal North
“Go with care. Normal North is a lively, student-heavy residential pocket near the University of Memphis, offering popular college-town eateries and cultural spots along Highland Street. However, opportunistic property crimes like vehicle break-ins and theft are common, and violent incidents occur in surrounding blocks, requiring steady situational awareness after dark.”
Memphis Police and University of Memphis campus police have maintained targeted joint patrols along the Highland corridor following occasional late-night armed robberies and recurring vehicle thefts.
About the area
Normal North is situated just north of the University of Memphis main campus, characterized by a mix of mid-century single-family homes, student apartment complexes, and active commercial corridors. It serves as an off-campus hub for students, faculty, and long-term Memphis residents alike. The atmosphere is energetic during the academic semester, centered heavily around the Highland Strip.
- College Town
- Residential
- Student-Oriented
- Casual Dining Hub
Walking and biking in Normal North
Walk score: 68/100 · Bike score: 62/100
Cyclists can connect to the nearby Shelby Farms Greenline a short distance north via marked city bike routes on Highland and surrounding residential streets.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Beneficiary of overlapping patrols from Memphis Police and University of Memphis Campus Safety
- Active student and faculty demographic providing daytime foot traffic and bustling commercial storefronts
- High rates of high-speed internet connectivity and proximity to major educational and medical employers
Cons
- High incidence of opportunistic property crime, specifically motor vehicle theft and prowling
- Above-average local poverty rates in adjacent rental corridors
- Noticeable jump in safety risk and decreased foot traffic along residential side streets after midnight
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is low to moderate, mostly seen as individuals walking through major intersections along Highland Street or Central Avenue, with no major fixed encampments.
What Normal North is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and busy with students, dog walkers, and faculty heading to campus, making it very comfortable to walk.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Vibrant and full of activity along Highland Street and campus borders, with general daylight safety intact.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Social venues and eateries draw steady crowds; stay in well-lit areas and avoid leaving valuables visible in parked cars.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Quiet on side streets with sporadic late-night bar crowds on Highland; walking alone off main avenues is not recommended.
Transit, parking and getting around
Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) serves the neighborhood primarily via Route 36 (Lamar) and Route 50 (Poplar) nearby, offering direct bus connections to Downtown Memphis.
Street parking is largely free along residential blocks, though subject to permit or time restrictions near campus; dedicated business surface lots exist along South Highland Street.
Things to do in Normal North
- Explore the shops, bars, and casual dining spots along the historic Highland Strip
- Attend concerts and cultural performances at the nearby Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center
- Walk or jog through the University of Memphis campus grounds and arboretum
Local favorites
- Brother Juniper's · Breakfast & Brunch Restaurant · 4.7★ (3200)Award-winning neighborhood institution famous for decadent omelets, open-faced biscuits, and house-roasted coffee.
- Ubee's · American Restaurant · 4.3★ (1150)Long-running campus staple serving late-night burgers, crispy fries, and casual comfort food on Highland.
- The Highland Cafe · Coffee Shop & Hookah Lounge · 4.4★ (420)Relaxed hangout featuring specialty espresso drinks, teas, and late-night social seating.
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.
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