Is North Hills safe?
Raleigh, North Carolina · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates North Hills as “Go”.
Gogo's take on North Hills
“Go. North Hills is Raleigh's premier 'Midtown' district, offering an exceptionally safe, upscale environment for shopping, dining, and lodging. Visitors will find clean, well-monitored pedestrian plazas within the core commercial areas and peaceful surrounding residential streets. Basic precautions against opportunistic property crimes like vehicle break-ins in parking decks are all that is typically required.”
About the area
Often referred to as Raleigh's Midtown, North Hills is a modern, high-end mixed-use district surrounded by established, leafy suburban neighborhoods. It serves as a bustling commercial and lifestyle hub featuring luxury retail, hotels, varied dining, and outdoor gathering spaces. The area caters heavily to professionals, families, and travelers seeking convenient amenities in a manicured setting.
- Upscale Mixed-Use
- Dining & Shopping Hub
- Family-Friendly
- Commercial Core
Walking and biking in North Hills
Walk score: 68/100 · Bike score: 48/100
Raleigh's Cardinal Bikeshare maintains several docking stations within the development, though connection to the Crabtree Creek Greenway requires navigating busy surrounding road corridors.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Violent crime rates are significantly lower than both city and national averages
- High median household incomes and affluent residential base support pristine private and public infrastructure
- Dedicated private security and heavy foot traffic create a secure atmosphere in the commercial core
- Abundant well-lit parking decks and modern retail plazas
Cons
- Property crimes such as vehicle break-ins and retail theft occur occasionally in parking decks and retail centers
- Heavy vehicular congestion along major arterials like Six Forks Road makes crossing outside the core hazardous
- Sidewalk and bike connectivity drops off quickly outside the immediate mixed-use footprint
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is minimal in North Hills. Occasional panhandling occurs near major freeway ramps along I-440 and Six Forks Road, but there are no visible encampments or concentrated shelter services in the neighborhood.
What North Hills is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and active with dog walkers, runners, and coffee patrons; exceptionally safe to walk around.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Bustling with office workers, diners, and shoppers in a lively, monitored, and highly secure environment.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Energetic dining and social scene with well-illuminated plazas and high foot traffic that keeps the area very safe.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Calm around residential areas with moderate activity near late-night bars; standard awareness is prudent in multi-level parking decks, though violent crime remains rare.
Transit, parking and getting around
GoRaleigh provides local bus service to the area, primarily via Route 8 (Six Forks Road) connecting North Hills directly to downtown Raleigh. There is no light rail or passenger train station in the immediate vicinity.
Ample free parking is provided in multiple multi-story garages and surface lots across the Main, Lassiter, and Park districts. Spaces can fill during weekend dinner rushes, but finding parking is rarely problematic.
Things to do in North Hills
- Catch an outdoor seasonal concert, wellness class, or farmers market at Midtown Park
- Browse upscale retailers, boutiques, and open-air plazas spanning the Main and Park Districts
- Enjoy entertainment and bowling alongside elevated comfort food at Kings Dining & Entertainment
Local favorites
- Coquette Brasserie · French Restaurant · 4.5★ (1150)Polished, authentic French bistro serving classics like steak frites, wine, and freshly baked pastries.
- The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar · Fusion Restaurant · 4.6★ (4850)Lively dining destination famed for inventive sushi and custom burger combinations in a vibrant setting.
- Rosewater Kitchen & Bar · New American Restaurant · 4.5★ (680)Lush, greenhouse-inspired bistro offering seasonal Mediterranean-influenced dishes and craft cocktails.
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.