Is Hollywood East safe?
Memphis, Tennessee · safety score updated nightly
Not recommended for casual walking around, especially after dark.
VibeLoco rates Hollywood East as “No-go after dark”.
Gogo's take on Hollywood East
“Skip for standard tourism. The neighborhood experiences high rates of violent and property crime, alongside noticeable urban blight and limited visitor attractions. If you need to travel here for specific local services or personal visits, do so during daylight hours and maintain high situational awareness.”
Memphis Police have maintained focused patrol operations along the Jackson Avenue corridor due to recurring incidents of gun violence and car thefts.
About the area
Hollywood East is an older, predominantly working-class residential neighborhood in North-Central Memphis bordered by commercial and light industrial corridors like Jackson Avenue. It consists mostly of mid-century single-family homes, modest apartment buildings, and neighborhood convenience businesses. The area struggles with sustained economic disinvestment and elevated crime rates relative to the Memphis metro area.
- Industrial-Adjacent
- Working-Class
- Car-Dependent
- Urban Residential
Walking and biking in Hollywood East
Walk score: 46/100 · Bike score: 42/100
Dedicated bike infrastructure is virtually non-existent in the neighborhood, and Explore Bike Share does not operate docking stations here, though the Shelby Farms Greenline terminus is located slightly south in Binghampton.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Quick vehicular access to Midtown, the Broad Avenue Arts District, and Downtown Memphis
- Convenient access to authentic Memphis soul food and barbecue staples nearby
- Affordable neighborhood footprint with pockets of long-tenured residents
Cons
- Violent crime and property crime rates remain significantly above national averages
- High neighborhood poverty rate exceeding 30% with limited commercial amenities
- Elevated vacancy rates and pockets of physical blight and neglected infrastructure
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is occasionally noticeable along the Jackson Avenue commercial corridor and near abandoned commercial parcels, though large established encampments are rare in the residential core.
What Hollywood East is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Mornings are calm with routine commuter traffic on thoroughfares, though general caution is still advised.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Afternoons have steady commercial vehicle movement along Jackson Avenue; pedestrians should stay alert.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Activity thins significantly at sunset, and walking through residential or poorly lit commercial streets is discouraged.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Late nights carry elevated safety hazards including violent crime and property theft; travel outside a vehicle should be avoided.
Transit, parking and getting around
Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) services the area primarily via Route 40 (Stage) and Route 11 along Jackson Avenue and Chelsea Avenue, offering direct connections to the William Hudson Transit Center downtown without rail access.
Street parking is free and unmetered throughout the residential blocks, and businesses have ample private surface lots.
Things to do in Hollywood East
- Sample classic Memphis pit barbecue and fried chicken at established regional counters along Jackson Avenue
- Explore the nearby Broad Avenue Arts District just south of the neighborhood for murals, galleries, and local shopping
- Visit adjacent Douglass Park for its expansive outdoor recreation grounds and community facilities
Local favorites
- Jack Pirtle's Chicken · Fast Food Restaurant · 4.3★ (620)A legendary Memphis fast-food institution serving fried chicken, country fried steak sandwiches, and gravy.
- Tops Bar-B-Q · Barbecue Restaurant · 4.2★ (740)Longtime local counter known for slow-cooked pulled pork barbecue, classic cheeseburgers, and baked beans.
- Broadway Pizza · Pizza Restaurant · 4.5★ (1420)A vintage eatery located just south of the neighborhood border famous for massive, heavily-topped sausage pizzas.
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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