Is Northside Acres safe?
Huntsville, Alabama · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Northside Acres as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Northside Acres
“Go with care. Northside Acres is a predominantly quiet, older residential neighborhood in North Huntsville, but it experiences higher property crime and sporadic disturbances compared to the city's newer suburbs. Visitors visiting family or passing through during daylight hours should feel fine taking standard precautions.”
Local news in North Huntsville occasionally reports sporadic property crime, auto theft, and isolated nighttime shootings along nearby major arterial corridors.
About the area
Northside Acres is an established mid-century neighborhood in North Huntsville characterized by modest single-family ranch homes, mature trees, and proximity to North Memorial Parkway. It is largely residential with neighborhood services, churches, and local eateries concentrated along the surrounding thoroughfares.
- Residential
- Mid-Century
- Car-Dependent
- Quiet
Walking and biking in Northside Acres
Walk score: 28/100 · Bike score: 32/100
There are no dedicated bike lanes within the neighborhood and no direct connections to the Huntsville Greenway network; bike-share stations are not present in this area.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Established, quiet residential grid with single-family homes and spacious lots
- Quick vehicular access to US-231 (Memorial Parkway) and Alabama A&M University
- Proximity to authentic, long-standing local Southern and soul food restaurants
Cons
- Elevated property crime and vehicle break-in rates relative to Madison County averages
- Below-average median household income and higher poverty rates than Huntsville overall
- Lack of sidewalks and limited street lighting on interior residential roads
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is minimal within the residential core of Northside Acres, though occasional panhandling and individuals experiencing homelessness can be observed near shopping plazas along North Memorial Parkway.
What Northside Acres is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and quiet as residents commute to work and school, making it safe for morning strolls.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Calm residential atmosphere with minimal foot traffic, presenting a generally safe environment.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Activity settles down quickly after dusk; stick to well-lit areas and ensure vehicles are locked.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Quiet but isolated; walking through unlit residential streets or along highway commercial strips is not recommended.
Transit, parking and getting around
Public transit is operated by Huntsville Orbit; bus Route 7 serves the nearby Memorial Parkway and Sparkman corridors, but headways are hourly and there is no passenger rail service in the metro.
Free and ample on-street parking is readily available along residential streets, and commercial destinations provide dedicated free surface lots.
Things to do in Northside Acres
- Tour the historic campus and State Black Archives at nearby Alabama A&M University
- Enjoy community outdoor recreation and walking paths at Lakewood Park
- Sample traditional Southern soul food along the North Memorial Parkway corridor
Local favorites
- G's Country Kitchen · Soul Food Restaurant · 4.6★ (1250)Renowned local eatery serving hearty Southern comfort classics like fried chicken, meatloaf, and collard greens.
- Sac's Kitchen · Southern Restaurant · 4.5★ (480)Beloved family-owned diner popular for made-from-scratch soul food, smothered pork chops, and peach cobbler.
- Scruggs BBQ · Barbecue Restaurant · 4.3★ (210)Unassuming North Huntsville staple known for hickory-smoked ribs, pulled pork, and tangy house barbecue sauce.
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.