Is Northaven safe?
Memphis, Tennessee · safety score updated nightly
Not recommended for casual walking around, especially after dark.
VibeLoco rates Northaven as “No-go after dark”.
Gogo's take on Northaven
“Skip. Northaven is a remote, lower-income residential community in northern Shelby County with little to offer casual visitors and elevated rates of violent and property crime. If you must travel here for personal or family reasons, do so during daylight hours and maintain situational awareness.”
Law enforcement coverage and emergency response times in unincorporated Northaven remain an ongoing issue among residents relying primarily on the Shelby County Sheriff's Office.
About the area
Northaven is an unincorporated suburban and semi-rural residential enclave located just north of the Frayser neighborhood and south of Millington in Shelby County. The community primarily consists of modest single-family homes, vacant parcels, and local community spaces alongside the Mississippi River floodplains.
- Car-Dependent
- Semi-Rural
- Residential
- Quiet
Walking and biking in Northaven
Walk score: 18/100 · Bike score: 28/100
There are no dedicated bike lanes or direct paved multi-use trail connections in Northaven, and bike-share services like Explore Bike Share do not extend here.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Lower traffic density compared to core Memphis urban corridors
- Close proximity to outdoor recreation at Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park just to the north
- Quiet residential pockets with long-standing multigenerational families
Cons
- Elevated rates of both violent crime and property crime relative to national benchmarks
- High poverty rate exceeding 30% alongside low median household incomes
- Notable levels of vacant land, blighted structures, and limited municipal infrastructure
Homelessness: Visible street homelessness is relatively low compared to downtown Memphis, though occasional unhoused individuals and abandoned properties used for shelter occur near surrounding highway intersections.
What Northaven is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Relatively quiet with light neighborhood commuter traffic, though basic street vigilance is recommended.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Low activity levels across residential roads, though limited commercial infrastructure means very few pedestrians.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Activity diminishes rapidly at dusk; walking along poorly lit rural and suburban roads is not recommended.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Risk of isolated criminal activity and sluggish emergency response make night visits ill-advised.
Transit, parking and getting around
Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) offers very limited or no direct fixed-route bus service directly through interior Northaven, requiring access to routes along major arteries in Frayser several miles south.
Ample free residential street and driveway parking is available throughout the neighborhood, with no paid meters or parking decks.
Things to do in Northaven
- Visit the Northaven Community Center for local community events and youth sports
- Take a scenic drive north along North Watkins Street toward Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park
- Explore the nearby Loosahatchie River watershed and surrounding bottomland scenery
Local favorites
- A&R Bar-B-Que · Barbecue Restaurant · 4.3★ (1250)Classic Memphis-style smoked barbecue ribs, chopped pork sandwiches, and comfort sides located a short drive south.
- Casita Oaxaqueña · Mexican Restaurant · 4.5★ (310)Popular regional Mexican spot nearby serving traditional Oaxacan dishes, tacos, and fresh salsas.
- Lenny's Grill & Subs · Sandwich Shop · 4.1★ (240)Reliable sub shop offering hot Philly cheesesteaks and cold deli subs along the nearby commercial corridor.
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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