Honesty without a lens
Is Pine Hills safe?
Atlanta, Georgia · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Pine Hills as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Pine Hills
“Go. Pine Hills is an affluent, peaceful residential neighborhood straddling Buckhead and Brookhaven that is very safe for pedestrians. While walking in the residential core is pleasant and secure, you will likely need a vehicle to access major amenities due to hilly terrain and scattered sidewalks.”
About the area
Pine Hills is a heavily wooded, upscale neighborhood known for spacious mid-century homes and quiet winding roads. It sits conveniently between Buckhead's bustling commercial core and Brookhaven's international dining corridors. Visitors mostly come for its peaceful neighborhood streets, local parks, and quick access to nearby shopping centers.
- Affluent / Residential
- Wooded / Hilly
- Quiet & Peaceful
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Pine Hills
Walk score: 48/100 · Bike score: 38/100
There are no dedicated bike lanes or bike-share docks in the neighborhood, and steep hills present a challenge, though the Peachtree Creek Greenway is reachable just across the Brookhaven border.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Very low violent crime rate with quiet, leafy streets
- Proximity to premier shopping and dining in Buckhead and Brookhaven
- Family-friendly recreation and green space at Shady Valley Park
- Low-traffic neighborhood roads suitable for casual strolls
Cons
- Inconsistent sidewalk infrastructure throughout interior streets
- Hilly topography makes extensive walking or cycling strenuous
- Heavier traffic and higher vehicle speeds along Lenox and Buford Highway borders
- Almost no retail or dining located directly within the residential core
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is not a notable presence within Pine Hills, though occasional unhoused individuals may be observed near the commercial intersections of Buford Highway and Lenox Road.
What Pine Hills is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Calm and very safe, with joggers, dog walkers, and minimal neighborhood traffic.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Pleasant and quiet within the interior, though perimeter roads experience steady commuter flow.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet and secure, ideal for an evening neighborhood walk before it gets completely dark.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Extremely low activity; generally very safe, though limited streetlighting on some blocks warrants a flashlight.
Transit, parking and getting around
The Lenox and Brookhaven/Oglethorpe MARTA stations (Gold Line) are roughly 1 to 1.5 miles away, with MARTA bus routes 47 and 110 serving the outer perimeter roads.
Free, easy street parking is permitted on most interior residential streets, and commercial destinations on the border provide free surface parking lots.
Things to do in Pine Hills
- Play tennis, basketball, or walk the trails at Shady Valley Park
- Take an architectural stroll admiring mid-century and custom modern homes under dense tree canopies
- Sample diverse international cuisine along the adjacent Buford Highway corridor
Local favorites
- Havana Sandwich Shop · Cuban RestaurantA historic, no-frills Atlanta staple on the neighborhood border serving classic Cuban sandwiches and plantains.
- Roasters · American RestaurantA long-standing local favorite on the Lenox border offering rotisserie chicken and homestyle sides.
- Shady Valley Park · City ParkA quiet, well-kept community park offering tennis courts, a playground, and shaded open spaces.
Scores blend recent reported crime levels, area poverty and walk/bike access, refreshed nightly. They are a guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.