Is Pinewood safe?
Pinewood, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Pinewood as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Pinewood
“Go with care. Pinewood is a residential suburban community in northern Miami-Dade County that offers rich Haitian and Caribbean cultural influences, but it experiences above-average property and violent crime rates compared to national benchmarks. Visitors should stick to well-traveled commercial corridors during daylight hours and exercise standard urban awareness.”
About the area
Pinewood is an unincorporated census-designated place in Miami-Dade County situated just west of Miami Shores and north of Little Haiti. The neighborhood consists mostly of mid-century single-family ranch homes, small apartment complexes, and neighborhood-serving strip malls along major avenues.
- Residential
- Culturally Diverse
- Car-Dependent
- Working-Class
Walking and biking in Pinewood
Walk score: 62/100 · Bike score: 54/100
Dedicated cycling infrastructure is sparse with limited painted bike lanes along major thoroughfares, and there are no direct municipal bike-share stations or dedicated off-street greenways in the immediate CDP.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Convenient access to Interstate 95 and central Miami employment centers
- Rich concentration of authentic Caribbean and Haitian eateries along surrounding corridors
- Close proximity to community parks like Arcola Lakes Park
- High household vehicle ownership rate of over 85%
Cons
- Violent crime and property theft rates remain well above both state and national averages
- Elevated poverty rate exceeding 22% alongside lower median household income levels
- Pockets of poorly lit residential side streets and aging infrastructure
- Frequent traffic accidents and aggressive driving along NW 79th and 103rd Streets
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is low to moderate in Pinewood, primarily concentrated around major intersections, bus benches, and shopping plazas along NW 79th Street and NW 7th Avenue.
What Pinewood is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Active with commuters and school traffic; residential streets and bus stops are generally quiet and safe for basic transit.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Bustling along major thoroughfares like NW 7th Ave and NW 79th St, though heavy car traffic requires careful pedestrian awareness.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Activity winds down to commercial plazas; casual walking is fine in well-lit retail centers but caution is advised on quiet side streets.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Streets become very quiet and dimly lit; walking around on foot late at night is not recommended due to increased crime risks.
Transit, parking and getting around
Miami-Dade Transit (MDT) serves Pinewood with frequent bus lines, including Routes 9, 10, 77, and 79 along major avenues. The nearest Metrorail stations are Northside and Tri-Rail stations located roughly 2 to 3 miles southwest.
Parking is abundant and largely free in surface lots across strip malls, libraries, and commercial plazas. Residential street parking is common and unmetered, though driveways accommodate most residents.
Things to do in Pinewood
- Visit the nearby Arcola Lakes Park for walking paths, sports courts, and community facilities
- Sample authentic Caribbean and Haitian takeout along the commercial stretches of NW 79th Street
- Explore local Caribbean grocery markets and specialty bakeries scattered along NW 7th Avenue
Local favorites
- Chef Creole Seasoned Restaurant · Haitian / Seafood Restaurant · 4.3★ (2150)Renowned local staple serving vibrant Haitian-Creole seafood platters, oxtail, and fried plantains.
- Arcola Lakes Branch Library · Public Library · 4.6★ (185)Modern Miami-Dade public library offering quiet reading spaces, community programs, and tech access.
- Piman Bouk Bakery · Bakery · 4.4★ (320)Popular local bakery offering freshly baked Haitian bread, savory patties, and Caribbean snacks.
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.