Is Southeast Auburndale safe?
Miami, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Southeast Auburndale as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Southeast Auburndale
“Go with care. Southeast Auburndale is a quiet, residential neighborhood nestled between Little Havana and Coral Gables with relatively low rates of violent crime. Visitors should exercise standard urban caution, particularly regarding vehicle security and navigating busier commercial edges after dark.”
About the area
Southeast Auburndale is a predominantly Hispanic, working- and middle-class residential enclave in Miami characterized by mid-century single-family homes and small duplexes. It offers easy access to the cultural amenities and authentic dining of SW 8th Street (Calle Ocho) while maintaining a calmer neighborhood feel.
- Residential
- Latin American Culture
- Family-Oriented
- Bustling Edges
Walking and biking in Southeast Auburndale
Walk score: 78/100 · Bike score: 62/100
Dedicated bike lanes are limited within the neighborhood, but quiet residential side streets provide manageable cycling routes southward toward The Underline multi-use trail.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Lower violent crime rates compared to broader Miami municipal benchmarks
- Stable residential fabric characterized by high occupancy and established local families
- Convenient central location with fast access to Downtown Miami, Brickell, and Coral Gables
Cons
- Elevated risk of opportunistic property crimes like vehicle break-ins along commercial fringes
- Inconsistent sidewalk infrastructure and dim street lighting across interior residential blocks
- Spillover traffic and parking congestion from nearby arterial corridors during peak hours
Homelessness: Homelessness is rare on interior residential blocks, with occasional individuals visible primarily around major bus stops and strip malls along SW 8th Street.
What Southeast Auburndale is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and active with morning commuters, dog walkers, and school drop-offs feeling very safe.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Busy along the commercial corridors with steady vehicle flow and safe daytime pedestrian movement.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Calm on the residential blocks, though street vigilance is recommended near commercial bus corridors.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Quiet and sparsely populated; walking alone on poorly lit interior side streets is not recommended.
Transit, parking and getting around
Miami-Dade Transit operates Metrobus routes 8 along SW 8th Street and 27 along SW 27th Avenue, providing direct connections to Metrorail stations like Douglas Road roughly 1.5 miles south.
Street parking on residential roads is generally unrestricted and free, while commercial spots along SW 8th Street feature small surface lots and PayByPhone metered street spaces.
Things to do in Southeast Auburndale
- Grab authentic Cuban espresso and fresh pastries from traditional neighborhood ventanitas
- Visit Douglas Park just southwest for sports courts, open lawn space, and walking paths
- Explore diverse Latin American eateries and specialty grocers along the Calle Ocho corridor
Local favorites
- El Rey De Las Fritas · Cuban Restaurant · 4.5★ (1250)Historic Miami staple renowned for traditional spiced Cuban frita burgers and batidos.
- El Atlakat Restaurant · Salvadoran Restaurant · 4.4★ (1380)Popular local spot serving authentic handmade pupusas, seafood, and Central American specialties.
- La Casita Spanish Restaurant · Spanish Restaurant · 4.5★ (1120)Longstanding family-run venue offering classic paella and Spanish comfort dishes.
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.