Is Waverly Hills safe?
Tallahassee, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Waverly Hills as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Waverly Hills
“Go. Waverly Hills is one of Tallahassee's safest, most stable, and well-established residential enclaves. While primarily a quiet residential area with few traditional tourist sites within its bounds, it provides a very secure environment adjacent to Midtown's best dining and parks.”
About the area
Waverly Hills is an affluent mid-century neighborhood defined by rolling hills, mature live oak trees, and manicured properties just north of Midtown Tallahassee. It serves primarily as a tranquil residential retreat, buffered from heavy city traffic while remaining minutes from major commercial corridors.
- Quiet & Residential
- Tree-Lined / Canopy Roads
- Family-Friendly
- Mid-Century Modern
Walking and biking in Waverly Hills
Walk score: 38/100 · Bike score: 48/100
Interior streets are calm for cycling despite the rolling terrain, but there are no protected bike lanes or dedicated bike-share stations connecting the neighborhood to the wider greenway system.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Violent crime rates are exceptionally low compared to the Tallahassee metro average.
- Strong economic foundation with high homeownership rates and median household incomes well above the city baseline.
- Quiet, low-speed interior streets shaded by dense historic tree canopies.
Cons
- Lack of continuous sidewalks throughout the interior hilly neighborhood streets.
- Occasional opportunistic vehicle burglary or property theft reported if cars are left unlocked.
- Heavy traffic and congestion along boundary corridors like Thomasville Road during rush hours.
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is not a notable factor within the interior residential streets of Waverly Hills, though occasional panhandling may occur at major commercial intersections along Thomasville Road.
What Waverly Hills is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and active with neighborhood residents walking dogs, jogging, and commuting with minimal traffic.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Calm and safe with quiet streets and routine residential deliveries.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Pleasant and very secure, though lower lighting means pedestrians should wear reflective gear when walking near roadway curves.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Very dark and quiet due to sparse street lighting, but violent crime risk remains exceptionally low.
Transit, parking and getting around
StarMetro operates bus routes along the perimeter of the neighborhood on Thomasville Road, but no transit runs through the interior residential streets. Tallahassee does not have a passenger rail or BRT system.
Parking is dominated by private driveways, though casual curbside parking on wide residential streets is generally unrestricted and easy; nearby commercial centers provide ample free surface parking.
Things to do in Waverly Hills
- Take a scenic walking or running route along the shaded, rolling canopy roads.
- Visit the adjacent Dorothy B. Oven Park just up Thomasville Road to view seasonal floral gardens and winter light displays.
- Explore the boutique dining, independent shopping, and cafes along the neighboring Thomasville Road corridor.
Local favorites
- Table 23 · Southern Restaurant · 4.6★ (2150)Upscale Southern comfort dining with an expansive outdoor porch set under oak trees.
- Midtown Reader · Bookstore · 4.8★ (430)Beloved independent neighborhood bookstore offering curated titles, author events, and an upstairs cafe.
- Kool Beanz Cafe · Eclectic Restaurant · 4.7★ (1420)Acclaimed local bistro serving an ever-changing, creative menu of fresh regional and international 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.