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Is Woodland Acres safe?

Jacksonville, Florida · safety score updated nightly

54out of 100

Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.

VibeLoco rates Woodland Acres as “Caution”.

Gogo's take on Woodland Acres

Go with care. While Woodland Acres is predominantly a modest, working-class residential neighborhood, it experiences higher-than-average rates of property crime and occasional violent incidents relative to suburban Jacksonville. Daytime visits to local parks or commercial corridors are generally fine, but visitors should remain vigilant and avoid walking through unfamiliar residential or commercial corridors late at night.

Local news coverage intermittently reports isolated incidents of property crimes, vehicle theft, and occasional gun-related disputes in the surrounding Greater Arlington area.

About the area

Woodland Acres is an established mid-century neighborhood located in the Arlington area of East Jacksonville. It features single-story ranch homes, winding residential lanes shaded by mature live oaks, and active commercial strips along Atlantic Boulevard and Arlington Road. While primarily a commuter residential enclave, it offers easy access to central Jacksonville and diverse international eateries along its perimeter.

  • Suburban
  • Working-Class
  • Car-Dependent
  • Residential

Walking and biking in Woodland Acres

Walk score: 42/100 · Bike score: 46/100

There are no public bike-share programs or dedicated cycle tracks in Woodland Acres; cycling is mostly limited to painted road shoulders and neighborhood streets without dedicated connections to major multi-use trail networks.

Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice

Pros

  • Convenient commuting access to Downtown Jacksonville and the Southside via the Arlington Expressway (FL-115) and Atlantic Boulevard.
  • Access to public outdoor amenities and community sports facilities at Woodland Acres Park.
  • Rich concentration of diverse, independent international eateries and Latin grocers along bordering corridors.
  • More affordable housing stock compared to the broader Duval County median.

Cons

  • Elevated rates of property crime and vehicle break-ins compared to national and suburban Jacksonville averages.
  • Pockets of economic distress, including higher poverty rates and visible deferred property maintenance.
  • Limited pedestrian infrastructure with absent or discontinuous sidewalks on interior residential streets.

Homelessness: Visible homelessness is moderately noticeable along the major commercial stretch of Atlantic Boulevard, particularly near bus stops, budget motels, and retail plazas, though it is largely absent within the interior residential streets.

What Woodland Acres is like at each time of day

Morning · 5a – 11a
Mornings are generally quiet and safe with school buses and residents commuting out to work.
Afternoon · 11a – 5p
Afternoons are active with commercial traffic and errand-runners; safety is moderate, requiring basic situational awareness.
Evening · 5p – 10p
Activity tapers off in residential pockets after dusk, though caution is warranted around poorly lit commercial plazas.
Late night · 10p – 5a
Late-night foot traffic is not recommended due to reduced visibility and an increased likelihood of opportunistic crime.

Transit, parking and getting around

Public transit is provided by the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), with key bus lines like Route 10 and Route 19 running along Atlantic Boulevard and Arlington Road; there is no passenger rail or BRT service in this neighborhood.

Parking is readily available and completely free throughout the neighborhood via private residential driveways, curbside street parking, and large surface lots fronting commercial strip malls.

Things to do in Woodland Acres

  • Play basketball, tennis, or use the playground at Woodland Acres Park.
  • Sample diverse international food markets and bakeries along Atlantic Boulevard.
  • Access nearby tidal waterways and fishing spots along the Arlington River basin.

Local favorites

  • Vito's Italian Restaurant · Italian Restaurant · 4.4★ (680)
    Long-running neighborhood staple serving classic pasta dishes, subs, and New York-style pizza.
  • Chubby's Wings · Chicken Wings Restaurant · 4.3★ (820)
    Casual local eatery renowned for traditional and boneless wings with dozens of proprietary sauces.
  • Taqueria Mixteca · Mexican Restaurant · 4.5★ (310)
    No-frills counter-serve spot dishing out authentic street tacos, tortas, and burritos.

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.