Memphis has this pull. You’ve got your blues clubs on Beale Street, your barbecue smoke hanging heavy over Midtown, and enough cultural history to make any visitor’s head spin. But here’s what doesn’t make the tourism brochures: certain parts of this city demand a completely different kind of street smarts.
You’re not going to find sugar-coated advice here. Memphis ranks among the highest crime rates in America, and that’s not just some abstract statistic—that’s somebody’s stolen car, somebody’s afternoon mugging, somebody’s broken window at 2 AM. The numbers tell a story that matters if you’re visiting, relocating, or even just driving through after dark.
Let’s talk honestly about the neighborhoods and spots where your personal safety takes a real hit, and what you can actually do about it.
Places to Avoid in Memphis, TN
Memphis is making progress (crime dropped to a 25-year low across major categories in 2025), but certain areas still carry risks you need to understand. Here’s your practical guide to staying safe.
1. Parkway Village-Oakhaven
This neighborhood consistently ranks as one of Memphis’s most challenging areas. With over 3,400 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, Parkway Village-Oakhaven doesn’t just edge past safe—it blows right through any comfortable margin. Property crimes hover around 7,000 per 100,000 people, which means your chances of experiencing theft, burglary, or vehicle break-ins are uncomfortably high.
What makes this area particularly tricky is how ordinary it looks during daylight hours. You’ll see regular homes, corner stores, kids playing basketball in driveways. Then evening rolls around and the atmosphere shifts. Aggravated assaults spike here more than almost anywhere else in the city, and that’s not the kind of statistic you can ignore when you’re deciding where to grab dinner or book an Airbnb.
If you’re house hunting and a realtor steers you this direction because of “affordability,” pump the brakes. The median home value sits around $74,000 for a reason, and those savings evaporate fast when you’re dealing with car break-ins, insurance premiums that make you wince, and the constant background anxiety of whether your porch package will still be there when you get home. Burglaries remain common throughout the neighborhood, especially targeting detached garages and sheds that homeowners forget to secure properly.
2. Frayser
North Memphis’s Frayser neighborhood carries a reputation that precedes it. Recent data shows crime rates have started declining here (down 2.7% in 2024), but you’re still looking at one of the city’s most challenging zip codes. The violent crime rate hovers around 3,000 per 100,000 residents, and property crimes aren’t far behind.
Here’s what strikes me about Frayser: it’s massive. Tens of thousands of people call this place home, and painting everyone with the same brush misses the point entirely. You’ve got hardworking families, longtime residents who’ve watched their neighborhood change, and community leaders genuinely trying to turn things around. But you’ve also got concentrated poverty, limited job opportunities, and all the crime that follows when people feel like they’ve run out of options.
The Memphis Police Department increased patrols here and launched targeted intervention programs. Community watch groups have expanded rapidly, with neighbors looking out for each other in ways that actually make a difference. Still, walking alone after dark remains inadvisable, and leaving your car unattended—even for “just a minute”—invites trouble. Vehicle theft remains a persistent problem, particularly with older Hyundai and Kia models that have become popular targets thanks to viral social media videos showing how to steal them.
3. Downtown Memphis After Dark
This one’s complicated because Downtown Memphis isn’t universally dangerous. Beale Street during peak tourist hours? Packed with people, decent police presence, and generally manageable. But once the crowds thin and the street performers pack up their amps, Downtown transforms into something altogether different.
Crime rates in Downtown Memphis hit roughly 3,000 incidents per 100,000 residents, and that number includes a concerning mix of robberies, assaults, and property crimes. The issue isn’t that every block is a war zone—it’s that the safe zones and sketchy zones sit right next to each other, separated by maybe fifty yards and a whole lot of bad lighting. You might leave a restaurant on Main Street feeling fine, take a wrong turn, and suddenly find yourself in an area where the streetlights are out, and nobody else is walking.
Smart visitors stick to well-lit, populated areas after sunset. Park in monitored lots rather than empty side streets. Don’t wander off exploring after you’ve had a few drinks at a blues club. The drop in crime (down 26.6% in 2024) shows improvement, but Downtown still demands situational awareness that shouldn’t feel this necessary in a major city’s core.
4. Whitehaven
South Memphis’s Whitehaven section carries crime numbers that should make anyone pause. We’re talking about violent crime rates exceeding 2,500 per 100,000 people, with property crimes pushing past 5,800 per 100,000. That translates to real risk every single day—not just late at night, not just in hidden corners, but across the neighborhood at various hours.
Whitehaven spans a huge area, which means some pockets are safer than others. But overall, this neighborhood struggles with persistent issues: gang activity, drug trade that feeds violence, and economic conditions that keep people trapped in cycles they can’t easily escape. Burglaries remain common, particularly in residential areas where homeowners might leave windows unlocked or garages open during the day.
Recent improvements (crime down 14.5% in 2024) suggest things are moving in a positive direction. Federal task forces have recovered illegal firearms here, and community policing efforts have started to bear fruit. If you’re considering a short-term stay or investment property in Whitehaven, dig deep into which specific streets and blocks you’re looking at. A few blocks can make the difference between “manageable with precautions” and “absolutely not worth the risk.”
5. Berclair-Highland Heights
This Northeast Memphis neighborhood doesn’t grab headlines like Frayser or Parkway Village, but the numbers tell their own story. With violent crimes around 3,000 per 100,000 residents and property crimes near 7,000 per 100,000, Berclair-Highland Heights ranks solidly among areas where your personal safety takes a hit.
What bothers me about this neighborhood is how it catches people off guard. You’re driving through, things look relatively normal, and then you check the crime stats and realize you’re in one of the city’s higher-risk zones. Aggravated assault is the primary concern here, making up the bulk of violent incidents. These aren’t random acts—they’re often tied to disputes between people who know each other, drug trade conflicts, or domestic situations that spiral out of control.
The median home value bottoms out around $61,000, reflecting market realities that buyers should heed. If a property seems impossibly cheap, there’s usually a reason. Your insurance costs will climb. Your resale options narrow. And most importantly, your daily stress level increases when you’re constantly checking your car, watching your surroundings, and second-guessing whether it’s safe to take an evening walk around your own block.
6. Certain Stretches of Poplar Avenue
Poplar Avenue cuts across Memphis like a main artery, and not every section carries the same risk profile. But specific stretches—particularly in less-developed areas away from commercial centers—have become hotspots for property crime that directly impacts drivers and pedestrians.
Retailers near Poplar added license plate readers in March 2025 after package theft, and larceny spiked during the previous holiday season. That tells you something important: even businesses with security measures in place struggle to prevent theft in these areas. Smash-and-grab incidents remain common, especially in parking lots where thieves can spot valuables left visible in cars.
Your best defense along Poplar Avenue is basic awareness. Never leave anything visible in your car—not your phone charger, not your sunglasses, not that empty shopping bag that makes thieves think there’s more inside. Lock your doors while driving, especially at stoplights in less-populated stretches. If you’re visiting shops or restaurants along Poplar, choose well-lit parking spots near the entrance, and don’t linger in your car checking your phone before heading inside. Criminals watch for exactly that moment of distraction.
7. Raleigh After Dark
Raleigh occupies a middle ground in Memphis’s crime statistics—not the absolute worst, but far from safe. With violent crimes around 2,000 per 100,000 residents and property crimes exceeding 5,400 per 100,000, this area demands caution, particularly after sunset.
What’s notable about Raleigh is the improvement trajectory. Crime dropped 15% in recent reporting periods, with particularly steep declines in robberies, burglaries, and sexual assaults. That progress matters and reflects genuine community effort plus increased police presence. Still, “better than before” doesn’t equal “actually safe,” and you need to treat Raleigh accordingly.
If you’re driving through Raleigh after dark, keep your windows up and doors locked. Don’t stop for strangers flagging you down. If you’re staying in the area, invest in good security measures: doorbell cameras, motion-sensor lights, visible deterrents that make criminals choose easier targets. Community watch programs have expanded here, and joining one (or at least connecting with neighbors who participate) provides both practical security and valuable local knowledge about which blocks to avoid.
8. Lamar Avenue Corridor
Lamar Avenue runs through several neighborhoods with varying safety levels, but certain sections have become known for persistent crime that affects both residents and businesses. Theft remains the dominant issue here—everything from shoplifting to vehicle break-ins to more aggressive robbery attempts.
Package theft along the Lamar corridor has become particularly problematic. Drivers follow delivery trucks, waiting for packages to be dropped on porches, then swooping in minutes after the delivery person leaves. If you live or stay anywhere along Lamar, never let packages sit outside. Use secure lockboxes, require signatures for deliveries, or have items sent to your workplace instead.
The corridor also sees regular vehicle thefts, with criminals specifically targeting older model cars that lack modern anti-theft technology. If you’re driving through this area, don’t make yourself a target. Keep your doors locked, avoid stopping in poorly-lit areas, and if something feels off, trust that instinct and keep moving. Your gut reaction to danger often picks up on cues your conscious mind misses.
9. Hickory Hill’s Vulnerable Spots
Hickory Hill once enjoyed a reputation as a solid middle-class neighborhood, but economic shifts and demographic changes have altered the safety landscape significantly. Today, violent crimes sit around 1,800 per 100,000 residents, with property crimes exceeding 4,100 per 100,000—numbers that demand realistic assessment rather than nostalgia for what used to be.
Certain pockets within Hickory Hill maintain better safety profiles than others. The key is knowing which blocks have active community engagement and which ones have been left behind. Shopping centers and commercial areas see regular theft and occasional robberies, particularly in parking lots where criminals can strike quickly and disappear into traffic.
If you’re apartment hunting in Hickory Hill because the rent looks reasonable, spend time actually visiting at different hours. Drive through the specific blocks you’re considering, not just during the sunny afternoon showing but also during evening hours when you’d actually be coming home from work. Talk to current residents. Check crime maps for the exact address rather than just the general area. Small distances matter enormously in terms of safety.
10. Isolated Areas Near the Mississippi River
Memphis’s riverfront includes beautiful parks and developed attractions that draw crowds safely. But venture into less-populated stretches—particularly north or south of the main tourist areas—and you’re entering territory with limited visibility, minimal foot traffic, and serious personal safety concerns.
These isolated pockets become particularly dangerous after dark. Poor lighting combines with natural cover from trees and vegetation to create situations where you can’t see potential threats until you’re already too close. Criminal activity in these areas often involves people who specifically choose remote locations to avoid witnesses.
If you’re jogging, cycling, or walking near the river, stick to well-maintained paths during daylight hours when other people are around. Never venture into isolated areas alone, regardless of how safe you feel or how much you want that perfect sunset photo. The risk simply isn’t worth it. Memphis offers plenty of beautiful, safer spots to enjoy the river—choose those instead.
Wrapping Up
Memphis is working on its crime problems, and the 25-year low in major crime categories proves that progress is possible. But numbers on a chart don’t erase risk from specific neighborhoods that still struggle with violence, theft, and economic desperation that fuels both.
Your safety in Memphis comes down to awareness, preparation, and honest assessment of where you’re going and when. Avoid the neighborhoods and areas outlined here, especially after dark. Lock your car doors. Don’t leave valuables visible. Trust your instincts when something feels wrong.
Memphis has incredible culture, food, and music worth experiencing. Just make sure you experience it smartly, in areas where your biggest concern is which barbecue joint to hit next—not whether you’ll make it back to your hotel safely.
