Is Brookhaven Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Updated On May 1, 2022
Brookhaven, United States
Safety Index:
71
* Based on Research & Crime Data
User Sentiment:
100
* Rated 100 / 100 based on 2 user reviews.

A decade ago I couldn’t have told you a thing about Brookhaven, because it didn’t exist.

The city was incorporated in 2012 and now is one of the best places to live in the Atlanta metro area.

Located inside the northeast corner of the I-285 loop known as the Perimeter, it’s sandwiched by I-85 at the southern edge.

That means great highway access but not too much highway noise inside the city.

This is a community where you could just (safely) drive around all day and look at the beautiful Southern homes.

There are distinct neighborhoods here to experience a slice of charm at every turn:

  • Murphy Candler – For outdoor enthusiasts
  • Blackburn Park – For fitness enthusiasts
  • Dresden – For relaxing with retail or cocktail therapy
  • Buford Highway – For foodies
  • Town Brookhaven – For artsy types & families

This city is not to be confused with Historic Brookhaven, which is a neighborhood association that is half in Brookhaven and half in the city of Atlanta.

To make it even more confusing, some locations in Brookhaven have an Atlanta address while others have Brookhaven addresses.

The great thing about Brookhaven is the charm at every corner, from the idyllic outdoor spaces to the quintessential Southern hospitality.

It’s also one of the safest cities you can visit inside the Perimeter.

To be clear, this Brookehaven has nothing to do with the popular city in the game, Roblox.

However, if it’s going to make your children more excited to visit – you can stretch the truth a little bit.

Warnings & Dangers in Brookhaven

Overall Risk

OVERALL RISK: LOW

There's a low overall risk. There are some hot topics to discuss when it comes to crime here, but overall, you can have a safe visit by following some simple safety steps. Remember as we go through this - Brookhaven is part of the city of Atlanta, so the numbers are going to be higher than suburbs outside the perimeter.

Transport & Taxis Risk

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

Brookhaven is on the MARTA bus gold line, so it's easy to travel throughout the metro area. You can get a taxi or rideshare in town, but having a car (or a bicycle) will be a nice way to see the city on your own terms. There's a low risk for the most part, but 36% of the violent crimes that happened in 2020 were in a parking lot or garage. Just use extra caution there.

Pickpockets Risk

PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW

There's a low risk. Two pickpockets were reported in 2020. No purse snatchings were reported.

Natural Disasters Risk

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

A medium-risk exists in Brookhaven and throughout the Atlanta area because of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. While these can happen throughout the year, the prime season is spring. If you don't live in a place that gets tornadoes, check out the emergency management section of the Brookhaven website.

Mugging Risk

MUGGING RISK: LOW

Less than 20% of the robberies happened in public spaces, so there's a low risk of getting mugged. Those violent crime numbers in the parking lots and garages do concern me, so don't fight back if you are getting mugged. It's not worth risking your life or serious injury.

Terrorism Risk

TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM

There's a medium risk in all of Atlanta because of the sheer population size and the impact an attack would have on travel and communications. Homeland Security pushes the "See Something. Say Something." message hard here.

Scams Risk

SCAMS RISK: LOW

There's a low risk of tourists getting scammed. The scammers are going after the residents who live in half-million-dollar homes nearby.

Women Travelers Risk

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Women should feel safe traveling here, but at MARTA stations or after dark they should use extra caution. This is a more upscale part of town, which means there are nicer places to visit, but there might also be more persistent thieves waiting for someone to let their guard down.

Tap Water Risk

TAP WATER RISK: LOW

The DeKalb County Annual Water Quality Report gives the thumbs up to good quality tap water in Brookhaven. There's a low risk and the water meets all requirements at a state and federal level.

Safest Places to Visit in Brookhaven

Brookhaven is the kind of place where there is a supermarket just for dogs and cats.

That should give you a glimpse of the unique shopping options you’ll only find here.

Town Brookehaven and Dresden are the best neighborhoods to do some local boutique shopping and grab that morning cup of coffee.

Plan your meals by exploring Burford Highway ahead of time.

Driving through one street in one Atlanta neighborhood, you can take an international tour of food.

From croissants to chateaubriand, you can find all price points and energy levels at the restaurants here.

Murphy Candler Park is a huge park inside the city with a pond for fishing and miles of trails around the park limits.

There are playgrounds, tennis courts, and a pool for those hot summer days and tourists are welcome.

Dog lovers will adore Brookhaven Dog Park.

Even if you’re on vacation and missing your doggo, this is a great place to meet people and get information about the community.

If you’re bringing your dog on vacation with you, this is a great place for them to burn energy.

Blackburn Park is where many of the festivals are held after the winter season.

Check local listings to see what events are happening during your stay.

There is a farmer’s market every Saturday morning.

Town Brookhaven is a great place to get a mix of everything mentioned above.

This is the city’s premiere eat/play/work location with shopping, green spaces, dining, and even outdoor yoga.

Places to Avoid in Brookhaven

There’s an increase in crime between Buford Highway & I-85 in Brookhaven.

That is not surprising, as most cities do have more crime along highway roadways and the nearest amenities.

This is also the area that is more retail and commercial oriented, so there are more people.

Don’t try to get into the country club golf course in the Historic Brookhaven neighborhood.

Not only are visitors not allowed, but there are also some would-be members sitting on a two-year waiting list hoping to be recommended by enough people so they can spend $100,000 a year to be a member.

Safety Tips for Traveling to Brookhaven

  1. The Brookhaven Police Department has a crime map available online, so you can search for specific areas to see crime numbers closer to your stay. The map is updated twice a day, so you can’t get better safety data than that!
  2. Sign up for Brookhaven Alerts by Smart911.com so you can get weather and traffic alerts while you’re visiting. You do have to enter an address, so just use the hotel address.
  3. The Peachtree Creek Greenway (PCG) is a great place for a morning run, afternoon hike, or bicycle ride after sunset. The park is open until 11 pm. That might make you worry about safety, but there are security cameras along the trail and LED lighting on the entire path. When completed, it will be 12 miles long. Hotel/motel fees pay for it, so enjoy!
  4. The Brookhaven police have a drone program that is pretty high-tech. As soon as a crime is reported, a drone is sent to the location. The drone is normally overhead before officers can get there, offering a first look at a crime scene from the safest distance. 18 officers work on the drone team in Brookhaven.
  5. Oglethorpe University is in Brookhaven and it has this great gothic architectural appeal. It’s worth taking a walk around campus and very safe to do so. While you’re there, visit the Museum of Art.
  6. You can fish in Brookhaven, but you’ll need a license from the state of Georgia. It is very easy to get online. There are also special rules in the Brookhaven city code that you have to fish with a monofilament line and a single unbarred hook. You can only use natural baits. These strict rules are enforced after a blue heron had its mouth tied shut by a fishing line and a lure with two hooks for nearly a week. The bird didn’t survive.
  7. When you are parking at Town Brookhaven, there are several places to park around the area. There’s also an underground parking garage at Publix there. (And if you haven’t had a chicken strip sandwich from Publix before, swing through the deli and get one. Amazing.)
  8. Visit the Explore Brookhaven website for the events happening at restaurants and parks around town. There are things like ladies’ night, trivia night, food discounts, running buddy groups and so much more. This will help you find activities that are fun and won’t take you off the beaten path to a potentially dangerous neighborhood.
  9. Once you’re outside the idyllic walls of Brookhaven, you are in the center of traffic hell. Brookhaven’s great location is right where Georgia 400 and I-85 meet. Just be prepared to sit in a lot of traffic. People from Atlanta are used to it – but a first-time visitor to the city might be shocked at just how thick traffic can be here.
  10. This is a beautiful outdoor area but you’re going to find a lot of bugs here. Wearing bug spray should just be part of your daily routine and bring some with you to re-apply throughout the day. Peppermint or Lemon Eucalyptus essential oils are also great deterrents.

So... How Safe Is Brookhaven Really?

Brookhaven looks like it should be safer than it really is, but it’s still a very safe place considering it’s inside the Perimeter and close to downtown Atlanta.

There is a one in 248 chance of being a victim of a violent crime here.

The highest number of violent crimes happened in parking garages or lots, and the second-highest came from violent crimes in the home.

Only 18% of the crimes were against strangers.

There is a one in 681 chance of being a victim of a robbery. 18% of robberies were in public places.

It’s worth noting that if a crime starts as a robbery and escalates into an assault, that’s how the crime will be recorded in the public database.

However, there’s no way to track which violent crimes might have started as robberies by looking at the available data.

There’s a one in 50 chance of being a victim of a theft, but you can cut that down to one in 112 if you aren’t driving a car while you’re there.

55% of thefts involved car break-ins.

Brookhaven is a really charming city with the type of crime you’d expect in a nicer area of a large city like Atlanta.

If you’re from a big city, the crime won’t surprise or concern you.

If you’re from a smaller city, hopefully, you are now a little more prepared for the visit.

How Does Brookhaven Compare?

CitySafety Index
Brookhaven71
Los Angeles56
Oakland57
New Orleans57
Baltimore56
Boston67
Washington DC56
Siem Reap (Cambodia)63
Phnom Penh (Cambodia)61
Niagara Falls (Canada)87
Calgary (Canada)82
Buenos Aires (Argentina)60
Vancouver (Canada)82

Useful Information

Visas

Visas

There aren't any Visa requirements in Brookhaven. You will have addressed that when you enter the United States. You will need your passport to check in at the hotel or get alcoholic beverages.

Currency

Currency

You can only use the U.S. Dollar here and if you are flying into ATL you can get your currency exchanged there. You won't need to carry around cash in Brookhaven. The parks are free and the restaurants and shops take credit cards.

Weather

Weather

For the winter months, bring layers of clothing as the temperatures fluctuate throughout the day. You will rarely need a thick winter coat here. Summer is going to be incredibly muggy, especially if you aren't used to humidity. Bring light loose cotton and linen blends to stay cool. There are a lot of outdoor activities in the area, so if you have room, add in some hiking boots.

Airports

Airports

The Atlanta airport is 22 miles away but plan for about an hour to get there if you're traveling around rush hour. The route to the airport is straight through downtown traffic.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance

It's a great idea to have travel insurance for potential flight delays to hotel overbookings to accidents along the way.

Click here to get an offer for travel insurance

Brookhaven Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Jan 7° C
Feb 9° C
Mar 13° C
Apr 17° C
May 22° C
Jun 26° C
Jul 27° C
Aug 27° C
Sep 23° C
Oct 17° C
Nov 12° C
Dec 8° C
Choose Temperature Unit

Average High/Low Temperature

Temperature / MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High
°C
121419232731323228231813
Low
°C
1371116202221181163
High
°F
545766738188909082736455
Low
°F
343745526168727064524337

Georgia - Safety by City

CitySafety Index
Acworth86
Alpharetta86
Athens58
Atlanta58
Augusta86
Brookhaven71
Brunswick51
Cartersville78
Chamblee71
Dalton91
Dunwoody74
East Columbus87
East Point54
Johns Creek91
Kennesaw84
Lawrenceville85
Mableton76
Macon61
Marietta78
McDonough72
Milton87
Newnan75
Peachtree City89
Peachtree Corners72
Perry86
Pooler86
Roswell73
Sandy Springs82
Savannah70
Smyrna74
Snellville51
South Fulton48
Statesboro88
Stockbridge78
Stonecrest53
Suwanee86
Tucker74
Tybee Island82
Valdosta74
Warner Robins68
Woodstock88

Where to Next?

2 Reviews on Brookhaven

  1. F
    Francesca Sanchez says:

    As a frequent traveler, safety is always a top priority for me. I visited Brookhaven last month, and I felt completely at ease throughout my stay. The locals are welcoming, and the town’s low crime rate adds to the overall sense of security. I had a wonderful time exploring the charming streets and taking in the local culture.

  2. Z
    Zoey Rios says:

    Safety is a crucial factor when choosing a travel destination, and I can confidently say that Brookhaven exceeded my expectations. The well-maintained public spaces, friendly locals, and overall sense of community made me feel secure throughout my visit. It’s a hidden gem for those seeking a safe and enjoyable travel experience.

Brookhaven Rated 5 / 5 based on 2 user reviews.

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