Moving to Portsmouth? (Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake: apartment complexes, rental, low crime)

[maddisgrl85]

I'm wondering what the crime is like..cause we are considering moving to harbor square apartments in Portsmouth and we are wondering if there is anything we should know about before we do cause we have a child..And want safety for her.

[SixtySix]

I registered on this forum just to respond to this question. A little background on me: I used to be a cop in Portsmouth, so I am intimately familiar with the crime problems of the city.

Portsmouth is the highest crime city in Virginia, per capita. The neighborhood you are looking at is in what I would consider the worst area in Portsmouth. I cannot overemphasize that you should NOT live there if you are looking for a low crime place to live.

There are a couple decent places in Portsmouth, but that particular area is not what I would call "family friendly".

[JMcQ]

Hi There, My family and I are looking to move to the Old Town area of Portsmouth. What about this area on crime? I am looking in the neighborhood, Port Norfolk and Northside. I am not familiar,at all, with these areas except for what I see online. I do have two small children as well and want a place that is best for them also! Any opinion would be appreciated!

[SixtySix]

The problem with living in that area (and really, Portsmouth in general outside of Churchland) is that you can go from half million dollar houses to the ghetto in about five blocks.

I've attached a map and circled the areas that I would consider moving to if by some cosmic event I was compelled to live in Portsmouth. At the top left of the map, you'll see a bridge (Rt 17) that goes out to Churchland, which is like Portsmouth's suburbs. Churchland still has some bad neighborhoods, but not as bad as the rest of Portsmouth.

JMcQ, are you looking to buy or rent? You can get decent homes in Portsmouth in nice neighborhoods, but there are really only one or two apartment complexes that I would consider worthwhile.

[Wynternight]

I worked EMS in Portsmouth and can say, without reservation, that I would not live in Portsmouth. As SixtySix said you can go from very high priced homes to projects in blocks, and the people who live in the projects have no compunctions of going to the nicer neighborhoods for mischief. Live in Chesapeake or Virginia Beach and work in Portsmouth (if you have to).

[PBP Human Resources]

I am relocating to Virginia and need any referrals on rental housing in Isle of Wight County. Let me know anything positive. Thank You!

[Soon2BTXN]

I do not have any referrals but there is a good mom and pop carry out in the heart of the projects if you are willing to risk your life for good food . It is Mama Chans. When I was in college and feeling invincible we would drive to "P-Town" for their beef egg foo young.

The advice given to you in this post is very accurate.

[JMcQ]

Thank you all for your imput! I have found the spotcrime.com site and that has also been very informative to which areas are worse than others also. I will continue to do research. Luckily we will get a chance to visit the area before we make a purchase. Norfolk area will probably be better for us considering, I hear the traffic is pretty bad, my husband will be working close to the airport.

[pwoodruff]

Portsmouth is just like any other city it has its bad areas. I would lean more toward Churchland if you have to move to portsmouth. Virginia Beach was just removed from one of America's safest cities. So I would go more toward Chesapeake or Suffolk. I hope this helps!

[Wynternight]

Originally Posted by JMcQ

Thank you all for your imput! I have found the spotcrime.com site and that has also been very informative to which areas are worse than others also. I will continue to do research. Luckily we will get a chance to visit the area before we make a purchase. Norfolk area will probably be better for us considering, I hear the traffic is pretty bad, my husband will be working close to the airport.

Norfolk, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach: pretty easy to get to the airport from any of those cities. You'll always have the 64 and 264 traffic but at least none of the tunnel crap. The Midtown and Downtown tunnels can try the patience of the most serene of people. Midtown tunnel traffic backed up to 21st is bad, Midtown tunnel backed up to ODU is a nightmare of epic proportions.