Is Arlington Forest safe?
Arlington, Virginia · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Arlington Forest as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Arlington Forest
“Go. Arlington Forest is one of Northern Virginia's most peaceful and secure residential neighborhoods, boasting exceptionally low violent crime rates and an engaged, tight-knit community. Visitors can explore the wooded trails and quiet streets with total confidence during all daylight and evening hours.”
About the area
Arlington Forest is an idyllic, leafy historic district characterized by picturesque 1940s brick colonials and rolling topography. Bordered by the lush Lubber Run parkland and Arlington Boulevard, it offers a tranquil suburban retreat just minutes from the bustling corridors of Ballston and Washington, D.C.
- Historic / Tree-Lined
- Family-Friendly
- Quiet / Residential
- Park-Adjacent
Walking and biking in Arlington Forest
Walk score: 52/100 · Bike score: 68/100
Capital Bikeshare stations are located at Lubber Run Community Center and along Route 50, providing direct linkage to the Lubber Run Trail and nearby Custis and W&OD multi-use trails.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Violent crime and property crime rates are well below state and national averages.
- Very affluent community with median household incomes exceeding $160,000 and minimal poverty.
- Immediate access to the expansive green spaces, trails, and modern facilities of Lubber Run Park.
- Highly maintained housing stock with exceptionally low residential vacancy rates.
Cons
- Primarily residential with very limited retail, dining, or entertainment directly within the neighborhood borders.
- Heavy commuter traffic and noise along peripheral arteries like Route 50 (Arlington Boulevard).
- Car-dependent for most errands due to hillier terrain and limited interior commercial zoning.
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is practically non-existent within Arlington Forest, with no encampments or panhandling present in the residential interior or adjacent park trails.
What Arlington Forest is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and active with joggers, dog walkers, and neighbors heading to nearby schools or commuting.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Calm and quiet with families enjoying the playgrounds and shaded multi-use trails at Lubber Run.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet residential ambiance where streets remain very safe for evening strolls under residential streetlights.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Extremely dark and tranquil with virtually no pedestrian or vehicular traffic, remaining very safe.
Transit, parking and getting around
Arlington Transit (ART) bus routes 41 and 75 serve the neighborhood edges, and WMATA Metrobus routes run along Arlington Blvd; the Ballston-MU Metrorail station (Orange/Silver lines) is roughly 1.5 miles away.
Residential street parking is readily available and generally unrestricted throughout the interior streets, while park and community center lots offer free temporary visitor parking.
Things to do in Arlington Forest
- Catch an outdoor summer concert or theater performance at the Lubber Run Amphitheater.
- Hike, jog, or picnic through the nature trails connecting along Lubber Run Park.
- Take a self-guided architectural walking tour through the neighborhood's designated National Historic District streets.
Local favorites
- Lubber Run Community Center · Recreation Center · 4.8★ (165)A state-of-the-art net-zero community hub featuring indoor sports courts, fitness rooms, and community programming.
- Brick's Pizza · Pizza Restaurant · 4.4★ (310)A local neighborhood staple serving classic thin-crust and specialty pizzas, calzones, and grinders.
- Pupatella · Neapolitan Pizzeria · 4.6★ (2850)Famed nearby pizzeria on Wilson Boulevard serving authentic wood-fired Neapolitan pies with imported ingredients.
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.