Is Beltsville safe?
Beltsville, Maryland · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Beltsville as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Beltsville
“Go with care. Beltsville is a functional, largely safe suburban and light-industrial community anchored by federal research facilities and established residential subdivisions. While commercial corridors along Route 1 experience standard suburban property crime, residential areas and agricultural parklands are generally quiet and secure.”
About the area
Beltsville is an unincorporated community in northern Prince George's County, Maryland, widely known for hosting the expansive USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. It features a mix of quiet mid-century neighborhoods, active shopping centers, distribution hubs, and multinational dining options.
- Suburban Commercial
- Car-Dependent
- Diverse Dining
- Research Hub
Walking and biking in Beltsville
Walk score: 42/100 · Bike score: 38/100
On-street bike infrastructure is limited along major corridors like Route 1, but cyclists have convenient access to the paved Indian Creek Trail network leading south toward College Park and Lake Artemesia.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Stable economic profile with a median household income exceeding $90,000
- Home to major federal installations including the USDA Agricultural Research Service and National Agricultural Library
- Rich array of authentic multicultural eateries along the Baltimore Avenue corridor
- Significantly lower violent crime rates compared to closer-in Prince George's County hubs
Cons
- Property crime, notably vehicle break-ins and commercial retail theft, along the US Route 1 corridor
- Car-dependent layout with heavy commercial truck traffic on industrial arterials
- Spotty pedestrian and street-lighting infrastructure outside master-planned subdivisions
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is low to moderate, with occasional panhandling concentrated around major highway intersections, gas stations, and bus stops along Route 1.
What Beltsville is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and safe, with steady commuter traffic toward local research campuses, industrial parks, and the Beltway.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Busy commercial corridors along Route 1 with steady retail and restaurant patrons and minimal safety concerns.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet in residential neighborhoods, though darker stretches along industrial avenues warrant standard situational awareness.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Desolate on commercial and industrial strips with minimal foot traffic; standard precautions against property crime apply in retail parking lots.
Transit, parking and getting around
Served by Prince George's County 'TheBus' (Route 17) and WMATA Metrobus routes (86, 89M, C2), with regional rail access provided by the MARC Camden Line at the nearby Muirkirk Station and the Greenbelt Metro/MARC station to the south.
Parking is abundant and largely free across Beltsville, consisting of expansive strip mall surface lots, office center garages, and residential street parking with no metered zones.
Things to do in Beltsville
- Tour the collections and agricultural research exhibits at the National Agricultural Library
- Shop for fresh local produce and seasonal plants at Spicknall's Farm Market
- Explore the walking and biking paths connected to the nearby Indian Creek Trail system
Local favorites
- Sardi's Pollo A La Brasa · Peruvian Restaurant · 4.4★ (3150)A regional institution famous for charcoal-rotisserie chicken, fried yucca, and Peruvian sides.
- Spicknall's Farm Market · Produce Market · 4.6★ (510)Longstanding, family-operated farm market offering seasonal fruits, vegetables, pies, and flowers.
- Three Brothers Italian Restaurant · Italian Restaurant · 4.2★ (640)Casual neighborhood staple serving classic thin-crust pizza, subs, and traditional pasta dishes.
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.