Is Berkshire safe?
District Heights, Maryland · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Berkshire as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Berkshire
“Go with care. Berkshire is a quiet mid-century residential enclave within District Heights, but surrounding commercial corridors along Pennsylvania Avenue experience elevated rates of property crime and auto theft. Visiting during the day for personal business or neighborhood gatherings is generally straightforward, though situational awareness is advised at night.”
Prince George's County law enforcement has periodically intensified patrols along the nearby MD-4 corridor to counter regional spikes in auto thefts and retail-adjacent robberies.
About the area
Berkshire is an established, predominantly residential neighborhood in District Heights, Maryland, featuring single-family ramblers, split-levels, and quiet suburban roads. It is situated just outside the Washington, D.C. line near Joint Base Andrews, offering functional access to regional transit routes and local strip malls.
- Suburban
- Residential
- Car-Dependent
- Modest
Walking and biking in Berkshire
Walk score: 42/100 · Bike score: 38/100
There are no Capital Bikeshare stations or dedicated on-street bike lanes in the immediate neighborhood, requiring cyclists to share suburban roads with motor traffic.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Established residential streets with stable homeownership and low internal traffic
- Direct vehicular access to Pennsylvania Avenue (MD-4), I-495 Beltway, and Washington, D.C.
- Proximity to local municipal parks and recreational facilities in District Heights
Cons
- Property crime and vehicle theft rates exceed national averages in the surrounding District Heights area
- Car-dependent layout with sparse immediate dining and retail inside the residential core
- Surrounding retail corridors along major avenues experience occasional violent crime incidents
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is rare along Berkshire's interior residential streets, though panhandling is occasionally present at transit stops and strip mall intersections along Pennsylvania Avenue.
What Berkshire is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and active with residents heading to work and local school commute routines.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Generally calm throughout the residential blocks, though traffic increases on border corridors.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Subdued across neighborhood streets; heightened caution is sensible around nearby shopping center parking lots.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Quiet with very low pedestrian traffic; walking through dark or isolated areas is not recommended due to property crime risks.
Transit, parking and getting around
Public transit is operated by WMATA Metrobus (routes P12 and V14) and Prince George's County TheBus; the nearest rail connection is the Suitland Metrorail Station (Green Line), roughly 2.5 miles southwest.
Residential street parking is readily available and unmetered, while neighborhood strip malls provide ample free surface lot parking.
Things to do in Berkshire
- Enjoy outdoor sports, basketball courts, and track facilities at the District Heights Athletic Center
- Explore community activities and green space at nearby Cedar Hill Park
- Browse regional food markets and local services along the Penn Mar Shopping Center corridor
Local favorites
- District Heights Athletic Center · Recreation & Community Center · 4.4★ (125)Municipal facility offering basketball courts, fitness rooms, and community events.
- Silvestre Chicken · Peruvian Restaurant · 4.2★ (390)Neighborhood favorite serving charcoal-broiled Peruvian rotisserie chicken and classic sides.
- Pollo Campero · Latin American Fast Food · 4.1★ (760)Busy fast-casual chain spot known for flavorful fried and grilled chicken with Latin sides.
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.