Is Berwyn Heights safe?
College Park, Maryland · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Berwyn Heights as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Berwyn Heights
“Go. Berwyn Heights is a tranquil, established residential enclave with its own dedicated town police force and exceptionally low violent crime rates. Visitors will find safe, leafy streets and seamless access to regional trails and parkland.”
About the area
Berwyn Heights is an incorporated suburban town situated between College Park and Greenbelt in Prince George's County. Dominated by single-family homes, mature tree canopies, and local parks, it offers a peaceful residential feel while remaining minutes from the University of Maryland campus.
- Quiet Suburban
- Family-Friendly
- Tree-Lined
- Parks & Trails
Walking and biking in Berwyn Heights
Walk score: 48/100 · Bike score: 72/100
The town offers exceptional cycling access via direct trailheads to the Indian Creek Trail and the Anacostia River Trail network; Capital Bikeshare docking stations are accessible in adjacent College Park.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Dedicated town police department providing responsive, community-oriented patrols.
- Low violent crime rates and an established, high-homeownership residential base.
- Direct, paved trail connections to Lake Artemesia Natural Area and regional greenways.
Cons
- Occasional opportunistic theft from vehicles and property trespass.
- Minimal commercial and dining options within the residential core.
- Incomplete sidewalk infrastructure along certain interior residential side streets.
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is not a notable presence within the residential streets of Berwyn Heights, with only occasional individuals encountered along major commercial retail strips on Greenbelt Road.
What Berwyn Heights is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and active with dog walkers, joggers, and residents heading to nearby employment centers.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Very calm residential atmosphere with neighborhood children at local parks and minimal through-traffic.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet and safe for strolling, though street lighting can be soft on secondary residential blocks.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Subdued with negligible pedestrian activity; generally very safe, though standard suburban awareness is advised.
Transit, parking and getting around
Public transit is operated by WMATA Metrobus (routes 83 and G14) and Prince George's County TheBus. The Greenbelt and College Park-U of Md Metro/MARC rail stations are each roughly a 5-to-10-minute drive or short bus connection away.
Curbside residential street parking is abundant, though select town streets require municipal resident parking permits. Free public parking lots are located at the Town Center and Sports Park.
Things to do in Berwyn Heights
- Walk or birdwatch around the scenic trails and aquatic gardens of Lake Artemesia Natural Area.
- Ride bicycles along the Indian Creek Trail heading toward the wider Anacostia Tributary Trail System.
- Spend an afternoon enjoying the athletic fields and playground facilities at Sports Park.
Local favorites
- El Gran Chaparral · Salvadoran & Mexican Restaurant · 4.1★ (320)Laid-back neighborhood staple offering traditional pupusas, platters, and authentic Central American fare.
- Spizzico Italian Kitchen · Italian Restaurant · 4.3★ (540)Casual nearby favorite specializing in thin-crust pizzas, pasta classics, and hot sandwiches.
- Dumpling Hot Pot & BBQ · Hot Pot Restaurant · 4.4★ (410)Popular dining option nearby on Greenbelt Road serving all-you-can-eat Asian hot pot and grilled skewers.
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.