Is Buckingham safe?
Arlington, Virginia · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Buckingham as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Buckingham
“Go. Buckingham is a safe, established, and welcoming neighborhood in Arlington known for its historic garden apartments and diverse dining scene. Visitors can comfortably explore local eateries, parks, and residential streets day or night with standard situational awareness.”
About the area
Buckingham is a historic, mid-20th-century planned garden-apartment community in central Arlington characterized by red-brick low-rises and tree-lined streets. It offers a relaxed residential feel alongside a vibrant corridor of international restaurants and shops along North Glebe Road and Pershing Drive, just south of Ballston.
- Historic / Tree-Lined
- Diverse Dining
- Residential
- Peaceful
Walking and biking in Buckingham
Walk score: 84/100 · Bike score: 78/100
Several Capital Bikeshare docks serve the neighborhood, providing straightforward connections to the nearby Custis Trail and Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail network.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Violent crime rates are exceptionally low, consistent with Arlington County's strong public safety benchmarks.
- High local health insurance coverage, strong public municipal services, and economic stability.
- Excellent variety of authentic international dining options within easy walking distance.
- Quiet, pedestrian-friendly interior residential streets with mature tree cover.
Cons
- Occasional opportunistic property crimes such as vehicle break-ins and bicycle thefts.
- High-speed, heavy vehicular traffic along border arterials like Arlington Boulevard (Route 50) and North Glebe Road.
- Permit-restricted and congested street parking on residential apartment blocks.
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is minimal in Buckingham, though individuals occasionally panhandle near busy retail strip entrances along North Glebe Road.
What Buckingham is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and safe, with locals walking dogs, jogging, and catching buses along Pershing Drive and Glebe Road.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Active and pleasant as shoppers, families, and diners frequent the local plazas and nearby park facilities.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Warm and bustling around neighborhood eateries with steady pedestrian foot traffic and a secure ambiance.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Quiet and largely sleepy; well-lit on main avenues, with low crime risks typical of suburban Arlington.
Transit, parking and getting around
Public transit is operated by Arlington Transit (ART, routes 41 and 75) and WMATA Metrobus, providing quick links to the Ballston-MU Metrorail station (Orange and Silver lines), located roughly 0.8 miles to the north.
Residential street parking largely requires Arlington County residential permits and fills quickly; visitors should use dedicated customer surface parking lots at local shopping plazas along Glebe Road.
Things to do in Buckingham
- Sample regional international cuisines along the North Glebe Road dining corridor.
- Walk the architectural paths of historic Buckingham Village, an early example of large-scale garden apartment planning.
- Visit the adjacent Lubber Run Community Center and park for trails, playgrounds, and an outdoor amphitheater.
Local favorites
- Ravi Kabob House · Pakistani Restaurant · 4.4★ (1250)Renowned local staple serving robustly spiced kebabs, karahi dishes, and fresh tandoori bread in an unpretentious setting.
- El Charrito Caminante · Mexican / Salvadoran Restaurant · 4.6★ (560)Cozy, enduring eatery famed for authentic tacos, pupusas, and hearty Latin American specialties.
- Layalina Restaurant · Middle Eastern Restaurant · 4.4★ (620)Long-running spot serving refined Lebanese and Syrian dishes alongside fresh mezze.
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.