Is Charlestown Lakes safe?
Virginia Beach, Virginia · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Charlestown Lakes as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Charlestown Lakes
“Go. Charlestown Lakes is a quiet, stable suburban community in Virginia Beach that presents minimal safety concerns for visitors. It is predominantly residential with well-maintained properties, though visitors should take standard precautions regarding vehicle property theft.”
About the area
Charlestown Lakes is an established suburban development in southwest Virginia Beach characterized by single-family homes, townhouses, and scenic retention ponds. It serves primarily as a peaceful residential bedroom community situated between the Kempsville and Centerville commercial districts.
- Suburban
- Quiet
- Family-Friendly
- Residential
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Charlestown Lakes
Walk score: 32/100 · Bike score: 42/100
Interior neighborhood streets are low-stress for cycling, though there are no dedicated bike lanes or municipal bike-share stations connecting to regional trails.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Violent crime rates are significantly lower than regional and national metropolitan averages.
- High rate of owner-occupied housing contributes to neighborhood stability and neighborhood watch cohesion.
- Above-average household income levels and low overall poverty within the census tract.
Cons
- Occasional opportunistic property crimes, including package theft and unlocked vehicle break-ins.
- Car-dependent subdivision design with limited pedestrian connectivity to surrounding services.
- Limited street lighting along some interior residential loops and around pond pathways.
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is not a notable presence within the residential streets of Charlestown Lakes, with occasional panhandling limited to major intersections on Indian River Road.
What Charlestown Lakes is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Very calm and safe, with residents walking dogs and joggers circling the neighborhood streets.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Quiet suburban atmosphere with low traffic and safe conditions for walking.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Peaceful residential winding down; standard visibility under suburban streetlights.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Extremely quiet and dark with virtually no pedestrian traffic, maintaining a safe baseline.
Transit, parking and getting around
Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) operates bus routes along the perimeter corridors, such as Route 12 on Indian River Road, though there is no direct rail or rapid transit service nearby.
Curbside residential street parking is free and plentiful, and most homes feature private driveways.
Things to do in Charlestown Lakes
- Take a stroll along the neighborhood lake loops and residential greenbelts.
- Visit the nearby Kempsville Recreation Center for indoor swimming, fitness classes, and pickleball.
- Tour the manicured Georgian architecture and grounds at the nearby Regent University campus.
Local favorites
- Judy's Sichuan Cuisine · Sichuan Restaurant · 4.4★ (1250)Authentic and spicy Sichuan specialties served in a popular, unpretentious dining room nearby.
- Ynot Italian · Italian Restaurant · 4.3★ (980)Local regional chain serving New York-style pizza, pasta dishes, and homemade gelato.
- Brother's Pizza · Pizzeria · 4.6★ (510)Casual neighborhood pizzeria offering hearty pies, calzones, and classic hot subs.
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.