Is Columbia Park safe?
Landover, Maryland · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Columbia Park as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Columbia Park
“Go with care. Columbia Park is an established, primarily residential suburb in Landover with little to offer traditional visitors in terms of commercial attractions. While daytime neighborhood streets are generally quiet, elevated property crime and localized violent crime along surrounding arterial corridors warrant general situational awareness.”
Prince George's County Police have maintained targeted patrols across Landover corridors to address regional spikes in vehicle thefts and targeted firearm incidents.
About the area
Columbia Park is a mid-century residential neighborhood in Prince George's County featuring single-family brick homes, split-levels, and quiet interior residential loops. Bounded by major transit corridors and light-industrial tracts just east of the D.C. line, it functions primarily as a commuter base rather than a visitor destination.
- Suburban / Residential
- Car-Dependent
- Mid-Century Homes
- Commuter Base
Walking and biking in Columbia Park
Walk score: 42/100 · Bike score: 38/100
There are no Capital Bikeshare docks within Columbia Park and dedicated bike lanes are absent, but the paved Anacostia River Trail network is accessible roughly two miles west in Bladensburg.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Stable single-family homeownership base creates quiet interior residential pockets
- Convenient highway connectivity to US-50, MD-202, and the Capital Beltway (I-495)
- Low pedestrian congestion reduces random daytime street confrontation risks
Cons
- Elevated rates of vehicle theft, car break-ins, and catalytic converter thefts across the Landover sector
- Spillover crime and occasional violent incidents along nearby commercial arterials like Sheriff Road and MD-202
- Scarce pedestrian infrastructure and limited nighttime lighting on residential side streets
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is practically non-existent within the interior single-family residential blocks, though occasional unhoused individuals or panhandling can be observed near commercial plazas and bus transfer stops along MD-202.
What Columbia Park is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and calm as residents commute out, making early walks along interior residential streets feel safe.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Remains quiet with low vehicular traffic, though visitors should remain alert near commercial fringes and transit stops.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Activity drops significantly; staying within well-lit residential zones and securing parked vehicles is advised.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Streets are largely empty and dimly lit; walking alone is discouraged due to elevated risks of opportunistic crime and theft.
Transit, parking and getting around
WMATA Metrorail's Orange Line serves the area via the Cheverly station (approx. 1.5 miles away) and Landover station (approx. 2 miles away), with feeder bus connections provided by TheBus Routes 18 and 22 alongside Metrobus routes on MD-202.
Free curbside street parking is widely available throughout the residential subdivisions, and strip shopping centers along the perimeter offer free open surface parking lots.
Things to do in Columbia Park
- Utilize the athletic fields, playground, and indoor recreation facilities at the Columbia Park Community Center
- Attend sporting events, track meets, or swim at the nearby Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex
- Access outdoor walking paths and kayak launches a short drive west at Bladensburg Waterfront Park
Local favorites
- Horace & Dickies Seafood · Seafood Restaurant · 4.1★ (520)A regional takeout institution known for crispy seasoned fried fish sandwiches and classic soul food sides.
- El Gran Chaparral · Salvadoran Restaurant · 4.3★ (310)A low-key neighborhood eatery dishing out authentic handmade pupusas, tamales, and grilled platters.
- Cameron's Seafood · Seafood Market & Takeout · 4.4★ (850)Popular local counter serving steamed Maryland blue crabs, fried seafood combos, and chowders.
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.