Is Fort Totten / Lamond-Riggs safe?
Washington, Washington, D.C. · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Fort Totten / Lamond-Riggs as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Fort Totten / Lamond-Riggs
“Go with care. Fort Totten and Lamond-Riggs constitute a peaceful, largely middle-class residential pocket anchored by a major transit hub. While residential streets are generally safe, visitors should maintain awareness of typical urban property crime and stay alert around the Metro station bus bays after dark.”
Transit safety enhancements and the continued multi-phase construction of the Art Place at Fort Totten development have shaped recent neighborhood changes.
About the area
Located in Upper Northeast D.C., Fort Totten and Lamond-Riggs offer a quiet, suburban-feeling mix of brick semi-detached homes, leafy streets, and new mixed-use developments. It functions as both a crucial transit crossroads and a historic green space centered around Civil War defenses.
- Residential
- Transit Hub
- Historic Parklands
- Community-Focused
Walking and biking in Fort Totten / Lamond-Riggs
Walk score: 62/100 · Bike score: 64/100
Capital Bikeshare docks are located at the Fort Totten Metro station and library, connecting riders directly to the northern sections of the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT).
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- High rate of long-term homeownership providing neighborhood stability
- Direct access to both the Red and Green Metro lines via Fort Totten Station
- Substantial green space and historic trails at Fort Totten Park
Cons
- Elevated risk of vehicle break-ins and property crime near transit lots and major thoroughfares
- Noticeable drop in foot traffic after commuting hours outside residential blocks
- Isolated commercial strips along industrial corridors bordering the train tracks
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is low across residential streets, with occasional individuals seeking shelter or resting around the Fort Totten Metro bus plaza and surrounding wooded buffers.
What Fort Totten / Lamond-Riggs is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Active and generally very safe as commuters gather at the Metro station and local bus transfer loops.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Quiet and calm throughout the residential blocks with steady vehicle traffic along Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Commuters filter back through the transit hubs; residential streets become very quiet and require standard caution.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Foot traffic diminishes sharply, making unlit park edges and industrial rail corridors areas to avoid walking alone.
Transit, parking and getting around
WMATA provides extensive service via the Fort Totten Metro Station (Red and Green lines), supported by major Metrobus routes including the E2, E4, F6, K6, and R10.
Residential street parking throughout Lamond-Riggs is widely available and typically unrestricted, while the Fort Totten Metro offers paid commuter parking in a structured garage and surface lot.
Things to do in Fort Totten / Lamond-Riggs
- Walk the forested trails and explore Civil War earthworks at Fort Totten Park
- Browse books or attend community events at the modern Lamond-Riggs / Lillian J. Huff Library
- Sample local craft beers and attend trivia nights at neighborhood taprooms near the industrial edge
Local favorites
- Hellbender Brewing Company · Brewery · 4.7★ (460)An eco-conscious local craft brewery featuring a welcoming tasting room, rotating food trucks, and fresh pints.
- Culture Coffee Too · Coffee Shop & Cafe · 4.6★ (290)A vibrant community coffeehouse serving espresso drinks, breakfast sandwiches, and hosting local art showcases.
- Tropicana Eatery · Caribbean Restaurant · 4.4★ (310)A casual counter-service destination known for generous portions of jerk chicken, oxtail, and plantains.
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.