Is Franklin Park safe?
Greenbelt, Maryland · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Franklin Park as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Franklin Park
“Go with care. Franklin Park is primarily a large, dense multi-family residential complex where daytime visits to friends or neighborhood amenities are generally routine. However, visitors should remain alert after dark due to higher rates of vehicle theft, property crime, and occasional violent disturbances in the surrounding apartment clusters.”
Local police continue routine patrols and targeted enforcement following periodic reports of auto thefts and weapon-related incidents across dense apartment corridors in West Greenbelt.
About the area
Franklin Park at Greenbelt Station is a sprawling garden-apartment community in Prince George's County, historically known as Springhill Lake. It features modern community centers, sports courts, and playgrounds surrounded by mature trees, positioned just minutes from the Greenbelt Metro station.
- Dense Multifamily
- Suburban Rental Community
- Commuter Hub
Walking and biking in Franklin Park
Walk score: 52/100 · Bike score: 48/100
Dedicated bike infrastructure is limited within the complex, but cyclists can access the Indian Creek Trail and Greenbelt Metro connector paths nearby.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Substantial on-site amenities including swimming pools, dog parks, and multiple community clubhouses
- Direct bus and quick vehicular access to the Greenbelt Metro Station and I-495 Capital Beltway
- Continuous active management and on-site community service programming
Cons
- Elevated rates of motor vehicle theft, package theft, and vandalism compared to surrounding suburban neighborhoods
- 100% rental housing stock with higher resident turnover and below-average area median incomes
- Large parking lots and poorly lit interior courtyard pathways that feel isolated at night
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is minimal within the private residential grounds, though occasional individuals experiencing homelessness or panhandlers may be seen along the perimeter near Greenbelt Road and Beltway Plaza.
What Franklin Park is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Active and orderly with commuters heading to transit and children waiting for school buses.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Generally quiet residential atmosphere with maintenance staff and residents moving about the central clubhouses.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Foot traffic picks up as residents return home; basic situational awareness is recommended in communal corridors.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Quiet but isolated, with a heightened risk of property crime and vehicle break-ins in dark parking lots.
Transit, parking and getting around
WMATA Metrorail and MARC train service is available at Greenbelt Station approximately one mile away, easily accessible via Metrobus routes C2, G14, and R12 as well as Prince George's County TheBus Route 16.
Ample permit-controlled surface lot parking is designated for residents and registered visitors throughout the complexes, with guest passes strictly enforced by towing.
Things to do in Franklin Park
- Walk or jog around the paved trails and recreation fields at the Beltway Plaza / Springhill Lake Recreation Center
- Attend resident events, fitness classes, or workshops at the Franklin Park Community Center
- Explore the nearby Greenbelt National Park trails located just a short drive south
Local favorites
- Beltway Plaza Mall · Shopping Mall · 3.9★ (6450)Nearby long-standing retail center offering diverse grocery markets, specialty stores, and discount retail.
- Three Brothers Italian Restaurant · Italian Restaurant · 4.1★ (920)Popular local staple nearby serving classic NY-style pizza, calzones, and hearty pasta dishes.
- Cedars of Lebanon · Middle Eastern Restaurant · 4.3★ (480)Casual eatery nearby known for fresh shawarma, falafel platters, and Middle Eastern specialties.
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.