Is Kempsville Gardens safe?
Virginia Beach, Virginia · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Kempsville Gardens as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Kempsville Gardens
“Go. Kempsville Gardens is a stable, quiet residential community that poses very little safety concern for visitors. While it offers minimal traditional tourist attractions, the neighborhood is safe, peaceful, and well-maintained.”
About the area
Kempsville Gardens is an established suburban neighborhood in western Virginia Beach characterized by mid-century single-family homes, mature trees, and nearby commercial corridors. It functions primarily as a quiet residential enclave with easy highway access to the broader Hampton Roads region.
- Suburban
- Quiet
- Family-Friendly
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Kempsville Gardens
Walk score: 38/100 · Bike score: 46/100
There are no public bike-share stations in the immediate vicinity, and cycling is best kept to low-speed neighborhood streets due to lack of dedicated bike lanes on major arterials.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Low violent crime rates consistent with suburban Virginia Beach
- High rate of owner-occupied single-family homes and low residential vacancy
- Close proximity to primary regional transit arteries including I-64 and I-264
- Strong infrastructure with reliable household vehicle access and utilities
Cons
- Isolated incidents of opportunistic property crime and vehicle break-ins
- Car-dependent layout with limited continuous sidewalk connectivity
- Sparse pedestrian lighting on some interior residential streets after dark
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is not a notable presence within the residential core of Kempsville Gardens, with only sporadic panhandling seen along major highway ramps and busy retail intersections nearby.
What Kempsville Gardens is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Very safe and calm with residents commuting to work, exercising dogs, and waiting for school buses.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Quiet and secure throughout the residential blocks with steady retail traffic along boundary roads.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Calm and peaceful, though darker residential side streets require personal alertness.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Subdued and mostly empty; crime risks remain low aside from occasional car prowls.
Transit, parking and getting around
Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) provides bus service along peripheral corridors like Kempsville Road, though headways are long and the neighborhood is not served by light rail.
Parking is completely hassle-free with plentiful, free curbside parking in the neighborhood and ample free surface lots at local shopping plazas.
Things to do in Kempsville Gardens
- Visit the modern amenities, indoor pool, and fitness center at nearby Kempsville Recreation Center
- Explore the dining and shopping options at Fairfield Shopping Center
- Take a short drive to Mount Trashmore Park for walking trails and scenic elevated views
Local favorites
- Tapped Crafthouse · Gastropub · 4.5★ (1150)Popular neighborhood gathering spot serving craft beers, artisan pizzas, and pub fare.
- Taqueria La Patrona · Mexican Restaurant · 4.7★ (640)Casual, authentic spot known for fresh street tacos, birria, and homemade salsas.
- Kempsville Recreation Center · Community Center · 4.6★ (560)Sprawling public community hub featuring fitness facilities, swimming, and event spaces.
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.