Is Laurel safe?
Henrico, Virginia · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Laurel as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Laurel
“Go. Laurel is a peaceful, mostly residential suburb in Henrico County that offers a quiet and stable environment for visitors. While commercial strips along Staples Mill Road see typical retail property crime, residential subdivisions are safe and family-friendly.”
About the area
Laurel is an established suburban community in Henrico County situated just northwest of Richmond, centered around the Staples Mill Road corridor. It is characterized by mid-century single-family homes, leafy residential streets, strip plazas, and immediate proximity to the regional Amtrak station.
- Suburban
- Family-Friendly
- Car-Dependent
- Quiet
Walking and biking in Laurel
Walk score: 38/100 · Bike score: 42/100
There are no municipal bike-share stations in Laurel, and dedicated bike lanes are scarce on busy corridors, though quiet residential streets offer low-stress cycling.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Violent crime rates are consistently lower than the Richmond metropolitan average.
- Stable middle-income residential community with high rates of homeownership.
- Excellent regional access via the nearby Richmond Staples Mill Amtrak rail hub.
Cons
- Retail corridors on Staples Mill Road experience routine vehicle break-ins and petty shoplifting.
- Very car-dependent layout with discontinuous sidewalks and few pedestrian crossings.
- Older rental apartment complexes on the perimeter report occasional property crime.
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is minimal in Laurel, though occasional individuals panhandle near high-traffic intersections along Staples Mill Road and near the Amtrak station.
What Laurel is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Very calm and quiet as residents commute out via personal vehicles and school buses circulate.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Active around strip plazas and parks with moderate vehicular traffic on main arteries and low safety concern.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet in the neighborhoods with standard commercial activity and dining along Staples Mill Road.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Subdued and dark along suburban side streets; generally safe, though standard precautions apply in unlit commercial parking lots.
Transit, parking and getting around
GRTC operates bus service in Henrico County, with Route 18 serving the Staples Mill Road corridor connecting to the GRTC Pulse BRT line on Broad Street further south; Amtrak's Staples Mill Station serves regional rail.
Parking is exceptionally easy and universally free, with abundant surface parking lots at businesses and open curb parking throughout residential streets.
Things to do in Laurel
- Practice your swing and play mini-golf at the Laurel Golf Center.
- Enjoy outdoor basketball courts, athletic fields, and open greenspace at Laurel Recreation Area.
- Catch a regional or national rail connection at the busy Richmond Staples Mill Road Amtrak Station.
Local favorites
- Roberto Italian Restaurant · Italian Restaurant · 4.4★ (720)Longstanding neighborhood staple serving hearty pasta, traditional parmigiana, and classic pizzas.
- Laurel Golf Center · Sports & Recreation · 4.4★ (410)Popular driving range and family-friendly miniature golf course located right on Staples Mill Road.
- Mi Jalisco Mexican Restaurant · Mexican Restaurant · 4.3★ (850)Casual strip-mall eatery offering classic Mexican favorites, generous combo platters, and margaritas.
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.