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Is Lincolnsville safe?

Portsmouth, Virginia · safety score updated nightly

52out of 100

Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.

VibeLoco rates Lincolnsville as “Caution”.

Gogo's take on Lincolnsville

“Go with care. Lincolnsville is a historic residential enclave adjacent to downtown Portsmouth, but elevated rates of property crime and occasional violent incidents in the broader central Portsmouth corridor warrant heightened awareness. Stick to daytime hours and main thoroughfares like High Street when exploring.”

Portsmouth police have focused targeted patrols along the Effingham and High Street corridors following sporadic gunfire and property crime incidents across central city neighborhoods.

About the area

Lincolnsville is one of Portsmouth's historic African American neighborhoods, positioned just west of Olde Towne and north of the naval shipyard area. It primarily consists of modest single-family homes, older duplexes, and local neighborhood churches, offering close proximity to the historic downtown commercial district.

  • Historic
  • Urban Residential
  • Quiet Daytime
  • Close to Downtown

Walking and biking in Lincolnsville

Walk score: 67/100 · Bike score: 58/100

While dedicated bike lanes are sparse within the immediate neighborhood, flat topography and low-speed residential streets provide basic bike access connecting toward the Olde Towne waterfront.

Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice

Pros

  • Immediate proximity to the vibrant dining and cultural attractions of Olde Towne
  • Rich local African American heritage and historic architecture dating back to the late 19th century
  • Affordable access to nearby waterfront parks and naval history sites

Cons

  • Violent crime and property crime rates in central Portsmouth remain significantly above state and national averages
  • Elevated neighborhood poverty rate with lower median household income levels compared to the Hampton Roads average
  • Pockets of blighted or vacant residential properties that affect perceived and real street safety

Homelessness: Visible homelessness is low within Lincolnsville's residential core, though individuals experiencing homelessness and occasional panhandling are more noticeable along commercial corridors like High Street and around downtown transit transfer hubs.

What Lincolnsville is like at each time of day

Morning · 5a – 11a
Relatively quiet with light foot traffic and neighborhood residents commuting to work or school.
Afternoon · 11a – 5p
Generally calm, with reasonable visibility along residential streets and steady traffic on bordering roads.
Evening · 5p – 10p
Activity winds down quickly on interior residential streets; heightened situational awareness is recommended.
Late night · 10p – 5a
Dim lighting on some side streets and increased risk of sporadic street crime make late-night walking unadvisable.

Transit, parking and getting around

Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) provides bus service along High Street and Effingham Street via routes like Route 44 and Route 45, connecting to the downtown Portsmouth bus transfer point and the Elizabeth River Ferry to Norfolk.

Street parking is generally free and plentiful along residential side streets, while nearby downtown/High Street blocks feature metered spaces and municipal garages starting around $1 to $2 per hour.

Things to do in Lincolnsville

  • Take a self-guided architectural walk viewing historic turn-of-the-century vernacular homes and churches
  • Walk a few blocks east to explore the Portsmouth Arts & Cultural Center on High Street
  • Visit the nearby Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum along the Elizabeth River waterfront

Local favorites

  • Roger Brown's Restaurant and Sports Bar · American Restaurant · 4.2★ (1850)
    A popular, longstanding sports bar nearby serving hearty seafood, burgers, and classic pub fare.
  • The Bier Garden · German Restaurant · 4.6★ (1620)
    An authentic Bavarian eatery offering an extensive international beer list and traditional German dishes just east on High Street.
  • Still Worldly Eclectic Tapas · Tapas Bar · 4.5★ (740)
    A cozy, speakeasy-style restaurant and lounge featuring craft cocktails and inventive small plates.

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.