Is Martha safe?
Barboursville, West Virginia · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Martha as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Martha
“Go. Martha is a quiet, low-crime semi-rural community outside Barboursville where visitors face negligible safety concerns. While it is completely car-dependent and lacks commercial nightlife, it offers a peaceful, secure Appalachian environment.”
About the area
Martha is a semi-rural and residential community nestled in the rolling hills northeast of Barboursville along the Guyandotte River corridor. It consists primarily of single-family residences, open acreage, and quiet winding country roads. Visitors come mainly for the scenic natural surroundings or to access nearby parks and commerce in greater Barboursville.
- Quiet & Rural
- Car-Dependent
- Scenic Countryside
- Peaceful
Walking and biking in Martha
Walk score: 8/100 · Bike score: 15/100
There are no dedicated bike lanes, bike-share stations, or multi-use paths in Martha, and narrow rural roads with blind curves make road cycling difficult.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Significantly lower violent and property crime rates compared to urban Cabell County hubs
- High rate of owner-occupied single-family homes fostering a quiet, tight-knit residential atmosphere
- Peaceful setting with minimal congestion or through-traffic
Cons
- Complete car dependency on narrow, unlit rural roads lacking sidewalks or shoulders
- Longer emergency response times compared to central municipal districts
- No walkable access to groceries, retail, or emergency healthcare facilities
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is not a factor in Martha; charitable services, shelters, and encampments are situated in downtown Huntington.
What Martha is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Mornings are calm and tranquil with light residential traffic and misty valley views.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Afternoons remain very peaceful with occasional local commuter traffic along Martha Road.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Evenings are quiet and settle down quickly as residents return home.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Late nights are pitch-black and silent; crime is negligible, though driving requires care due to deer and wildlife.
Transit, parking and getting around
Public transit does not serve Martha directly; the Tri-State Transit Authority (TTA) operates fixed routes closer to US Route 60 and downtown Barboursville, so a private vehicle is essential.
Parking is abundant and entirely free, limited mostly to private residential driveways and free surface lots at area establishments.
Things to do in Martha
- Take a short drive to Barboursville Community Park for walking trails, sports facilities, and fishing ponds
- Explore the scenic country driving routes winding through the Guyandotte River valley
- Visit the nearby historic Main Street of Barboursville for antique shops and local eateries
Local favorites
- Christopher's Eats · American Restaurant · 4.6★ (1250)Popular nearby spot offering upscale comfort food, wood-fired pizzas, and craft cocktails.
- Oscar's Breakfast, Burgers & Steaks · American Diner · 4.6★ (1820)Beloved local establishment known for hearty diner breakfasts and specialty burgers.
- Farmhouse Ice Cream · Ice Cream Shop · 4.8★ (460)Cozy, family-friendly shop serving handcrafted ice cream scoops and seasonal treats.
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.