Is Newmarket safe?
Newport News, Virginia · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Newmarket as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Newmarket
“Go with care. Newmarket is primarily a commercial and residential hub centered around major thoroughfares like Jefferson Avenue and West Mercury Boulevard. While routine daytime shopping and dining are generally safe, visitors should maintain basic situational awareness, especially after dark around commercial plazas and transit corridors.”
Local police have periodically increased patrols along the Mercury Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue commercial corridors to address retail theft and sporadic late-night disturbances.
About the area
Newmarket is an established mid-city neighborhood in Newport News characterized by bustling retail strip centers, established subdivisions, and quick access to major peninsula transit arteries. It serves as a practical commercial node connecting Newport News to neighboring Hampton.
- Commercial Strip
- Suburban Arterial
- Car-Dependent
- Working-Class
Walking and biking in Newmarket
Walk score: 54/100 · Bike score: 46/100
There are no public bike-share programs in Newmarket, and dedicated bike infrastructure is scarce on high-speed arterial roads.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Convenient central location with straightforward highway access to I-64 and I-664
- Abundant everyday shopping centers, grocery stores, and established casual eateries
- Lower violent crime rates compared to neighborhoods further south in the East End
Cons
- Elevated property crime and vehicle break-in rates in retail parking lots
- Heavy vehicular traffic along multi-lane arterials creates hazards for pedestrians
- Areas of aging rental housing and pockets of economic distress
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is moderately present, primarily with individuals panhandling near major intersections along Jefferson Avenue and Mercury Boulevard, though large encampments are uncommon.
What Newmarket is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Active and generally safe as commuters fill local coffee spots and commercial avenues.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Busy with shoppers, delivery vehicles, and general retail activity with solid foot traffic.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet in residential areas, though strip mall parking lots warrant higher alertness after sunset.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Activity slows down considerably; walking alone along poorly lit commercial strips is not recommended.
Transit, parking and getting around
Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) operates several bus lines through the area, notably Routes 106, 107, and 112 along Jefferson Avenue and West Mercury Boulevard. There is no rail transit service in the immediate vicinity.
Ample free surface parking is available in private lots throughout the shopping centers, and residential street parking is generally unrestricted.
Things to do in Newmarket
- Shop and run errands across the Newmarket Square and surrounding retail plazas
- Enjoy casual family dining at established neighborhood staples along Jefferson Avenue
- Take a short drive to the nearby James River Fishing Pier and Huntington Park
Local favorites
- Tommy's Restaurant · Diner · 4.4★ (1150)Longtime, classic family diner serving hearty American breakfasts and home-style lunches.
- Vancosta's Restaurant · Family Style Restaurant · 4.1★ (1420)Popular local establishment known for extensive buffets, Italian dishes, and seafood.
- Los Paisas Restaurant · Latin American Restaurant · 4.5★ (430)Casual neighborhood spot dishing out authentic Colombian and Latin American 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.