Is Norfolk Highlands safe?
Chesapeake, Virginia · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Norfolk Highlands as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Norfolk Highlands
“Go with care. Norfolk Highlands is an unassuming, mostly quiet working-class residential neighborhood where daytime visits and neighborhood drives are very safe. While property crime and occasional petty offenses occur more frequently than in Chesapeake's newer master-planned suburbs, violent encounters targeting visitors are rare.”
About the area
Norfolk Highlands is an established residential community in northern Chesapeake characterized by modest mid-century single-family homes and mature trees. Bordered by major regional transportation corridors, it offers a blue-collar suburban character with quick access to both Norfolk and central Chesapeake.
- Residential Enclave
- Working-Class
- Car-Dependent
- Mid-Century Suburb
Walking and biking in Norfolk Highlands
Walk score: 35/100 · Bike score: 42/100
Dedicated bike lanes and bike-share hubs are absent, though low-speed interior residential streets provide decent neighborhood connectivity toward Indian River Park.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Stable residential fabric with a high proportion of established, long-term homeowners.
- Significantly lower violent crime rates compared to nearby urban core neighborhoods in Norfolk.
- Convenient central positioning with rapid access to I-64, I-264, and the Military Highway retail corridor.
Cons
- Higher frequency of opportunistic property crimes and vehicle break-ins than in southern Chesapeake.
- Inconsistent pedestrian infrastructure, including missing sidewalks and sporadic street lighting on interior blocks.
- Bordering industrial corridors and rail lines generate occasional heavy vehicle cut-through traffic.
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is essentially non-existent within the neighborhood's residential blocks, with only rare panhandling observed along the commercial intersections of South Military Highway.
What Norfolk Highlands is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Calm and peaceful as residents commute, making morning walks or jogs along neighborhood roads very safe.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Low-traffic residential atmosphere with standard delivery and school activity, feeling safe and relaxed.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Streets wind down early, though dim lighting on interior blocks requires heightened awareness for drivers and pedestrians.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Generally quiet and deserted, though standard precautions are recommended against opportunistic vehicle thefts.
Transit, parking and getting around
Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) provides bus service along the perimeter corridors of South Military Highway and Indian River Road, but there is no passenger rail or BRT station within walking distance.
Free and ample street parking is standard across all residential roads, and local businesses offer complimentary surface parking lots.
Things to do in Norfolk Highlands
- Explore the forested nature trails and popular disc golf course at adjacent Indian River Park.
- Browse local hardware, specialty marine, and automotive shops along the nearby Military Highway corridor.
- Take a short drive to historic South Norfolk to admire turn-of-the-century architecture and local eateries.
Local favorites
- Pollard's Chicken · Southern Restaurant · 4.4★ (750)Longstanding local go-to serving classic Virginia-style fried chicken and traditional homestyle sides.
- Tacos El Rey · Mexican Restaurant · 4.6★ (850)Authentic, no-frills taqueria known for flavorful street tacos, tortas, and generous portions.
- Indian River Pizzeria · Pizza Restaurant · 4.3★ (280)Neighborhood staple offering NY-style pies, subs, calzones, and casual Italian dinners.
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.