Is Pleasant Hills safe?
Newport, Delaware · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Pleasant Hills as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Pleasant Hills
“Go. Pleasant Hills is a quiet, stable suburban residential neighborhood just outside Newport that is very safe for visitors. Violent crime is rare, and the area primarily experiences occasional, low-level suburban property theft like unlocked car prowls. Standard travel awareness is all that is needed.”
About the area
Pleasant Hills is an established mid-century subdivision in northern New Castle County featuring modest single-family homes, mature trees, and low-traffic interior streets. It offers a tranquil residential setting directly bordered by the active commercial and transit corridors of Kirkwood Highway and Newport Gap Pike. Visitors will find a peaceful atmosphere close to regional shopping centers, parks, and major commuter routes.
- Suburban / Quiet
- Mid-Century Residential
- Family-Friendly
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Pleasant Hills
Walk score: 34/100 · Bike score: 38/100
There are no dedicated on-street bike lanes within the subdivision, though the Jack A. Markell (JAM) Trail is accessible about 3.5 miles east near the Wilmington Riverfront.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Low rates of violent crime well below national and regional metro averages
- High homeownership rate (over 80%) supporting stable, well-maintained residential properties
- Low poverty and steady household incomes providing economic resilience
- Quick access to extensive dining and retail along the DE-2/Kirkwood Highway corridor
Cons
- Car-dependent layout with discontinuous sidewalks along several residential blocks
- Occasional opportunistic property theft and vehicle break-ins common to suburbs near retail corridors
- Bordering high-speed arterial roads that make pedestrian crossing challenging
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is not a notable presence within the residential blocks of Pleasant Hills, with any localized panhandling limited to busy retail centers along nearby Kirkwood Highway.
What Pleasant Hills is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Crisp and peaceful with high safety as neighbors walk pets and commute out of the subdivision.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Calm and quiet with minimal vehicle traffic on interior streets and very safe conditions.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet residential winding down with low noise and safe conditions for walking.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Very low-activity and dark due to spaced street lighting, but remains safe with negligible street crime.
Transit, parking and getting around
DART First State operates local bus routes (such as Routes 6 and 18) along Kirkwood Highway and Newport Gap Pike, while the Wilmington Transit Center (Amtrak and SEPTA Regional Rail) is located about 5 miles east.
Free and ample curbside street parking is available throughout the neighborhood, and nearly all homes have private driveways.
Things to do in Pleasant Hills
- Take a quiet walk or jog along the loop roads and green residential streetscapes
- Explore outdoor recreational fields and nature trails at nearby Banning Regional Park
- Explore local independent restaurants and taprooms situated along the Kirkwood Highway and Newport borders
Local favorites
- Dom's Pizza · Pizza Restaurant · 4.5★ (620)Longstanding local favorite serving classic New York-style thin-crust pizza, cheesesteaks, and Italian comfort food.
- James Street Tavern · Bar & Grill · 4.4★ (460)Neighborhood gathering place nearby in historic Newport offering craft beers, pub fare, and casual evening entertainment.
- Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza & Wings · Pizza Restaurant · 4.3★ (850)Popular regional outpost on the edge of the corridor turning out coal-oven pizzas, roasted wings, and Italian salads.
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.