Is Reston safe?
Reston, Virginia · safety score updated nightly
Yes — it is one of the safer places in the metro to walk around.
VibeLoco rates Reston as “Go”.
Gogo's take on Reston
“Go. Reston is one of Northern Virginia's safest and most meticulously planned suburban communities, offering expansive parkland, lakefront strolls, and a bustling town center. Visitors face minimal safety risks aside from routine suburban property vigilance.”
About the area
Designed in the 1960s as a model master-planned community, Reston blends lush wooded residential clusters and lakes with an urban core at Reston Town Center. It provides a peaceful, family-oriented environment filled with corporate hubs, dining, and scenic walking trails.
- Master-Planned
- Tree-Lined & Green
- Family-Friendly
- Suburban Hub
Walking and biking in Reston
Walk score: 48/100 · Bike score: 62/100
Capital Bikeshare stations are widely available near Metrorail stations and Reston Town Center, with direct access to the 45-mile Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail and extensive paved community paths.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Violent crime rates are exceptionally low and far below national and regional averages
- High median household income exceeding $130,000 with very low poverty and well-funded public services
- Extensive, well-lit network of over 55 miles of paved multi-use pathways and parks
Cons
- Occasional vehicle break-ins and package thefts reported in commuter lots and apartment garages
- Navigating between disparate village centers requires a car outside the Town Center core
- Heavily wooded walking paths can feel isolated and dark after sundown
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is minimal, occasionally seen near major transit hubs or shopping plazas, with support services provided by Cornerstones and the Embry Rucker Shelter located in the area.
What Reston is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and active with joggers, dog walkers, and commuters navigating quiet streets and paved trailways.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Busy and relaxed with shoppers and diners at Reston Town Center and patrons relaxing near the lakes.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Vibrant around commercial plazas and restaurants with low safety concerns in all public gathering areas.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Very quiet and suburban; safe to traverse, though unlit wooded pathways are best avoided in favor of main roadways.
Transit, parking and getting around
Directly served by WMATA Metrorail's Silver Line via the Reston Town Center and Wiehle-Reston East stations, along with extensive Fairfax Connector bus routes linking village centers.
Ample parking exists throughout the area; Reston Town Center offers several large multi-story garages (free on weekends and first hour on weekdays, nominal hourly rates otherwise), while village centers feature free surface lots.
Things to do in Reston
- Stroll, dine, and shop around the open-air Reston Town Center
- Rent a paddleboat or walk the boardwalk at picturesque Lake Anne Plaza
- Explore nature trails and wildlife exhibits at the Walker Nature Center
Local favorites
- Jackson's Mighty Fine Food & Lucky Lounge · American Restaurant · 4.5★ (3200)A lively upscale American eatery in Reston Town Center known for sushi, steaks, and artisan beers.
- Lake Anne Coffee House & Wine Bar · Cafe & Wine Bar · 4.4★ (750)Waterfront cafe serving specialty espresso drinks, brunch, and boutique wines right on the lake.
- Ariake Japanese Restaurant · Japanese Restaurant · 4.6★ (680)Longtime local favorite tucked in a village center serving fresh sushi, sashimi, and traditional entrees.
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.