Is Riverside safe?
Parkersburg, West Virginia · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Riverside as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Riverside
“Go with care. Riverside is a quiet, older working-class neighborhood bordering central Parkersburg that is generally calm during the daytime. However, elevated regional property crime, visible housing disrepair, and persistent substance-related issues across the broader riverfront corridor warrant heightened awareness after dark.”
Local coverage frequently highlights city initiatives to address structural blight, abandoned properties, and opioid-related nuisance crimes across Wood County riverfront sectors.
About the area
Riverside is a small, historic riverfront community located just east of downtown Parkersburg along the Little Kanawha River. It primarily consists of modest single-family homes, older rental properties, and small commercial pockets nestled against regional waterways.
- Quiet Residential
- Working-Class
- Riverfront Adjacent
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Riverside
Walk score: 46/100 · Bike score: 42/100
There is no local bike-share program, but cyclists can connect to nearby paved paths at Point Park and the North Bend Rail Trail trailheads located within short driving distance.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Convenient access to downtown Parkersburg and nearby riverfront walking paths
- Affordable neighborhood with low traffic volume on interior residential blocks
- Close proximity to regional historic attractions and cultural sites in downtown Parkersburg
Cons
- Elevated rates of opportunistic property crimes such as theft from vehicles and porch piracy
- Above-average local poverty and housing vacancy rates compared to state benchmarks
- Poor pedestrian lighting and sporadic sidewalk infrastructure across secondary streets
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is moderately present along riverbank corridors, bridge underpasses, and nearby central transit nodes, with local support services operating out of downtown shelters.
What Riverside is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and quiet with light commuter traffic and occasional residents walking dogs along main connectors.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Relatively calm and safe for general visits, though some commercial corridors show occasional loitering.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Activity drops off sharply after sunset; standard caution is advised around unlit streets and alleys.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Quiet but isolated, with an increased risk of property crime and minor disturbance calls; walking alone late at night is not recommended.
Transit, parking and getting around
The Mid-Ohio Valley Transit Authority (Easy Rider) operates local bus routes connecting the neighborhood to downtown Parkersburg and Southside, but there is no passenger rail or BRT service in the region.
Free on-street parking is readily available throughout residential streets, with ample free or low-cost surface lots located nearby toward the downtown perimeter.
Things to do in Riverside
- Stroll along the nearby Point Park Riverwalk overlooking the confluence of the Ohio and Little Kanawha rivers
- Take the seasonal sternwheeler ferry from downtown to explore Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park
- Visit the nearby Parkersburg Arts Center to view rotating regional art exhibits
Local favorites
- The Cocktail Bar (The Parkersburg Brewing Co nearby) · Brewpub · 4.6★ (520)Popular downtown craft brewery and gastropub serving local ales and casual fare just blocks from Riverside.
- Unity Cafe · Coffee Shop & Cafe · 4.7★ (310)Welcoming local spot offering specialty espresso drinks, crepes, and light lunch fare.
- Cham's Lebanese Cuisine · Middle Eastern Restaurant · 4.8★ (460)Longstanding local favorite known for authentic shawarma, hummus, and Mediterranean 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.