Is Simonsdale safe?
Portsmouth, Virginia · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Simonsdale as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Simonsdale
“Go with care. Simonsdale is a peaceful, working-class residential neighborhood in Portsmouth that is generally quiet and safe during daytime hours. Visitors will find little tourist infrastructure, but standard situational awareness easily mitigates typical suburban property crime risks.”
About the area
Simonsdale is a mid-20th-century residential enclave located in western Portsmouth, characterized by modest single-family ranch homes and tree-lined local streets. It offers a calm, settled community environment tucked away from the busier industrial and commercial sections of the city.
- Suburban / Residential
- Quiet / Low-Key
- Working-Class
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Simonsdale
Walk score: 38/100 · Bike score: 44/100
There are no dedicated bike lanes or bike-share programs in Simonsdale, though internal residential streets have low speed limits suitable for neighborhood cycling.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Solid single-family homeownership rates providing neighborhood stability
- Significantly lower violent crime rates than downtown and eastern Portsmouth neighborhoods
- Quick vehicular access to Route 164 and key regional job centers
Cons
- Vulnerable to periodic property crime, especially opportunistic vehicle break-ins
- Bordered by commercial strips along Portsmouth Boulevard that experience occasional retail crime
- Uneven sidewalk infrastructure and sparse street lighting on certain interior blocks
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is practically nonexistent within the residential interior, though occasional unhoused individuals can be seen along commercial plazas on Portsmouth Boulevard.
What Simonsdale is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and active with morning commutes and school runs, feeling completely safe for a morning jog or dog walk.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Calm residential atmosphere with light neighborhood traffic, presenting minimal safety concerns.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet as residents return home, though dimmer street lighting means keeping basic awareness is sensible.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Very low foot and vehicle traffic; remains quiet, though standard precautions against property theft and isolated disturbances apply.
Transit, parking and getting around
Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) provides local bus connections along outer corridors like Portsmouth Boulevard (notably Route 44), but there is no nearby rail or BRT service.
Parking is completely hassle-free with ample private driveways and unrestricted, free residential street parking throughout the neighborhood.
Things to do in Simonsdale
- Walk or jog along the quiet, low-traffic residential loops and cul-de-sacs
- Enjoy the playground and open green space at nearby neighborhood school grounds
- Sample local independent eateries along the Portsmouth Boulevard commercial perimeter
Local favorites
- Gino's Pizzeria By Maurizio · Pizza & Italian · 4.5★ (820)Long-running neighborhood favorite serving classic New York-style pies, calzones, and pasta dishes.
- The Skrimp Shack · Seafood Restaurant · 4.3★ (650)Casual regional counter-serve chain known for oversized fried fish sandwiches and shrimp platters.
- Plaza Azteca Mexican Restaurant · Mexican Restaurant · 4.4★ (1250)Bustling local outpost offering tableside guacamole, margaritas, and familiar Mexican classics.
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.