Hampton, VA Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Hampton, VA

Is Hampton, VA safe?

Hampton earns an overall crime grade of C- for 2026, which means safety conditions are below average compared to national benchmarks but vary significantly by neighborhood. Areas near Buckroe Beach and Fox Hill tend to perform better, while certain corridors closer to downtown see higher incident concentrations. Hampton's population of 135,169 and a poverty rate of 15.3% contribute to some of the crime pressures the city faces. That said, active community policing and neighborhood watch programs help offset risk in many districts. Using the interactive crime map above to filter by incident type and time period gives you the clearest, most current picture of safety in any specific part of the city.

What is the crime rate in Hampton, VA?

Hampton's overall crime grade stands at C- in 2026, placing it in roughly the bottom third of U.S. cities when all crime categories are combined. Property crimes — including vehicle theft, larceny, and burglary — account for the largest share of reported incidents and are the primary driver of the city's grade. Violent crime exists but is more concentrated geographically, appearing at higher rates in specific corridors than across the city as a whole. Hampton's unemployment rate of 6.1% and a poverty rate of 15.3% are two socioeconomic factors that researchers consistently correlate with elevated property and violent crime rates. Neighborhoods near Hampton University and Langley Air Force Base generally see lower incident densities, reflecting the stabilizing influence of institutional anchors on surrounding blocks.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Hampton?

Based on incident distribution patterns visible in the 2026 crime map, Fox Hill, Buckroe Beach, and the North Hampton corridor consistently show lower crime density relative to the city average. The Phoebus area, while historically mixed, has seen community investment that correlates with improved safety metrics in recent years. By contrast, portions of the central city and areas with higher concentrations of commercial activity tend to generate a disproportionate share of property crime reports. When evaluating a specific block, use the map's heat-layer feature to compare incident frequency — a neighborhood-level grade can mask meaningful street-by-street variation in a city with Hampton's 1,014 residents-per-square-mile density.

Is Hampton a good place to live?

Hampton offers a compelling value proposition for many households: a median home value of $187,916 and median rent of $1,115 make it one of the more affordable coastal Virginia cities, especially compared to neighboring Virginia Beach and Norfolk. The median household income of $57,041 stretches further here than in higher-cost markets. The trade-off is a C- overall crime grade and a 15.3% poverty rate that signal real economic stress in parts of the city. An unemployment rate of 6.1% is moderately elevated. For families and professionals willing to research specific neighborhoods — particularly those near Buckroe Beach, Fox Hill, or the Hampton University corridor — the city delivers beach access, military community ties, and historic character at a price point that comparable coastal cities rarely match. Use the crime map to filter your target neighborhoods before committing to a specific address.

Which types of crime are most common in Hampton?

Property crime is the dominant category driving Hampton's C- grade. Larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and residential burglary collectively represent the majority of reported incidents across the city. Violent crimes — including aggravated assault and robbery — are present but more geographically concentrated, appearing at elevated rates in a smaller subset of neighborhoods rather than being evenly distributed. Drug-related offenses also contribute to incident totals in certain districts, particularly in areas correlating with the city's 15.3% poverty rate. The crime map allows you to toggle between crime categories so you can assess whether a neighborhood you're evaluating skews toward property crimes, violent incidents, or other offense types — a distinction that matters significantly for day-to-day safety planning.

How does Hampton's crime compare to other Virginia cities?

Hampton's C- overall crime grade places it below Virginia Beach (which grades higher) but in a broadly similar tier to portions of Norfolk and Newport News when all offense categories are combined. Its population density of 1,014 per square mile is moderate for the Hampton Roads region, meaning crime is neither as dispersed as in rural Virginia nor as concentrated as in a dense urban core. The city's median household income of $57,041 and poverty rate of 15.3% sit close to statewide averages for mid-size independent cities, which helps contextualize why its crime profile lands in the C range rather than at either extreme. Prospective residents comparing Hampton to neighboring cities should weight neighborhood-level data heavily — regional grade comparisons are useful context, but the block you live on matters more than the city average.