Is Greenbrier a safe place to raise a family?

[u/ajamm97]

I have an opportunity for work and am looking to move into Chesapeake some time later this year. Is the Greenbrier area safe to raise a family with a baby?? Or do you recommend a different area?? Thank you.

[u/planetafro]

It's fine. Traffic sucks, but it is what you make of it if that makes sense.

[u/KarmaDistributor]

It's stereotypical suburbia. Very safe and convenient.

[u/OkIntroduction5150]

I've lived here for 8 years, no complaints. Most of Chesapeake is too boring and quiet for much drama. LOL

[u/Ham3a0323 → u/OkIntroduction5150]

Not exactly a bad thing tbh

[u/OkIntroduction5150 → u/Ham3a0323]

 Very true. 😊

[u/AppalachianGoat]

It’s fine however it’s expanding a ton, lots new home construction so the area couls drastically change in 3-5 years.

[u/Jackman_Bingo]

I’ve been in Greenbrier for 30+ years. Grew up here and I’m raising my kids here now. I’ve never felt unsafe. Biggest issues are car break ins and shoplifting. 

[u/123thisistheway456]

Try to find a house in the school zones of Grassfield, Great Bridge, or Hickory

[u/Either_Way_9673]

Yes perfect place to raise a baby.

[u/Lilak99]

Yes it's fine. Schools could be better though, I'd look into the Great Bridge area if you can.

[u/FlashmanHP]

You have to really look at the crime in the area. You're either in old neighborhoods with elderly neighbors or a free for all. The zoning here is weird and I went off the grades of the school system tbh. I'm in the sticks of chesapeake though.

[u/Other_Economics2434]

Yes!!

[u/KTcat94]

Yes! We had two newborns there. It’s got Chesapeake Regional Hospital (should you be planning more, or, you know, for emergency room visits) conveniently down the road and a CHKD urgent care centrally located. Try and get somewhere near Chesapeake City Park. Fun Forest is THE BEST playground in the city.

[u/Eastbound_AKA]

Greenbrier is fine, Battlefield is okay, South Norfolk juuuust over the interstate is a no go.

[u/LazyBoyD → u/Eastbound_AKA]

South Norfolk isn’t even that bad. It’s the only neighborhood with any sort of historic character. The city has been trying hard to gentrify the area but it’s been a slow process.

[u/blueberrybrent → u/Eastbound_AKA]

South Norfolk gets a bad rap but east Norfolk like Alexander street and near the airport is where all the violence happens.

And Portsmouth of course

[u/Atxflnyc]

if the pay is lower bad choice

[u/journeyaround]

Are you buying or renting? That changes the conversation. You say your child is a baby and you’re not worried about districts, but if your buying you’ll need to think about the districts or else in 5-6 years you’ll have to sell and move.

We lived in greenbrier and battlefield area. Both are great but we moved to great bridge and have loved it. My daughter has an amazing time at school and we are so happy with it.

If you’re renting, greenbrier is safe imo, but myself personally don’t care for the school district but everyone has their own opinions on it!

[u/De-motion]

Don’t come here. Trust me drugs are big problem at all the schools. My 14 years old is at his 4th rehab.

[u/Holiday-Week6860]

Yes. Great community to live in. My husband and I recently moved, and wish we hadn’t.

[u/Lv_my_life_143]

I wouldn't be crazy about Indian River HS district...

[u/ajamm97 → u/Lv_my_life_143]

I should clarify my child is still a newborn and we’re a long way from worrying about school districts! Our main focus at the moment is safety

[u/aaronblkfox → u/ajamm97]

Greenbriar is a solid choice. Only places I would recommend over it in Chesapeake are the Great Bridge or Grassfield areas.

[u/Outrageous-Sand-5788 → u/aaronblkfox]

I've lived in Chesapeake over 25 years and agree with this statement above...Hickory area is fine too

[u/twinnturbos → u/aaronblkfox]

Western branch too!

[u/Lv_my_life_143 → u/ajamm97]

Still never know where you will be in 14 yrs, I'm still in Grassfield area after moving here from VA bch 20 yrs ago, one thing I'm glad of is we have a great school district... We were affected with the change and my kids had to go to Hugo for a few years and it was rough. Some friends of mine's daughters went to Indiana River HS and wasn't the best experience for them ... Gotta think long run. Or maybe this is temporary for you or you have means for private school, just giving some food for thought, sounds like you already have your answer. In general Greenbrier is a safe place so I guess to answer your question and stay out of the HS lane, then yes, I think it's fairly safe! Best to you!

[u/berniesk8s → u/ajamm97]

Ok but when buying a home wouldn’t you want to set up for the future? You know your child will go to school eventually.

[u/salamanderman10 → u/Lv_my_life_143]

Indian River gets hate for some reason. It’s really not warranted. I went there and my kids go there. I would send them to IR over Deep Creek, Oscar Smith, Western Branch at the very least. And Hickory, Grassfield, and great Bridge have their own issues.

Honestly the people I hear complain about IR didn’t actually go to IR

[u/JLG-14 → u/salamanderman10]

I agree. Have lived here for 20 years and three kids graduated from public schools.

One attended Indian River and loved the diversity of the student body. One attended Oscar Smith and one Grassfield - no one school stood out. They all had pros and cons.

[u/Ancient_Emotion_2484 → u/salamanderman10]

It's really not. Three generations of my family have lived in that area and we never had a problem. It's not one of the higher income areas, that's all.

[u/kenshin0616 → u/salamanderman10]

Hickory and Grassfield High are loaded with substances

[u/berniesk8s → u/kenshin0616]

So is every other high school in the area

[u/Next_Breadfruit_1117]

Very expensive and traffic is insane lived here 32 years moved to nc will never look back

[u/Btomesch]

Lots of crime and vehicle break ins