The 8 Best Virginia Beach Neighborhoods To Call Home In 2025
The largest city in Virginia, Virginia Beach, is 500 square miles in area and home to more than 450,000 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Three military bases and seven boroughs are located within Virginia Beach.
The cost of living in Virginia Beach is 2.9% less than the national average, drawing many who crave life by the ocean to the city. Some neighborhoods in and around Virginia Beach are more desirable than others based on affordability, safety, and proximity to amenities.
In this article, let us delve into eight of the best Virginia Beach neighborhoods to call home in 2025.
Blackwater
The Blackwater neighborhood of Virginia Beach has 1,015 residents. Located next to the Pungo area, the Blackwater borough neighbors the North Landing River Natural Area Preserve. Blackwater has a quiet, rural atmosphere but is still close enough to Virginia Beach's city amenities.
One of Blackwater's best-known attractions is Blackwater Trading Post, a local general store with a long history. The area has access to highly rated schools, including Creeds Elementary, Princess Anne Middle, and nearby Floyd E. Kellam High School. Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) serves Blackwater with public transportation buses, as do the seasonal VB Wave trolley buses. Popular Blackwater restaurants include Firebrew Bar and Grill and Orion's Roof.
Wolfsnare Plantation
Wolfsnare Plantation is a peaceful, small, friendly Virginia Beach neighborhood. The Upper Wolfsnare House is a Virginia Historic Landmark and is also on the National Register of Historic Places. Wolfsnare Creek, which runs adjacent to the house on Potter's Road, is also a popular waterway.
Clean, quiet streets, a family-friendly atmosphere, and a strong sense of community are found in Wolfsnare Plantation. Popular restaurants include Anna's Kitchen. Wolfsnare Park, at the corner of Wolfsnare and Plantation Drive, provides a beautiful community green recreational space along the waterfront. Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital is just a mile and a half to the east of the neighborhood. Great Neck Middle School, ranked among the top 20 middle schools in Virginia by U.S. News and World Report, serves the residents of Wolfsnare Plantation.
Linkhorn Park
The Linkhorn Park neighborhood of Virginia Beach is a family-friendly community with quiet streets and nearby parks. Bordered to the west by Little Neck Creek and to the east by the beautiful beach, Linkhorn Park is centrally located for those who want to live the beach life. Linkhorn Bay is a popular body of water for paddleboarding, kayaking, and fishing.
Linkhorn Park is close to various restaurants such as Taste Unlimited, Mediterranean Cafe, and The Melting Pot. Shops include Heritage Natural Market and Vinyl Daze. Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital is just a few miles inland for medical needs. Linkhorn Park Elementary School serves the neighborhood and is ranked highly in terms of academic performance.
Princess Anne
The Princess Anne community of Virginia Beach has been described as charming and upscale. It is named after the now-defunct Princess Anne County, which existed from 1691 to 1963, at which time the county's land was annexed to merge with Virginia Beach. Today, residents call it an older, quieter, safer neighborhood of Virginia Beach with a resort-like feel.
Princess Anne's curving tree-lined streets are filled with sidewalks, conducive to walkability. Residents enjoy its relative proximity to Sandridge Beach, a quiet beach on the southern end of Virginia Beach. Although the neighborhood has few shops and restaurants, it is known for the 217-acre forest at West Neck Creek Natural Area, off North Landing Road. Hiking and fishing are popular pastimes here. Heirloom, also on Landing Road, is a busy eatery in the neighborhood, serving farm-to-table dishes. Princess Anne Elementary, Middle, and High Schools are highly rated and serve the neighborhood's educational needs.
Dam Neck
The suburban neighborhood of Dam Neck sits along the Atlantic Ocean and is also home to Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex. The centrally located neighborhood with about 24,000 residents has access to highly rated schools, including Landstown High School.
Lake Redwing, a 99-acre lake in Dam Neck, offers opportunities for fishing and water sports. Red Wing Lake Golf Course, designed by George W. Cobb, is also in the Dam Neck area. Another popular attraction in Dam Neck is the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center. Hungry residents enjoy Waterman's Surfside Grille and Sunnyside Cafe and Restaurant. HRT Public Transportation serves Dam Neck with buses, and its Bayfront Shuttle Bus and Aquarium & Campground Trolley also have routes.
Chic's Beach
The Chic's Beach neighborhood of Virginia Beach (sometimes referred to as Chesapeake Beach) is in the northern part of the beach area on the Chesapeake Bay. It surrounds the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The Chic's Beach area is known to be less touristy than other beaches and therefore perfect for residents who want a quieter way of life. Houses here average $388,000, and about 5,300 call Chic's Beach home.
Nearby is First Landing State Park, Virginia's most visited state park, where English colonists first landed in 1607. Its 20 miles of trails will keep hikers busy. Leaping Lizard Cafe in Chic's Beach and Buoy 44 Seafood Grill are popular hangouts for locals.
Kempsville
Kempsville sits at the head of the Elizabeth River. Once an independent town, it was consolidated into the city of Virginia Beach in 1963. It is centrally located, closer to hospitals (Sentara Leigh Hospital, just three miles north of town) and universities (Old Dominion University in Norfolk and Christopher Newport University in Newport News) than other neighborhoods, yet still less than 12 miles from the beach. The average home value in Kempsville is around $345,000. About 77,000 people call Kempsville home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Highlights of Kempsville include the 87,000-square-foot Kempsville Recreation Center, which features a double gym, pool, and fitness center. Mt. Trashmore Park, a 165-acre recreational area on reclaimed landfill space, offers outdoor space. Kempsville Elementary, Middle, and High Schools serve the neighborhood. Eateries frequented by locals include Brickhouse Diner and Park Lane Tavern.
Bayside
The Bayside neighborhood of northern Virginia Beach is near US Route 13 and US Route 60. One of Virginia Beach's seven original boroughs, this quiet, family-oriented community is just east of Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek and sits along the Chesapeake Bay. Homes in Bayside average $342,562, and about 66,500 people live in the neighborhood.
Recreational opportunities abound in Bayside, including bird-watching at Witchduck Lake and fishing at Lake Smith and Lake Lawson. Bayside Elementary, Middle, and High Schools serve the neighborhood, with Bayside High School being well-known for its Health Sciences Academy. Norfolk International Airport is just 10 minutes away, and HRT provides public transportation services in Bayside. Eateries in Bayside include Roosters Cafe & Grill for breakfast or lunch and Misako Asian Cuisine for dinner.
Finding Your Perfect Virginia Beach Neighborhood
Despite its name, there is more to the city of Virginia Beach than simply "beach." Nature, nightlife, shopping, and historical landmarks are all part of the neighborhoods in and surrounding Virginia Beach. Whether you wish to move to a rural borough such as Blackwater, the livelier Kempsville, or a more natural seaside neighborhood like Chic's Beach, you can't go wrong in choosing any of these eight Virginia Beach neighborhoods as your new home.
