Newport News, VA Reviews

I want to give 3.5 stars but can't. - 1/23/2023
So, let's start with the positives.

Newport News Park is gigantic and has archery, disc golf, canoeing, camping, playgrounds, picnic areas, a beautiful reflecting pond, and many trails.

Patrick Henry Mall has a full-blown arcade with Laser Tag, a shooting gallery, bowling, skee ball, bumper cars, and various arcade games, and they rotate them constantly so there's a new selection of games without getting rid of the staples.

That mall also has a Red Robin, Chipotle, and a really big food court. Plus it has a tech repair shop that does great work. I've used them myself.

Now, Newport News also has the best selection of small businesses a person could ask for. There's literally a local business owner for about 90% of things a person could want. And there's an absolutely stunning restaurant scene.

More specifically, there's a daaBin, which is an Amazon returns supplier where you dig through bins and everything is a single set Read More

Not Horrible, but not great either - 7/9/2018
Reading a lot of other reviews here I can agree and understand a lot of the negative sentiment. NPN has some crime. Just about as much as any other place from what I've seen. NPN has slightly lower salaries than the surrounding communities like Virginia Beach and Richmond. NPN doesn't have a profound culture. Its a military town with some nautical culture because of the shipyard in town. I've lived in other places in Virginia as well as California. Nicer places than Newport News and better ones. Newport News is just an average city in every sense of the word, but its getting better slowly. From public park initiatives to new businesses cropping up, if you've spend any time here from 2000 till now you can see that things are getting a bit better. (I've had family that lived nearby) New restaurants new entertainment ventures, new shopping experiences. There are still a lot of places with a lot more to do, but you won't be unhappy here if you take the time to explore and get to know the Read More

not that bad - 12/19/2016
Its not that bad here. I moved here from the actual city of Chicago and not the suburbs. Believe me I have seen my share of violence. My senior and junior year I had three friends die due to gang violence in Chicago. I moved here to the Denbigh area ( the Windsor Great Park neighborhood) in 2007. I absolutely love our neighborhood. I am raising two little girls and feel that our family has had nothing but good experiences here. We know our neighbors and look out for each other. My kids play with their friends outside during the summers. There are not any drive by's in this section of the city. Like any city you need to be cautious of course. Its just common sense. Both of my girls have had really good teachers even though NN has one of the worst school systems in the area. As far as jobs we are here because my hubby works for the DOD. I was lucky enough to get a job at Riverside. Jobs are pretty scars around here. I have not encountered any racism. We are Latinos living an a Read More

Of all the places I have lived and visited, this i - 5/1/2016
Look I am not gonna sit here and just bash on Newport News because the peak of my childhood happened here, that is, before it turned into the Compton of the East Coast. There is a great music scene, lots of water for outdoor activities and a central location where you can be in the mountains in 3 hours, in DC in 3 hours, and down to the Outer banks in about 2.5 hours. These are the only pros I can thing of.

I have an Associate of Science in Information Technology, I have certifications, and some good experience. However, I have been unemployed for the last 6 months while applying to literally dozens upon dozens of jobs. I received one call back for a seasonal position that paid minimum wage stocking shelves. Sorry, that just doesn't cut it here. The job I had before was doing IT work for a technology company and they could only cough up $14/hour. This isn't the 60s or 70s anymore. $14 doesn't even give me enough to pay all my bills and eat without having to Read More

I WANT TO LOVE IT..BUT I CAN'T - 4/10/2013
*sigh*..Okay...I've lived in Newport News intermittently since 1995 (military family). Let's start from the now..I'm an adult, and a Human Resources professional...The cost of living, and pretty much everything else is skyrocketing...but the salaries are stuck somewhere in the past 10 years. Companies here want you to have certifications, and degrees, and tons of experience and want to work you like a dog...and all of this for an "amazing" $13 - $14 an hour. Plenty of military influence here but don't bank on getting any of the really cushion-y civilian jobs with the armed forces..they all go to service members..so you're on your own. CULTURALLY: Newport News really doesn't have any culture to speak of..."blase" is the term that comes to mind...As a Black woman I find I am continuously disappointed with the lack of progression within my own race here...That's an entirely separate post..so I'll move on. If you're coming from up North, or pretty much any other major city...the pace Read More

Hampton roads sucks all the way around - 9/17/2012
I was born and raised here in Newport News only lived in Hampton for 2 years. The cost of living is RIDICULOUS! The Traffic is Complete NIGHTMARE and basically unless your military or DOD your S.O.L. Having been a person who went to these schools and am not someone who just moved here. I can honestly say that the majority of the teachers here and school board members are more concerned with a paycheck then the education of my kids.. jobs are here but only if you have the money to go to school or are fresh out of the military they do not pay you for what the cost of living in this area is. as you see reading some of the posts the way people get defensive and pick fights with you over your opinion that's all over this area! Southern MY ASS! I'll take a southern hospitality any day over these ghetto wanna be thugs who ruin any and all public event out here! forget going to a fair or festival even if you dont mind being ran over by pushy people or there bad driving beware of the gun Read More

Just Another Generic Southern Town - 4/27/2012
I am originally from northern California and teach at well known college in the area and have lived in the South for over two decades. In truth, Newport News has very little to recommend it. It's your typical car centric, blue collar Southern town. Lots of military, lots of poor blacks and poor whites. Large swaths of the city are rundown, blighted and crime ridden. The murder rate is high. Race relations are not at all good. There are some decent neighborhoods, but these are few and far between. Traffic can be very bad, especially on I-64 at rush hours.

Southerners here are like Southerners everywhere, they profess hospitality, but it's pretty much restricted to their own kind. And it's all bottom up, never trickle down. The term when applied to blue staters should more appropriately be termed Southern Hostility. They really do not care for people like me (Democratic, liberal, live and let live, western accent) and I can't say that they've endeared themselves to me Read More

Newport News is not a bad place to live - 2/21/2012
I have lived in Newport News for 35 years. My father retired here after being in the military for 26 years. The people are not rude. Most of the people are nice if you are nice to them. Sometimes you will encounter a person that seems to be rude but if you say something nice to them you usually will find out that they are just having a bad day. After hurricane Isabel caused large amounts of destruction in the area, we were without electricity for 10 days. People were extremely nice at the gas pumps (which were not many the 1st day or 2) and at the centers that were handing out ice and water. People rushed to assist their neighbors if possible and the city was quick to provide services for those who needed it the most. If the stop lights were not working people were courteous and allowed each other to get to their destinations. The city has changed but the changes are not so drastic that I would move. We have museums and beautiful parks (especially Newport News Park). The Read More

Do your homework before moving because you may be - 10/2/2011
I relocated here from Ohio 3 years ago. I was the one who did not do my homework before relocating. I find that housing here is very expensive. To buy a townhouse will cost you over $200,000. Renting is high also. To live in a decent place will cost you over $1000. The jobs do not pay here. The salary does not match the cost of living here even if you have a college degree. I assumed that the higher the cost of living the more the salary will be. Well, I assumed wrong. You have to pay taxes on everything. It is best to eat at home because if you go out to eat you will have to pay 11.5% tax on prepared food. Traffic here is ridiculous. There is traffic accidents every day. To be able to make it here is to have a college degree. Even with a college degree, make sure you do your homework because the job you want may not be here. Also, you have to pay taxes every 6 months on your automobile, even if your leasing it. This state gives very minimally to the poor. If you are Read More

Variation from North to South - 9/8/2011
I have lived in Newport News since 1992, and all my life. Being someone that who has lived here his whole life, northern Newport News (Denbigh to Lee hall) is fairly decent. There is plenty to do around here. The people are rude, disgusting, and have no respect for anyone but themselves. Not to mention, nobody around here can drive. Everything in this city (price wise) is going up, except for wages. If you aren't African American, you get left out. VERY RACIST PEOPLE. The school system is horrible. You go downtown, and the city is very disgusting. Very low income homes, buildings with graffiti, buckling roads, gangs and prostitutes everywhere. There is someone murdered every 2 to 3 weeks in this city of 185,500. If you choose to come to this area, DO NOT LIVE HERE. Live in Poquoson, York County, or Williamsburg. DO NOT COMMUTE OVER 15 MILES IN THIS AREA, or you're looking at more than a hour commute. Read More