The truth about Waldorf, MD? (Frederick, St. Charles: rental, condo, house)

[Mom21]

The Lancaster area is dicey in some spots. I personally wouldn't choose it, but some might, and I wouldn't argue against it. The area across the street (Dorchester) seems to be much quieter. Here is where you will find the crime reports.
http://www.ccso.us/ (broken link)

Look under press releases for up to date crimes, and then under "crime prevention," then "neighborhood crime statistics" for history of police calls. Keep in mind that not all calls are due to an actual incident taking place. There will be hundreds of calls for Lancaster, but be sure to look at the categories. You will note that Dorchester, across the street, has half the calls that Lancaster has, which may or may not be significant.

Try to see if you can find something off of Berry Road (228). Also, Eutaw Forest, and Streamview are good communities with active community participation.

Lastly, I sort of think it's just the opposite as to how to tell the dicey neighborhoods. It seems to me that after dark, most of Waldorf takes on a very quiet, mellow appearance.

[fjennell]

Absolutely do not choose Lancaster...lots of crime, gang activity. Yes, look up the crime reports (go to press releases on the sheriff's website) and avoid that area. While Dorchester and Hampshire are in the district for the best elementary school in the area, those neighborhoods are making the crime reports weekly and I would not suggest those anymore either. I wouldn't move anywhere directly near the mall. You really need to stay towards La Plata if you are definitely going to move here. However you would have to go to Babies R Us in Waldorf and it would not shock me in the least bit if you were car jacked there. Look at the reports and see whats going on around here...the mall has incidents on a regular to include a lady being pushed down and her money taken recently. There is a lot of theft in the area.

[Baseballman]

Originally Posted by Mom21

Waldorf is a tad bit ghetto. I think it mainly comes from people renting their homes to section 8 recipients. There really aren't that many apt complexes considering the density of the area. As for crime, there have been anywhere from 4 to 6 murders in Waldorf each year for the last 4 or 5 years. Of that 4 to 6 per year, there is maybe one each year that's an innocent bystander. One man last year, who was standing in the vicinity of the intended victim, and one 14 year older girl summer before last while her mother was testing an ice cream truck around midnight. Someone attempted to rob the truck and didn't believe they had no money on it.

If you want to send me a pm or post areas you are looking in, I can tell you whether to avoid or not. I think you can find a safe place in Waldorf to rent for a year.

I used to live in Waldorf, until I moved to La Plata 3 months ago and I agree completely with your quote. I went to John Hanson, a middle school which encompases most students who lived in Waldorf for 6th and 7th grase (Im in 8th grade now) and I saw a fight or some delinquent doing something stupid; pulling someones pants down, screaming out obsenities, ect. almost every day, and now, I am in Milton Somers, and I havent observed anything despicable yet so im impressed with La Plata.

[Giantone]

Originally Posted by Baseballman

I used to live in Waldorf, until I moved to La Plata 3 months ago and I agree completely with your quote. I went to John Hanson, a middle school which encompases most students who lived in Waldorf for 6th and 7th grase (Im in 8th grade now) and I saw a fight or some delinquent doing something stupid; pulling someones pants down, screaming out obsenities, ect. almost every day, and now, I am in Milton Somers, and I havent observed anything despicable yet so im impressed with La Plata.

Glade to hear it,how are the lunches?

[Mr & Mrs C]

Stay Away from behind the mall!! It used to be the nicest area in Waldorf. In those neighborhoods is where the most crime is. The bike paths are known for armed robberies. Just last week they found a body in the nieghborhood lake. At the mall 2 weeks ago a cop shot someone outside of the carnival in the parking lot. The people that say its a nice place are the ones that dont go anywhere and stay in there houses blinded. I hate southern Md. IT IS a bad place and is going to get real bad real soon. I talk to lots of people and most that have been around a long time want out fast. All the houses are overpriced. Waldorf, White Plains and LaPlata will be one soon due to the overdevelopment of southern Md. Traffic is another killer of the area. From one end of Waldorf to the other will take about 20 minutes if your lucky. I think its about 10 miles. Shopping is a real pain, there are long lines everywhere. I see in your current neighborhood you have similar problems, check out some of these neighborhoods here. If you must move to southern Md try St Mary's county. Way more laid back. I am out of this area before my kids get to school age. Good luck

[Giantone]

Originally Posted by Mr & Mrs C

Stay Away from behind the mall!! It used to be the nicest area in Waldorf. In those neighborhoods is where the most crime is. The bike paths are known for armed robberies. Just last week they found a body in the nieghborhood lake. At the mall 2 weeks ago a cop shot someone outside of the carnival in the parking lot. The people that say its a nice place are the ones that dont go anywhere and stay in there houses blinded. I hate southern Md. IT IS a bad place and is going to get real bad real soon. I talk to lots of people and most that have been around a long time want out fast. All the houses are overpriced. Waldorf, White Plains and LaPlata will be one soon due to the overdevelopment of southern Md. Traffic is another killer of the area. From one end of Waldorf to the other will take about 20 minutes if your lucky. I think its about 10 miles. Shopping is a real pain, there are long lines everywhere. I see in your current neighborhood you have similar problems, check out some of these neighborhoods here. If you must move to southern Md try St Mary's county. Way more laid back. I am out of this area before my kids get to school age. Good luck

Tell us how you really feel,she is right..shooting at the Mall was a guy from PG county trying to steal an unmarked cop car,he went for the officers gun and he was shot in the sholder.

Murder at the lake,revenge for a deal gone bad by a PG county gang.Don't blame you for leaving,just let me know who you sell the house to...when you do leave.

[Mom21]

Murder at the lake,revenge for a deal gone bad by a PG county gang.Don't blame you for leaving,just let me know who you sell the house to...when you do leave.

I don't know where Giantone gets his information. Here are 2 accounts of the body found in the lake, and neither mentions what Giantone says:

Welcome to Charles County Sheriff's Office

Stabbing death draws charge


Also, St. Mary's ain't all that either. I've been noticing more crime happening there as well:

Abduction and Bank Robbery in St. Mary's Touch Off Massive Search for Gunmen



Gunmen apparently kidnapped a St. Mary's County bank manager and her children and forced her to remove cash from the bank while they held her toddler son hostage outside. A 911 call Wednesday from a bank employee launched a massive law enforcement search across Southern Maryland.

As a state police helicopter whirred overhead, officers and sheriff's deputies shut down a major road out of St. Mary's. Schools there and in part of Calvert County canceled afternoon activities. The bank manager, Latoya Booth, and her children, an 18-month-old boy and a 5-year-old girl, were released unharmed. Police were still searching for the two men.

Investigators compiled a detailed timeline of what happened after the abduction in Lusby. But authorities said a lot of questions were unanswered, including how the men got to Booth's house.

[yakosaru]

I have relatives who live in Waldorf. They have 3 boys and actively involved with youth sports programs. They enjoy living there and they haven't had any issues. They also have great public school system.

[jsdory]

I was raised in Waldorf from 8th grade until High School Graduation. During this time, was the time that I noticed a steady increase of an affluent african american migration from DC and PG County. I myself was a product of that. My parents decided to move due to the perceived 'better public school system' and the cheaper home prices. It was actually between Frederick County Schools or Charles County Schools. We moved to 'Ashford Oaks', which is located on Berry Rd on the western side of Route 301 (which is also known as the nicest part of Waldorf). While attending the new middle school that was built, I noticed that I was the only person of color in my class, which to me at first was a shock when coming from PG County. As the years went by .. that became less of an issue ... schools have become more diverse with the times.. There has been a quite notable population/demographic shift in Northern Charles County in particular. Its a literal explosion in the amount of people. This shift reflects the rather affluent African American professional majority in PG County and even other counties in Northern VA as well (specifically Prince William).. You also get others who are lower income as well, but mainly middle to high income. Just look at the waldorfs average income . It has only increased in the past ten years due to this demographic shift. Its rather unique and should be studied. Once I went off to undergrad and grad - and settled into my job in Montgomery County, I would come back to see my parents and friends... my friends would tell me how things have 'changed' - and how 'ghetto' it has become. I honestly don't think it has become 'ghetto'. Its just that many who have been here for x years have been accustomed to it being non-diverse. So with the change, it bothers them so. I tell those same people to take a stroll up to what i call 'civilization', which is PG County and Montgomery County and youll see real diversity, and many people from all walks of life.. with populations exceeding 1.8 million when combined. - With charles county's low population, they are in training wheels ... all of the more developed counties have been through this process as well. Get used to it - When I go home ... I feel like I can take a deep breath and exhale and just enjoy the peacefulness. - Then fight my way back up home on 270 LOL!

If you settle in Waldorf, I recommend the Western Side, such as Streamview, Ashford Oaks, Constitution Hills, etc ... From a congestion standpoint, you wont have to worry about crossing that god -awful intersection 301 at Berry Rd (ITS HORRIFYING in the morning) - and you will lose at least 15 minutes by just sitting there (depending on what time you leave for work). At least being on the Western end, you can just ride on 228 to 210 - and take it over the Wilson Bridge into VA. GOOD LUCK!!

[Giantone]

Originally Posted by jsdory

I was raised in Waldorf from 8th grade until High School Graduation. During this time, was the time that I noticed a steady increase of an affluent african american migration from DC and PG County. I myself was a product of that. My parents decided to move due to the perceived 'better public school system' and the cheaper home prices. It was actually between Frederick County Schools or Charles County Schools. We moved to 'Ashford Oaks', which is located on Berry Rd on the western side of Route 301 (which is also known as the nicest part of Waldorf). While attending the new middle school that was built, I noticed that I was the only person of color in my class, which to me at first was a shock when coming from PG County. As the years went by .. that became less of an issue ... schools have become more diverse with the times.. There has been a quite notable population/demographic shift in Northern Charles County in particular. Its a literal explosion in the amount of people. This shift reflects the rather affluent African American professional majority in PG County and even other counties in Northern VA as well (specifically Prince William).. You also get others who are lower income as well, but mainly middle to high income. Just look at the waldorfs average income . It has only increased in the past ten years due to this demographic shift. Its rather unique and should be studied. Once I went off to undergrad and grad - and settled into my job in Montgomery County, I would come back to see my parents and friends... my friends would tell me how things have 'changed' - and how 'ghetto' it has become. I honestly don't think it has become 'ghetto'. Its just that many who have been here for x years have been accustomed to it being non-diverse. So with the change, it bothers them so. I tell those same people to take a stroll up to what i call 'civilization', which is PG County and Montgomery County and youll see real diversity, and many people from all walks of life.. with populations exceeding 1.8 million when combined. - With charles county's low population, they are in training wheels ... all of the more developed counties have been through this process as well. Get used to it - When I go home ... I feel like I can take a deep breath and exhale and just enjoy the peacefulness. - Then fight my way back up home on 270 LOL!

If you settle in Waldorf, I recommend the Western Side, such as Streamview, Ashford Oaks, Constitution Hills, etc ... From a congestion standpoint, you wont have to worry about crossing that god -awful intersection 301 at Berry Rd (ITS HORRIFYING in the morning) - and you will lose at least 15 minutes by just sitting there (depending on what time you leave for work). At least being on the Western end, you can just ride on 228 to 210 - and take it over the Wilson Bridge into VA. GOOD LUCK!!

Nice post.