I can't really speak towards the Laurel area, but have you considered North Chesterfield? Specifically, places between Hull Street Road and Midlothian Turnpike, to the west of Chippenham Parkway?

I used to live over there and I quite liked it. I think you can find a two-bedroom apartment for under $1,500 somewhere in the area.

Bon Air or anything out in west Henrico in the Tuckahoe area. If you don't want hood, stay west of 195 and southwest of 150.

Check out the apartments in VCC, on Rt 1 across from the Walgreens. There are also townhomes on the corner of Hungry and Hungry Springs. No idea how much they cost.

Hi, I am guessing that you are young and real stretch, white? You may not mean it, but calling a place hood is using language that has been used as a racist dogwhistle. You can look at crime reports to see the reported crimes in a neighborhood to start. But most importantly, especially as you live nearby, you can visit neighborhoods and see if you feel like it would be a place that you would enjoy living in. The internet can take you far, but visiting on the weekend, on a weekday evening, maybe having lunch or coffee in a place can take you far. Look at zillow or apartments.com or something to gauge prices/amenities of places you can afford/meet your needs. See if it works for you transportation-wise. And then get out there.

There is so much information out there and in here (the search bar). Talk to people you know and ask if they like where they live. I would like living near too many rowdy bars wouldn't feel safe to me, but then someone else would consider that convenient. I like having sidewalks and some street life, others are uncomfortable with that. It comes down to you. And safe, even that is misleading. Plenty of neighborhoods have lots of property crimes (even my old golf club community in the exurbs, people wouldn't lock their cars and leave things like guns, laptops and backpacks in their cars and bored teenagers would help themselves). I don't feel safe when people open carry at the gas pump, but to others that is just the way they roll.

I'm not trying to sound sanctimonious, but I live in a very safe neighborhood where I know my neighborhoods but it may not appear so to someone else who drives through or relies on the opinions of outsiders. Finding a neighborhood that feels like you want to be a part of it is part of the fun of being young and not too settled yet. Explore! Good luck. Having a solid roommate/brother can go a long way towards increasing your sense of personal safety.

I’d stay out in the county if it were me…either west end henrico or chesterfield, midlothian area.

Laurel is fine. Hilarious that someone would find that area sketchy.

No safe neighborhoods. Danger everywhere. Stay out.