 The city of Virginia Beach has a lower crime rate than the other regional cities of Hampton Roads , Newport News , Norfolk , and Portsmouth , which all exceed national average crime rates . In 1999 Virginia Beach experienced 12 murders giving the city a murder rate of 2 @.@ 7 per 100 @,@ 000 people . For 2007 , Virginia Beach had 16 murders , for a murder rate of 3 @.@ 7 per 100 @,@ 000 people . That was lower than the national average that year of 6 @.@ 9 . The city ’ s total crime index rate for 2007 was 221 @.@ 2 per 100 @,@ 000 people , lower than the national average of 320 @.@ 9 . According to the Congressional Quarterly Press ' 2008 City Crime Rankings : Crime in Metropolitan America , Virginia Beach , Virginia ranks 311th in violent crime among 385 cities containing more than 75 @,@ 000 inhabitants . 
