The 20 Most Dangerous Cities in Florida

ByLiz Flynn Posted on

Miami

When choosing where to live, one of the common criteria people use when making their decision is how safe a city is based on crime rates. On the one hand, high crime rates can lower property prices, so homes are more affordable.

On the other hand, people looking for a forever home in which to raise a family would prefer to live in an area that is generally considered safe. If you are considering buying or renting a home in Florida, then it is important to know the crime statistics of the different cities.

Here are the 20 most dangerous cities in Florida based on figures released from the FBI that relate to both violent crime and property crime with the figure given as a combined number per 1,000 people.

20. Lauderdale Lakes – 59.8

Located in Broward County in Florida, Lauderdale Lakes ranks in 20th position on the list of the most dangerous cities in Florida. It has a population of 32,593. Approximately 22.5 percent of the population is living below the poverty line. There is a one in 17 risk of becoming a victim of crime in this city. In comparison to the size of the population and the overall crime statistics, violent crime is quite high and would put Lauderdale Lakes in 11th position on a list of the most violent cities in Florida.

19. Leesburg – 60.05

Residents of Leesburg have a one in 17 chance of becoming a victim of crime. Reported property crimes in this city are the equivalent to 50.85 crimes per every thousand residents.

18. Sanford – 60.13

On Neighborhood Scout, Sanford has a low crime index rating of six, which means that it is only safer than six percent of cities in the United States. According to their statistics, there is an average of 415 violent crimes and 2,476 property crimes annually. These figures are significantly higher than the average crime figures for both the state of Florida and the whole of the United States.

17. Ocala – 60.61

The population of Ocala is 57,288, and the overall crime rate is just over 60 reported crimes per thousand residents. Property crimes are the biggest issue in this city, as there are 54.06 recorded incident per thousand people. Violent crimes are much lower at 6.55 per thousand, so Ocala would only rank in 27th position in terms of violence. This city is located in Marion County in the northern region of Florida.

16. Oakland Park – 60.75

The annual crime rates per one thousand residents in Oakland Park are 7.85 violent crimes and 52.9 property crimes. This means that those living in this city have a one in 16 risk of becoming a crime victim. Oakland Park has a population of 42,701, and it is located in Broward Park. It is part of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale- West Palm Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area. This is an ethnically diverse city, as it has the fifteenth highest Brazilian population in the United States and the 25th highest percentage of Haitians.

15. West Palm Beach – 60.78

Statistics from 2016 are used by City Rating to determine the safety and crime rates in West Palm Beach. The statistics show that a total of 6,953 crimes were reported that year. Of these, 5,599 were property crimes, while 954 were violent crimes. The overall risk of becoming a victim of crime in West Palm Beach in 2019 is one in 16, and this city now ranks in 25th position in terms of violent crimes.

14. Lake Worth – 61.17

Lake Worth is a smaller city with a population of just 35,788 that is located in Palm Beach County. Despite the low population compared to many other cities in Florida, it has earned a reputation for its high crime rates. Violent crime is a problem in this area as 12.88 violent crimes are reported for every thousand people. This means that in terms of violent crime, this city ranks in the third position. There are also 48.26 property crimes per every thousand residents. Overall, the risk of becoming a victim of crime is around one in 16.

13. Riviera Beach – 61.97

Area Vibes gives Riviera Beach an ‘F’ rating for both crime and employment. However, this city gets an A+ for amenities. This website reports the average number of different crimes reported annually. Their statistics show that each year in Riviera Beach, there are 11 murders, 19 rapes, 371 assaults, 236 burglaries, 995 incidences of theft, and 169 vehicle thefts. This city has significantly higher rates of both property crimes and violent crimes than national averages.

12. Sarasota – 63.14

In 12th position on the list is Sarasota, which is home to 53,055 people. For every thousand residents, this city has 8.03 violent crimes and 55.11 property crimes reported. If only violent crimes are taken into account, Sarasota ranks in only 26th position, so it does not make it onto the list of the 20 most violent cities in Florida. The overall chance of becoming a victim of crime in this city is one in 16.

11. Pompano Beach – 64.29

Pompano Beach is a city in Broward County and it is located along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It is approximately 35 miles along the coast from Miami and has a population of 99,845.10.29 violent crimes and 54 property crimes are reported for every one thousand residents. This gives Pompano Beach an overall crime risk of one in 16.

10. Miami – 65.47

Miami is the cultural, economic, and financial center of South Florida. The city stretches from the Everglades to the left and to Biscayne Bay on the right. It is a popular place for tourists to visit because of the diverse array of attractions and its amazing food scene. Despite this city’s many attributes, it is in the top ten most dangerous cities to live in Florida. With a population of 414,327, residents of this city have a one in 15 chance of becoming a victim of crime. If only violent crimes were considered, Miami would rank in 4th position.

9. Fort Pierce – 65.95

IF only violent crimes were taken into consideration, Fort Pierce would actually rank higher on the list as it is this city is 7th in terms of violent crime figures. Property crimes are also relatively high as there are 54.81 reported property crimes for every thousand residents of the city. Overall, people living in Fort Pierce have a one in 15 risk of becoming a crime victim.

8. Fort Lauderdale – 67.92

Located on the southeastern coast of Florida, Fort Lauderdale is known for its stunning beaches and boating canals. Despite being a great place to visit for tourists, the crime rates in the area deter many people from living in this city. Fort Lauderdale has a population of 170,827 and the risk of crime is around one in 15. When only violent crimes are considered, this city ranks in 13th position. However, the rates of property crimes make this city climb on the rankings in terms of overall crime, as 58.8 people per every thousand become victims of property crime in this city.

7. Homestead – 67.87

Although Homestead is only seventh in the rankings of the most dangerous cities in Florida, this city actually tops of the list in terms of violent crimes, according to Home Security Shield. This city has a population of 62,785, and there are 16.64 violent crimes per thousand residents annually, making it the most violent city in Florida. The rates of property crimes are not as only 51.22 property crimes per thousand residents occurs each year. Overall, the chance of a resident becoming a victim of crime in this city is one in 15.

6. Key West – 69.47

Your chance of becoming a victim of crime in Key West is around one in 14 as the overall crime rate is about 69 per one thousand residents. This city has a population of 25,249, and more residents are affected by property crimes than by violent crimes. While 61.23 residents per every thousand are victims of property crimes, this city only ranks in the 24th position in terms of violence. This is an island city that is part of the Florida Keys archipelago. An interesting fact is that Key West is Florida’s southernmost point, and it lies just 90 miles north of Cuba. It is accessed from the mainland via the Overseas Highway.

5. Pensacola – 69.86

With a risk of crime averaging at one in 14 and a crime rate of just under 70 per one thousand residents. Pensacola is the 5th most dangerous place to live in Florida. This is another city that is affected more by property crime than crimes that involve violence. According to Neighborhood Scout, this city is safer only than six percent of cities in the United States, which means that it is considered unsafe compared to national statistics. However, there are some neighborhoods that are considered safe in comparison to most parts of the city. These include Gulf Beach Heights/ Perdido Bay, Pleasant Grove/ Quinavista, and Paradise Beach/ Perdido Heights.

4. Panama City – 70.27

If crime rates are a major concern for you when you are choosing somewhere to live, then Panama City is another place that you might want to avoid. This city has a population of 37,137 and the crime rate is 70 per one thousand residents. This gives residents of this city a one in 14 chance of becoming a crime victim. Property crimes are the biggest issue in this city, as violent crimes are relatively low at 7.8 per one thousand residents of the city.

3. Daytona Beach – 74.1

Both property crimes and violent crimes are relatively high in this city. 62.5 per one thousand residents are affected by the former, while 11.56 per one thousand residents are affected by the latter. The overall chance of becoming a victim of crime in Daytona Beach is one in 13, which is about the same of the risk of becoming a victim of crime in Orlando. Daytona Beach is located along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It is known for its beaches, the attractions, and the Daytona International Speedway.

2. Orlando – 78.19

Orlando in central Florida is the most popular tourist destination in the state of Florida. It is also the third most populous city in Florida with a population of approximately 1,510,516. However,t it is also the second most dangerous place to live. There is a one in 13 overall chance of becoming a victim of a crime if you live in this city as the overall crime rate is just over 78 per one thousand residents. The number of property crimes is much higher than violent crimes, as Orlando is only ranked in 10th position for violent crime. However, 67.85 per one thousand residents are affected by property crimes.

1. Miami Beach – 109.7

According to Home Security Shield, Miami Beach is the most dangerous city in which to live in Florida based on combined property and violent crimes. This is predominantly due to the high levels of property crimes in this city, with 99.14 reported property crimes for every thousand residents. The rates for violent crimes are much lower, with only 10.33 violent crimes per thousand residents. This means that despite being ranked as the most dangerous city, Miami Beach is in only eighth position in terms of violent crimes. Miami Beach has a population of 91,066 and the overall risk of becoming a victim of crime in one in nine.

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Liz Flynn

Liz Flynn has worked as a full-time writer since 2010 after leaving a career in education. She finds almost all topics she writes about interesting, but her favorite subjects are travel and food. Liz loves the process of researching information, learning new things, and putting into words what others who share her interests might like to read. Although she spends most of her time writing, she also enjoys spending time with her husband and four children, watching films, cooking, dining out, reading, motorsports, gaming, and walking along the beach next to her house with her dog.

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