Top 10 most dangerous cities in Florida you should know about
Florida is recognised for its beautiful beaches, colourful culture, and booming tourist attractions, but it also has certain cities where safety is a significant worry. While many sections of the state provide a good quality of life and delightful experiences, several cities suffer significant crime issues. Here are the most dangerous cities in Florida you should be aware of.
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To create the list of the most dangerous cities in Florida, we analysed crime and violent crime statistics across the state from multiple sources, such as the Second Amendment Foundation and Macrotrends. This data contains murder, violent, and property crime rates, as well as characteristics such as poverty, gang participation, and burglaries.
10 most dangerous cities in Florida
Florida is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States and is home to millions of residents. Florida, like any other state, can be dangerous for many reasons. If you are from Florida or are considering moving there, here are the places to avoid in Florida based on crime statistics.
| City | Crime rate per 100,000 people |
| Florida City | 2,908.8 |
| Riviera Beach | 2324 |
| Lake City | 1,547 |
| Cocoa | 1108 |
| Miami Beach | 1059 |
| Daytona Beach | 1006 |
| Lake Worth Beach | 996 |
| Lauderhill | 878 |
| Orlando | 842 |
| Tallahassee | 774 |
1. Florida City
Which city in Florida has the highest crime rate? Florida City is located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA. It is primarily a Miami suburb and a significant agricultural region. As of 2020, it was ranked as Florida's "most dangerous" city. With an 11,826-person population, the violent crime rate was 2,908.8 per 100,000. The city's poverty rate was recorded at 14%.
2. Riviera Beach
Riviera Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. The city's crime rate is high, with 2324 offences per 100,000 people. Riviera Beach has the highest murder rate in Florida, exceeding seven times the national average. Singer Island is Riviera Beach's least dangerous region, but the remainder of the city ranks among the most dangerous in Florida.
3. Lake City
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Lake City has the greatest violent crime rate in the nation and one of the most severe in the country, with 1,547 per 100,000 population. Although this smaller town of 12,329 people has a cheaper cost of living than most other parts of Florida, it also has relatively high poverty and crime levels. Lake City has nearly four times the state average of violent crime victims.
4. Cocoa
Cocoa is a city in Brevard County, Florida. The estimated population was 19,041 at the 2020 Census of the United States. Cocoa has a violent crime rate of 1,108 per 100,000 people, which is 2.8 times higher than the national level and more than four times the state's average. Burglaries and assaults are the most common violent crimes in Cocoa.
5. Miami Beach
Miami Beach is a seaside resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA. It is also one of Florida's most dangerous cities, with an overall crime rate of 1,059 per 100,000 population, approximately 2.7 times greater than the national average and four times above the state average. Robberies, automobile break-ins, and assaults are the most commonly committed crimes in Miami Beach.
6. Daytona Beach
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Daytona Beach is famous for its racecourse and spring break celebrations, which attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. Its violent crime rate is 1,006 for every 100,000 residents, which is about three times higher than the state average. The city also has property crime rates about 2.5 times higher than the state average.
7. Lake Worth Beach
The violent crime rate of Lake Worth Beach is 996 per 100,000 population, over 2.5 times greater than the overall state and national averages. However, while Lake Worth Beach remains one of Florida's most hazardous locales, crime rates have decreased recently. Lake Worth Beach's northern neighbourhoods are more unsafe than the rest.
8. Lauderhill
The crime rate in Lauderhill has increased in recent years. There were 628 violent offences in this 72,000-person community in 2023, up more than 20% from 2018. Overall, Lauderhill has a violent crime rate of 878 per 100,000 individuals. This suggests that Lauderhill inhabitants are 2.3 times more likely to be victims of a violent crime than the Florida average.
9. Orlando
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Orlando, Florida's most populated city, has a high rate of violent crime. While crime rates have dropped significantly since the early 2000s, Orlando has recently experienced a minor increase. The city's current violent crime rate is 842 per 100,000 population, which is more than two times the state average.
10. Tallahassee
Tallahassee has one of the highest rates of violent crime in Florida. In 2023, Tallahassee recorded 774 violent crimes per 100,000 population. This converts into a frightening reality, with violent crime rates more than double the national and regional averages. Tallahassee has high rates of both violent and property crime.
What city is safest in Florida?
Marco Island, Parkland, Weston, Winter Springs, Oviedo, Satellite Beach, Port St. Lucie, North Palm Beach, Cooper City, and Sebastian are some of the safest cities in Florida.
What is the biggest crime in Florida?
Numerous types of crimes can occur in Florida, some more prevalent than others. A substantial majority of arrests in Florida are for drug-related offences such as possession or manufacture of restricted substances and trafficking in illicit substances.
When considering relocating to Florida, safety should be the primary priority. The regions featured in this analysis are the most dangerous cities in Florida, owing to their high rates of violent crime. In comparison to the state and national norms, residents in these cities are much more likely to be victims of violent crime, such as robberies, assaults, and burglaries.
Yen.com.gh recently published an article featuring the cleanest city in the world. A clean city may not be perfect for eating on the streets or lack litter. However, it should have clean water and acceptable air quality.
The world's cleanest city results from precise planning and constant effort, not simply picking up rubbish. Public cleanliness measures, such as frequent street cleaning and educational campaigns, foster a clean culture among citizens. Read the article for more information.
Source: YEN.com.gh
