Florida is known for its sandy beaches, theme parks, coastal towns and lively entertainment districts. From Orlando’s attractions to Miami’s nightlife and the natural landscapes of the Everglades, the Sunshine State offers plenty of reasons to visit. However, crime statistics show that safety conditions can vary considerably between communities.
For travelers planning a Florida vacation, understanding local crime data can help when choosing accommodations, arranging transportation and deciding where to spend time. The following list presents 10 Florida cities identified in the supplied figures as having elevated violent crime rates. Florida City ranks first, followed by Belle Glade and Pahokee.
Quick Guide
- State: Florida
- Category: Travel Safety and Destination Guide
- Based On: Supplied city crime statistics; consult the Florida Department of Health’s crime data for official statewide and county-level information.
- Includes: 10 Florida cities with reported elevated violent crime rates
- Best For: Visitors planning vacations, road trips, overnight stays and city visits
- Note: Rankings and figures require verification against the relevant reporting year. A citywide rate does not mean every neighborhood has the same level of risk.
- Source: areavibes
These figures should be treated as a starting point for research, not a definitive assessment of every neighborhood. Crime rankings can change depending on the reporting year, data source, population estimates and methodology used.
10. Panama City
- Population: 36,673
- 649 violent crimes per 100k
- violent crimes per day: 1.78
- chance of being a victim: 1 in 154
- Total Crimes / 100k: 2,838
Rounding out our list at #10 is Panama City, FL. With a population of 36,673 and a violent crime rate of 649 per 100,000 people (143% higher than the Florida average), some parts of Panama City are incredible unsafe.
The violent crime rate consists of 559 counts of assault, 25 counts of robbery, 57 counts of rape and 8 counts of homicide. Residents can expect to have a 1 in 154 chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime.
9. Lake Worth
- Population: 38,026
- 731 violent crimes per 100k
- violent crimes per day: 2.00
- chance of being a victim: 1 in 137
- Total Crimes / 100k: 3,388
Economic conditions, education, social environment, law enforcement and urbanization can all have an impact on crime rates. Feeling the effects of most of those issues, Lake Worth, FL comes in as the 9th most dangerous city in Florida with a violent crime rate of 731 per 100,000 people.
If we break that down, the city sees 2.00 violent crimes per day and residents have a 1 in 137 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.
8. Gainesville
- Population: 138,122
- 738 violent crimes per 100k
- violent crimes per day: 2.02
- chance of being a victim: 1 in 136
- Total Crimes / 100k: 3,442
Gainesville, FL is another one of the most dangerous cities in Florida and tops the list at #8. The city has a population of 138,122 and a violent crime rate of 738 per 100,000 people.
Of those crimes, there were 514 counts of assault, 133 counts of robbery, 86 counts of rape and 5 counts of homicide. All told, the Gainesville violent crime rate is 176% higher than the Florida average…………Read full article
