Florida’s Most Violent Cities Revealed: Lake City, Riviera Beach, and Cocoa top the list.
Hazy Skyline in the US was swept by the wind from the Canadian Wildfire. (Source: USA Today)
A detailed study tells people who want to live there to stay away from these and other places with high rates of serious crime. When thinking about moving to the Sunshine State, safety must come first.
| City | Total Population | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate | Percentage of Poverty | Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riviera Beach | 34,674 | 16.72 | 60.84 | 27.6% | 7.8% |
| Homestead | 70,724 | 15.91 | 65.33 | 25.4% | 6.2% |
| Daytona Beach | 69,186 | 13.27 | 64.29 | 24.1% | 5.9% |
| Lauderhill | 71,868 | 11.84 | 50.63 | 21.1% | 5.5% |
| Pompano Beach | 112,360 | 10.35 | 52.18 | 19.8% | 4.9% |
| Orlando | 287,442 | 9.72 | 46.92 | 18.7% | 4.6% |
| Deerfield Beach | 81,065 | 9.19 | 44.67 | 16.2% | 4.2% |
| Jacksonville | 911,507 | 8.87 | 42.13 | 15.4% | 3.8% |
| Gainesville | 133,997 | 7.55 | 36.88 | 19.5% | 3.6% |
| Lake Worth | 39,456 | 7.03 | 38.71 | 19.2% | 3.4% |
| Tallahassee | 197,212 | 6.91 | 38.01 | 18.5% | 3.1% |
| Lake City | 12,112 | 6.52 | 35.09 | 20.7% | 3.0% |
| Cocoa | 19,028 | 5.88 | 32.18 | 16.8% | 2.8% |
| Florida City | 12,034 | 5.43 | 28.75 | 32.0% | 2.6% |
| Panama City | 36,917 | 4.92 | 27.81 | 17.6% | 2.4% |
Riviera Beach, a town of 35,000 people near Miami, has seven times the national average murder rate, making it Florida’s worst place for serious crime. Singer Island is thought to be a better part of Riviera Beach, but the city’s general crime rates make people worry about safety. It’s interesting that it’s only a 10-minute drive from North Palm Beach, which is one of the best towns in Florida. This shows how different the safety levels are in the same area.
Homestead was hit hard by Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and it is now one of the most dangerous towns in Florida because of its high rates of property and violent crimes. Even with these worries, people who live in the area often tell people who are thinking about moving there that the northwest region is safer.
Daytona Beach is known for its race track and spring break, but some parts of the city have a lot of property crimes, which makes it one of the most dangerous places to live in Florida. Even though the city is famous with tourists, it has a serious crime rate that is almost three times the state average and a property crime rate that is 2.5 times higher.
4. Lauderhill
The Florida city of Lauderhill has 72,000 people, and property crime rates, especially burglary and theft rates, have been going up. Overall, crime in the city has gone up. In 2022, there were 632 serious crimes, which is more than 20% more than in 2018. Lauderhill locals are 2.3 times more likely to be victims of violent crime than the average person in the state. The rate of violent crime in Lauderhill is 878 crimes per 100,000 people.
Pompano Beach is part of the Miami urban area. Because it is on the coast, it has a lot of drug trade, which gets the attention of the police. Because the city is in an urban area with a lot of people, violence and property crimes happen there more often than in the rest of the country. Even though the poverty rate is lower than the national average, the economy is still having trouble. The unemployment rate is slightly higher than the statewide average, which shows that the economy is not stable.
Orlando, Florida, has 2.2 times the state average for serious crime. This is because of the terrible killing at Pulse bar in 2016. Crime had been going down for years, but a small rise since 2020 has made people want to make things safer again. Orlando is still dedicated to lowering serious crime and making sure its people are safe.
A lot more cars are being stolen in Deerfield Beach, which is in the beautiful Miami urban area. The city has higher rates of both serious and property crime than the national average. It also has the problems that come with living in a city. A poverty rate that is lower than the national average, on the other hand, shows that Deerfield Beach’s economy is stable. Even though there are problems with crime, the unemployment number is in line with the national trend, which shows that the economy is doing okay.
Jacksonville is one of the most populated towns in Florida, but some areas have very high crime rates, which makes it hard to live there. Compared to the rest of the country, both physical and property crimes happen more often in the city. Even with these problems, Jacksonville has a low poverty rate, which means that many of its people are doing better financially. The unemployment number is about the same as the national average, which shows that the economy is doing okay.
Gainesville is a center for education because it is home to the University of Florida. However, burglaries and thefts are becoming more common in some parts of the city. Violence and property crimes happen at high rates in the city because it feels like a college town and has a lot of different kinds of people living in it. Even with these problems, Gainesville’s economy is steady, with poverty rates below the national average and a jobless rate that follows the trend for the state.
As the home of the University of Florida, Gainesville is a place where many people go to school. But steals and break-ins are happening more often in some parts of the city. A lot of different kinds of people live in the city, which makes it feel like a college town. This makes it a place where violence and property crimes happen a lot. The business in Gainesville is stable, even with these issues. Poverty rates are lower than the national average, and the unemployment rate is about the same as the state average.
There have been times when serious crimes have gone up in Tallahassee, which is the capital of Florida and home to some of the state’s best schools. The city had 1,516 violent crimes in 2021, which is more than twice the state and national rates of 774 crimes per 100,000 people. Even though Tallahassee is known for its high level of education, it has trouble dealing with and lowering its serious crime rates. This makes it clear that residents need more safety measures.
There is more drug-related crime in Lake City, which makes some areas risky. For some reason, Lake City is Florida’s most dangerous city, even though it has fewer people and a lower cost of living. The city has a serious crime rate of 1,547 per 100,000 people, which is almost four times the national average. Poverty and crime rates are also high, which makes it even more important to take immediate safety steps.
The town of Cocoa on Florida’s Space Coast has a very high violent crime rate and homicide rates that are sometimes higher than the national average.” With only 19,000 people living there, Cocoa has a severe crime rate of 1,108 crimes per 100,000 people, which is 2.8 times the national average and three times the state average. There are a lot of break-ins and attacks. People who want to live in a safe and peaceful area in Florida should stay away from Cocoa, which is close to Cape Canaveral.
Florida City, in Miami-Dade County, has one of the highest rates of poverty in the state, which causes social problems. Even though the city isn’t very big, there is a noticeable amount of serious crime that is a little above the national rate. There are also worries about property crime. A relatively low jobless number shows that the local economy is pretty stable.
After Hurricane Michael hit hard in 2018, Panama City, which is in Bay County, is still having problems. Many homes and buildings need to be fixed. People like to visit the city because it has cheap housing and is near the beach, but it also has one of Florida’s highest crime rates, with a lot of murders, armed robberies, and kidnappings happening in places like Curundú, El Chorrillo, and San Miguelito. Taking care of crime problems is important for the city’s image and the health of its people.
Safest Places to Live in Florida
With a safety rating of 1.21, Sweetwater is the safest city in Florida. This shows that being close to Miami doesn’t mean crime rates are higher. Naples is next on the Gulf Coast with a safety grade of 1.12. Key Biscayne, Coral Gables, and Satellite Beach are in first through third place, with scores of 1.06, 0.83, and 1.06, respectively. With small populations, low jobless rates, and closeness to beautiful beaches, these towns are great examples of safe places to live in the Sunshine State.
As you can see from Florida’s wide range of landscapes, a city’s safety has a big effect on how appealing it is. Some cities, like Lake City and Riviera Beach, have problems with crime, but other cities, like Sweetwater and Naples, are safe and peaceful. It’s important to deal with bigger social and economic problems like poverty and unemployment because programs that help people get jobs, support communities, and improve schooling often lead to lower crime rates.
