The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Florida For 2023


We used data and science to identify the most dangerous cities in the Sunshine State for 2023.

Most dangerous cities in Florida research summary. We analyzed the most recent FBI crime data to determine the most dangerous cities in Florida based on violent and property crimes per capita. Here are the results of our analysis:

  • The most dangerous city in Florida is Florida City based on the most recent FBI crime data.

  • The violent crime rate in Florida is 2,908 per 100k people.

  • The property crime rate in Florida is 5,555 per 100k people.

  • The safest city in Florida is Tequesta.

  • Florida is the 29th most dangerous state in the United States.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | References


Florida’s beaches can be super hot, Orlando’s Disney World can be unbearably steamy, Miami can be pretty swampy, and many of Florida’s most dangerous places to live bring some crazy ‘heat’ as well.

Florida is the third most populous state in the country, so there’s bound to be problems with that many people; and sadly, the majority of those problems can be found in the state’s most dangerous places. Want to know where you can enjoy all of the amenities that Florida has to offer minus the danger? Lucky for you RoadSnacks has created a list of the most dangerous places in Florida for 2023. And we think that you should definitely take a look at our list below before you make any major life changing decisions.

In order to compile our list, we looked at violent crimes and property crimes in cities with a population of 5,000. That left us with 207 cities. Folks, the cities that made our list have robberies happening in broad daylight, car jackings, and daily shootings. There are neighborhoods in these cities that you shouldn’t drive thru, ever, and there are areas that you definitely shouldn’t be in after dark.

While a major crime just blocks away from your house can make you feel really uneasy, in the big picture, most likely, where you live is relatively safe. Unless you live in The Sunshine State’s most dangerous places. Yes, that’s right, Florida is the 17th most dangerous state in the country; and unfortunately, Florida is one of the only states to have eight-yes, eight-of the most dangerous cities in the country.

So, want to know the places in Florida that have more issues than Jacksonville’s Florida Times? Keep reading.

If you aren’t from Florida, some of the most dangerous cities may come as a shock. We’ve all heard of the amazing beaches and nightlife from Miami Beach to Daytona Beach, but who knew they were some of the most dangerous places in Florida, too?

What’s the most dangerous city in Florida? The most dangerous city in Florida is Florida City — not a shocker if you’ve seen the data.

Want to see why each of these cities are so dangerous? Read on to learn more about our methodology and to see how your favorite Florida cities stacked up.

Learn more about the safest places in Florida.

If you’re looking for something more national, check out the most dangerous cities in America or the most dangerous states in America.

For more Florida reading, check out:

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Florida For 2023

You know those “Florida Man” memes? Chances are at least one of those is straight out of Florida City, Florida’s most dangerous city.

With 3 murders happening over a year in a city of just 11,826, Florida City is officially the murder capital of the state. Violent crime as a whole is shockingly common, with residents facing a 1 in 34 chance of being the victim of a violent crime throughout the year. Overall, running into an alligator at Everglades National Park is a whole lot less likely than being attacked in Florida City.

The property crime rate in Florida City is also the fifth highest statewide, and the overall crime rate is nearly 300% higher than the nationwide average.

Florida City is 45 minutes southwest of Miami.

Overall SnackAbility

2
/10

Population: 11,826
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 2,908 (Most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,555 (Fifth most dangerous)
More on Florida City:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Florida City, FL

Lake City may be known as the Gateway to Florida, but it’s also the gateway to an uncomfortable amount of crime. You don’t need to go to the Civil War reenactments at Lake City’s annual Olustee Festival to see a battlefield, because the city has the fourth highest violent crime rate in Florida.

Residents of Lake City also have a 1 in 18 chance of being robbed or having their property damaged over a year, so it’s not the sort of place you want to leave your house unlocked either.

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 12,403
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,556 (Fourth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,393 (Sixth most dangerous)
More on Lake City:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Lake City, FL

Situated on Florida’s east coast between Orlando and Cape Canaveral, the city of Cocoa has seen a moderate rise in crime in the past year.

Cocoa’s biggest problem is property crime, which ranks as the third highest in Florida. In fact, with so many property crimes, Cocoa’s overall crime rate is actually the fourth highest in the state and more than double the national average.

Cocoa is the least violent place on this list, but the city still had 214 cases of violence reported in 2021.

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 18,769
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,140 (Seventh most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,866 (Third most dangerous)
More on Cocoa:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Cocoa, FL

Located just north of Miami, Opa Locka comes in as the fourth most dangerous place to live in Florida. While that may sound bad, consider the fact that Opa Lock had the highest violent crime rate in the country in 2004.

While improvements have certainly been made since then, we think the residents of Opa Locka would still like to have slightly lower odds than 1 in 50 chance of being the victim of a violent crime over a year, the second highest rate in Florida.

Property crime is also all too common; with about one car theft every three days and a burglary every other day, Opa Locka’s property crime rate is the ninth highest statewide.

Population: 16,501
Rank Last Year:
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,981 (Second most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,060 (Ninth most dangerous)
More on Opa Locka:  | Cost Of Living

Opa Locka, FL

We’re taking our first trip to Florida Panhandle to reach the state’s fifth most dangerous city, Panama City Beach. Known for its sugar-white sandy beaches and top-notch shopping at Pier Park, Panama City Beach is a big draw for tourists from all over.

However, tourism also contributes to Panama City Beach having the second highest rate of property crime in Florida. The city also has the unfortunate distinction of having the eighth highest rate of rape statewide. Panama City Beach has moved up a few spots on our list since last year, so things seem to be getting worse by the year here.

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 12,703
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,031 (11th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,951 (Second most dangerous)
More on Panama City Beach:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Panama City Beach, FL

Perry ended up in the #6 spot on this list mostly due to high rates of violent crime. Perry’s residents had a 1 in 98 shot of being the victim of an attack in 2021.

Property crime as a whole isn’t so bad that you have to worry about thieves stealing your cell phone if you go for a dip in the ocean at Keaton Beach.

But you should definitely lock your doors in Perry, because the city had the second highest burglary rate in Florida, with a staggering 149 cases in a place with only 6,865 people.

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 6,865
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,019 (12th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,996 (Tenth most dangerous)
More on Perry:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Perry, FL

No, you haven’t flown way off course and ended up in Central America. That’s a different Panama City, located near the famous canal. Rather, you’re in the panhandle of Florida, along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

This Panama City has its perks. You’ve got the water. You’ve got science museums and arts centers. However, you also have a crime problem. This represents the number 7 most dangerous spot in Florida.

One truly scary statistic: the number of sexual assaults reported last year. The community suffered 38 such crimes in a population of 34,672 — the number 3 highest rate in the state.

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 34,672
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 873 (16th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,190 (12th most dangerous)
More on Panama City:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Panama City, FL

Source: Public domain

When you think of Florida, certain visions come to mind. Beaches. Disney World. Speed boats riding along the coast. Well, you aren’t going to get any of that in Starke. Rather, you’ll find an inland community about 45 minutes southwest of Jacksonville.

The lack of ocean access is just the start of the problems. You’ll also find the number 8 most dangerous place in Florida. Violence represents a major problem in the area. In a community of just 5,415 people, Starke suffered 62 violent crimes. This brings the town the number 6 highest pace of this type of violation.

Overall SnackAbility

2
/10

Population: 5,415
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,144 (Sixth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,471 (24th most dangerous)
More on Starke:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Starke, FL

There’s a lot to love about Miami Beach — from the exceptional nightlife at South Beach, to the daytime fun at the boardwalk, to the historic and picturesque Spanish-inspired Espanola Way, there’s a reason tourists flock here.

But while tourism brings a lot of money to the community, it also contributes to Miami Beach’s high crime rate. By and large, property crime is the bigger issue in Miami Beach, with a person having a 1 in 5,109 chance of having their property robbed or vandalized. On the bright side, no city on this list has a lower murder rate than Miami Beach.

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 89,017
Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 750 (29th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,739 (Fourth most dangerous)
More on Miami Beach:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Miami Beach, FL

Source: Public domain

Next up on our list of Florida’s most dangerous places to call home is Riviera Beach, a city of 35,798 located just north of West Palm Beach.

Make sure you keep an eye on your valuables when you’re at the municipal beach, because there were 909 larceny cases recorded in 2021.

On top of that, Riviera Beach had the third highest murder rate in Florida and the fifth highest violent crime rate overall.

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 35,798
Rank Last Year: 9 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,195 (Fifth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,279 (31st most dangerous)
More on Riviera Beach:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Riviera Beach, FL

Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous cities in Florida for 2023?

Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Florida. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Florida, followed by a more detailed release at the end of the year.

For our analysis, we focused on the 2021 data, specifically the 2021 Crime In The United States Report for Florida. We will update the results when data becomes available in September 2023.

So what criteria did we use? Have a look:

  • Violent Crimes Per Capita
  • Property Crimes Per Capita

In order to make the analysis as apples to apples as possible, we only considered Florida cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 207 cities in Florida.

We then ranked each city from 1 to 207 for the two criteria with a #1 ranking being the most dangerous for the particular criteria.

Next, we averaged the two rankings into one “Dangerous Index”.

Finally, we ranked every city on the “Dangerous Index” with the lowest index being the most dangerous in Florida — Florida City. Any ties went to the smaller city.

Most Dangerous Places To Live In Florida FAQs

No, Florida is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #22 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in florida ranks 25th highest in the United States — 1.08% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Sunshine State ranks 32nd highest in the United States — 9.64% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020.

Yes, Jacksonville is a dangerous city. Jacksonville ranks as the #116 most dangerous out of 320 major cities over 100,000 people in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. Keep in mind that are always safe and dangerous parts of any city, so even though Jacksonville might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Eagle Bend is the safest in Jacksonville, while 29th And Chase is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.

Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Jacksonville ranks 90th highest in America — 27.14% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 124th highest in the United States — 8.12% worse than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020 and that no city in America is ‘dangerous’. Despite the uptick in murders, it’s nothing like you’d see in Tijuana or Caracas where the murder rate is 2x any American city.

Graphing The Most Dangerous And Safest Places In Florida

Most Dangerous Cities In Florida Graph

Click To Enlarge

Summary: Locking It All Up In Florida

So what is the most dangerous city in Florida? After analyzing 207 cities in Florida, Florida City takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Florida based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2021.

The latest FBI crime data shows that Florida City ranks as the most dangerous city in Florida for 2023.

We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Florida City and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up.

If you aren’t from Florida, some of the most dangerous cities may come as a shock. We’ve all heard of the amazing beaches and nightlife from Miami Beach to Daytona Beach, but who knew they were some of the most dangerous places in Florida, too?

What’s the most dangerous city in Florida? The most dangerous city in Florida is Florida City — not a shocker if you’ve seen the data.

Want to see why each of these cities are so dangerous? Read on to learn more about our methodology and to see how your favorite Florida cities stacked up.

Learn more about the safest places in Florida.

If you’re looking for something more national, check out the most dangerous cities in America or the most dangerous states in America.

Here are the safest cities in Florida:

  1. Valparaiso (Pop. 5,449)
  2. Longboat Key (Pop. 7,342)
  3. Marco Island (Pop. 18,121)
  4. Sebastian (Pop. 26,626)
  5. Satellite Beach (Pop. 11,252)
  6. Niceville (Pop. 16,345)
  7. Sanibel (Pop. 7,511)
  8. Parkland (Pop. 35,773)
  9. Weston (Pop. 71,815)
  10. Tequesta (Pop. 6,193)

For more Florida reading, check out:

Crime By City In Florida

Rank City Population Violent Crimes Per Capita Property Crimes Per Capita
1 Florida City 11,826 2,908 5,555
2 Lake City 12,403 1,556 5,393
3 Cocoa 18,769 1,140 5,866
4 Opa Locka 16,501 1,981 5,060
5 Panama City Beach 12,703 1,031 5,951
6 Perry 6,865 1,019 4,996
7 Panama City 34,672 873 4,190
8 Starke 5,415 1,144 3,471
9 Miami Beach 89,017 750 5,739
10 Riviera Beach 35,798 1,195 3,279
11 Orlando 293,363 860 3,803
12 Lake Park 8,612 685 6,769
13 Quincy 7,143 769 3,975
14 Lake Worth 38,945 1,052 3,212
15 Live Oak 6,985 830 3,564
16 Palm Springs 25,451 1,131 3,080
17 Sebring 10,664 740 3,647
18 Daytona Beach 70,084 1,034 3,060
19 West Palm Beach 113,268 761 3,409
20 Marianna 5,644 1,647 2,817
21 Melbourne 83,806 903 3,020
22 Leesburg 24,063 660 3,943
23 Gainesville 135,076 771 3,181
24 North Miami 63,109 762 3,181
25 Fort Lauderdale 184,347 628 4,156
26 Dade City 7,444 631 3,922
27 Lantana 12,825 670 3,321
28 Palatka 10,436 536 5,289
29 Tallahassee 196,012 773 2,951
30 Belleview 5,168 580 3,792
31 Pahokee 6,372 894 2,730
32 Ocala 61,275 674 3,159
33 Belle Glade 20,357 908 2,574
34 Oakland Park 45,646 565 3,533
35 Lauderhill 72,421 872 2,635
36 Delray Beach 70,487 568 3,421
37 Jacksonville 920,508 697 2,871
38 Pompano Beach 113,545 737 2,767
39 Dania Beach 32,557 623 3,142
40 Springfield 8,542 667 2,903
41 North Miami Beach 43,273 734 2,708
42 Homestead 70,538 864 2,415
43 Wilton Manors 12,885 488 3,469
44 Pensacola 53,083 616 2,906
45 South Miami 11,933 419 3,578
46 Treasure Island 6,946 518 3,095
47 New Port Richey 16,954 690 2,559
48 Jacksonville Beach 23,894 539 3,017
49 Miami Gardens 110,284 709 2,516
50 Palmetto 13,873 634 2,717

References

  • FBI UCR 2022

  • Census – American Cumminity Survey

This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. It is our tenth time ranking the most dangerous places to live in Florida and is updated for 2023.
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.