Abisola SalahuFlorida is a beautiful city with great weather. It has warm beaches, full of young people having the time of their lives. The most Ghetto cities in Florida are the side of the city that people rarely hear about; ghetto in this sense is all about the quality of people in these neighborhoods, and how safe the cities are.
Every state and city has a few places where people generally do not feel safe, and that is true no matter how affluent and well managed the state may be. In other words, ‘ghetto’ is relative; it just means the unsafe areas by the standards of the particular state in question. The most ghetto Cities in Florida may compare to the safest cities in California.
Remember that most people are naturally friendly enough; sometimes economic pressures and other factors push people into criminal behavior, as we can see below.
Top 10 Most Ghetto Cities In Florida 2024
1. Tallahassee
Tallahassee is located in northern Florida. It has a population of about 196,169, most of whom are young and lively; and can be seen enjoying the parks, museums, and recreational centers in the city. Aside from the many young people, the city also welcomes large numbers of tourists every year.
Tallahassee also has the Florida State University, and the Florida A&M University within its city limits, thus making for a nice scholarly environment.
However, wherever young people are found in such numbers, there are bound to be a few bad eggs. Violent Crime is recorded at 7.82 per 1000 residents, while Property Crime is recorded at 30.97 per 1000 residents.
2. Lake City
Lake City is located in northeast Florida. It is also known as “The Gateway to Florida” because it faces the intersection of Interstate 75 and Interstate 10. The city also hosts the Lake City Gateway Airport, as well as Florida Gateway College.
Lake City has quite a lot of restaurants, as well as other places where young people can hang out. That is an absolute need because there are about 12,329 people in this city, and most of them are young people.
However the crime figures are relatively high; Violent Crime is recorded at 15.74 per 1000 residents, while Property Crime is recorded at 54.42 per 1000 residents. For a city with such a small population those figures are alarming; it gives the impression that if the city had more people it would be the headquarters of crime.
3. Orlando
Orlando is one of the most popular parts of this state; it welcomes tourists from all over the country; many of whom come to see the famous theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. In fact, people have come in numbers from the farthest corners of the world to see these places.
Orlando is a big city; it has a population of around 307,573. Crime is a common problem with such big cities; which is why it is not surprising to see that Orlando has statistics like Violent Crime being recorded at 8.28 per 1000 residents, and Property Crime at 36.80 per 1000 residents.
Anyone thinking of moving to Orlando would need to invest a lot in security to protect his house from burglars; theft is a major problem in the city.
4. Panama City
Panama City is in the northern part of the state; the Florida Panhandle. This is a city of beautiful white sandy beaches, restaurants, and resorts. There is a leisurely and informal feel about this city, which makes it a great place for a vacation. Panama City has a population of about 32,939 people, most of them young and full of life.
The trouble with being a city of beaches and resorts is that you also attract a lot of bums. Many young people move to the city thinking they can relive the hippie lifestyle of the 70’s and 80’s. Many of them end up doing drugs, and doing time for petty crimes.
Panama City records Violent Crime at 9.26 per 1000 residents, and Property Crime at 44.32 per 1000 residents.
5. Perry
Perry is a small town in the middle of Tallahasse and Gainsville. There is plenty of water, and woods in Perry, so many people visit the holiday cabins to enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, boating, fishing, and hunting.
The trouble with Perry is the high rate of crime; Violent Crime is recorded at 10.58 per 1000 residents, while Property Crime is recorded at 49.72 per 1000 residents.
6. Lake Worth
Lake Worth is a city in the south of Florida; it is mostly popular for its sandy beaches, but also for the many art galleries, restaurants, and historic buildings. Lake Worth has a population of about 42,219, but that figure could rise drastically because the cost of living is quite low than in other places in Florida.
However, as Lake Worth is attractive to young professionals so is it attractive to the wrong types of people; this influx of people into the city is perhaps the single biggest reason why it is one of the most ghetto cities in Florida.
Lake Worth records Violent Crime at 9.26 per 1000 residents, while Property Crime is at 44.32 per 1000 residents. Living in Lake Worth without adequate security is a bad idea.
7. Opa-locka
Opa Locka is a city of 16,463 people, located in southern Florida. This city is full of Moorish architecture; the idea was to build a city around a theme park, and it has become one of the most beautiful sights to behold in Florida.
Opa Locka records Violent Crime at 20.90 per 1000 residents, and Property Crime at 52.85 per 1000 residents. Those are big numbers.
8. Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach is located in Central Florida. Aside from the beautiful sandy beaches, the city is also known for car racing. Racing enthusiasts love to explore the hard sand beaches where racing is allowed, and where many of the car racing scenes in the movies are shot. This is generally a fun place.
Daytona Beach is nice, but when there is too much fun to be had in a city; the wrong kind of people tend to troop in, and things soon get out of hand.
Daytona records Violent Crime at 9.99 per 1000 residents, and Property Crime at 29.73 per 1000 residents. The chance of being a victim of crime is one in 88.
9. Cocoa
Cocoa is a city of 19,041 people located in eastern Florida. There are many interesting stories about how the city got its name; and there are many great tourist attractions in the city. Cocoa also has nice shopping centers, restaurants, and the beach is about 9 miles away.
However, Cocoa has one of the highest crime rates places in Florida. Violent Crime is recorded at 11.24 per 1000 residents, while Property Crime is recorded at 57.82 per 1000 residents.
10. Homestead
Homestead is a city of 80,737 people located in southern Florida. This is a city of agriculture, and of so many parks. For a lover of nature; this s the ideal picture of paradise.
However, there is quite a worrying level of crime in this city; Violent Crime is recorded at 7.57 per 1000 residents, while Property Crime is recorded at 21.20 per 1000 residents. This crime is perhaps attributed to the fact there is little else for the young people to do here outside agriculture.
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Closing
The most ghetto cities in Florida all share one thing in common; the criminals are more likely to break into people’s houses than to accost them in one on one situations. Nevertheless, it is a very good idea to take all necessary precautions when visiting these areas; it is better to move in groups, and avoid deserted places, especially at night.