If you are thinking about visiting Daytona Beach and have some qualms about the safety of the city, we got you covered.
We are going to deep dive into the statistics, look at some maps, graphs and talk to the residents of the city to give you a better understanding of how safe Daytona Beach really is.
Is Daytona Beach Safe To Visit?
Statistically speaking, Daytona Beach is a slightly unsafe place to visit. Violent crimes are 2.5x higher than the national average. Property crimes are 1.5x higher than the national average. Murders are 3x higher than the national average.
In 2020, Daytona Beach had a violent crime rate of 997.98 per 100,000 people and is on par with cities like Houston, Philadelphia and Toledo.
As a tourist, you main point of attraction will probably be on the beach-side of town and that is generally a lower crime area. Most of the crime in Daytona Beach occurs on the mainland.
Daytona Beach Crime Stats
Here’s a breakdown of all the crimes in the city for 2020 compared to 2019:
In 2020 Daytona Beach reported 725 violent crimes and had a violent crime rate of 997.98 per 100,000 people.
The national average for violent crime is 398.5 per 100,000 residents. Daytona Beach ’s violent crime rate is 2.5x greater than the national average.
Year over year violent crime has decreased by 9%.
Here’s a map showing you how violent crime has trended in Daytona Beach over a 30 year period.
Violent crime peaked in 1991 when there were 1,511 violent crimes reported and the city had a violent crime rate of roughly 2,398.41 per 100,000 people.
Violent crime has decreased over 52% from it’s 30-year high in 1995.
*Violent crimes include; homicides, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults and the violent crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.
Daytona Beach’s Property Crime Stats
In 2020 Daytona Beach reported 2,145 property crimes and had a property crime rate of 2,952.6 per 100,000 people.
The national average for property crime is 1958.2 per 100,000 residents. Daytona Beach’s property crime rate is 1.5x greater the national average.
Year over year property crime in Daytona Beach has decreased by 32%.
Here’s a map showing you how property crime has trended in Daytona Beach over a 30 year period.
Property crime peaked in 1991 when there were 8,945 property crimes reported and the city had a property crime rate of roughly 14,198.41 per 100,000 people.
Property crime has decreased over 76% from it’s 30-year high in 1991.
*Property crimes include; burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson and property crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.
Daytona Beach’s Murder Stats
In 2020, Daytona Beach reported 14 homicides, a 7 % increase over 2019, where 13 homicides were reported.
In 2020 Daytona Beach had a homicide rate of 19.3 per 100,000 people.
Daytona Beach’s murder rate is 3x greater than the national average.
Daytona Beach has a similar homicide rate to cities like Houston and Jacksonville.
Daytona Beach vs The Rest Of Florida
Here’s a graph showing you the violent crime rates of the 11 most populous cities in Florida. Daytona Beach had the highest violent crime rate of all the cities.
Daytona Beach vs The Most Dangerous Cities in the United States
Here’s a list of the top 17 most dangerous cities in the United States ranked by violent crime rates. Daytona Beach’s violent crime rate is 2.4x less than Memphis, the most dangerous city on the list.
What do residents of Daytona Beach say about it’s safety?
"Avoid pretty much everything east of US-1 and stay away from Holly Hill and South Daytona."
"Daytona is reasonably safe over on the beachside."
"If you like to get drunk and wander back to your hotel at 3 a.m, you might have a bad time."
"Holly Hill is probably the worst area of the city."
"Daytona Beach isn’t “bad part of Baltimore or Chicago bad” not even close. Ormond which is directly north and Port Orange, which is directly south are a lot more safe suburbia type places."
"I have lived in Miami and Orland and the bad areas are nothing in comparison. Yes, there are some bad areas, but its mild in comparison."
"If you visit Daytona, stay in Daytona Beach Shores. You owe it to yourself to catch a sunrise while you walk the beach, it’s beautiful."
"Mainland Daytona around Orange Ave, west of US1 and the Mason area, and Derbyshire in Holly Hill can be sketchy as well."
"Anywhere in central Daytona gets a little sketchy. You best bet is to just avoid it all together."
Anywhere near US-1 should be avoided.
"Stay away from anything with a 32119 or 32117 zip code."
"Anywhere on the beachside, a mile north or south of Main Street will be awesome."
"Daytona Beach is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. The only real “ghetto” part of town is Holly Hill."
"As a tourist, you would probably want to stay on the beachside. There is not a lot going on in the mainland and many parts of it are rough."
Is Daytona Beach Safe For Women?
Daytona Beach is safe for female solo travelers, as long as you learn the layout of the city, avoid problem areas, don’t walk alone at night and follow general precautionary measures.
Are There Sharks In Daytona Beach?
Florida has earned the dubious reptuation of being the ‘Shark Bite Capital of the World’ and specifically Smyrna Beach, which is just 15 miles south fo Daytona Beach.
It is estimated that anyone who has swam in Smyrna Beach has been within 10ft of a shark.
Volusia County averages about 10 shark attacks per year and most of them occur in Smyrna Beach, however none of them were fatal.
The last deadly shark attack in Florida happened in 2010.
Some tips to help you avoid a shark attack:
Avoid going into the water at dusk and dawn.
Don’t go out past the sandbars and if you see schools of smaller fish swimming around, move to another location.
Avoid swimming in places known for fishing. A good indicator is if you see a diving seabirds.
Swim in crowded areas. Sharks are more likely to attack a solitary swimmer.
Avoid areas where the water is murky.
Get out of the water if sharks are spotted.
Tips to stay safe while visiting Daytona Beach
Learn the layout of the city. Avoid going to the places where crime is prevalent.
Don’t leave valuables in your car or in plain sight in your car and always make sure you lock your doors and roll up your windows.
Always be aware of your surroundings. Don’t listen to music while waking around town and don’t scroll through your phone mindlessly.
Don’t walk alone by yourself at night. Walk in a group if possible.
When going out, avoid excessive drinking. Always be in control of all your faculties.
Avoid walking through deserted or desolate area at night. Avoid walking through alleys and unlit areas.
Always trust your intuition. If something feels off, remove yourself from the situation.
Don’t give strangers information about where you are staying, especially your room number.
Always plan out your routes beforehand. Know how to get to and from your lodgings.
Don’t carry around large amounts of cash.
Quick Facts About Daytona Beach
Fact
Daytona Beach, Florida
United States
Population, Census, April 1, 2020
72,647
331,449,281
Population, Census, April 1, 2010
61,005
308,745,538
Black or African American alone, percent
33.6%
13.4%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent
0.2%
1.3%
Asian alone, percent
2.7%
5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent
0.0%
0.2%
Two or More Races, percent
2.8%
2.8%
Hispanic or Latino, percent
8.6%
18.5%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent
52.5%
60.1%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2015-2019
$153,000.00
$217,500.00
Median selected monthly owner costs -with a mortgage, 2015-2019
$1,199.00
$1,595.00
Median gross rent, 2015-2019
$934.00
$1,062.00
High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2015-2019
88.2%
88.0%
Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2015-2019
23.1%
32.1%
In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2015-2019
53.6%
63.0%
Median household income (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019
$35,893.00
$62,843.00
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019
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