Is Hollywood, Florida Safe? Everything You Need To Know (Crime Rates And Crime Stats)


If you are thinking about visiting Hollywood 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 Hollywood really is.

Is Hollywood, Florida Safe To Visit?

Statistically speaking, Hollywood, Florida is a safe place to visit. In 2020, Hollywood had a violent crime rate of 354.09 per 100,000 people, which is below the state and national average and is on par with cities like San Jose, Anaheim and San Diego

is hollywood florida safe

As a tourist, and assuming you will be going to the beach and doing normal touristy things, you should have absolutely no problem while visiting Hollywood.

Most of the crime in Hollywood occurs west of the US1 and away from places a tourist would want to see or visit.

Hollywood, Florida Crime Stats

Here’s a breakdown of all the crimes in the city for 2020 compared to 2019:

2019

2020

Percent Change

Homicide

10

16

60%

Rape

45

54

20%

Robbery

148

174

18%

Aggravated Assault

253

298

18%

Burglary

536

420

-22%

Larceny/Theft

3,187

2,437

-24%

Motor Vehicle Theft

436

459

5%

Arson

5

4

-20%

TOTALS

4,620

3,862

-16%

**All data is from the FBI Crime Data Explorer**

Hollywood’s Violent Crime Stats

In 2020 Hollywood reported 542 violent crimes and had a violent crime rate of 354.09 per 100,000 people.

  • The national average for violent crime is 398.5 per 100,000 residents. Hollywood’s violent crime rate is 11% LESS than the national average.
  • Hollywood’s violent crime rate is 8% LESS than the state average.
  • Year over year violent crime has increased by 19%.

Here’s a map showing you how violent crime has trended in Hollywood over a 30 year period.

  • Violent crime peaked in 1997 when there were 1,205 violent crimes reported and the city had a violent crime rate of roughly 886.03 per 100,000 people.
  • Violent crime has decreased over 55% from it’s 30-year high in 1997.

violent crimes in hollywood florida

*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.

Hollywood’s Property Crime Stats

In 2020 Hollywood reported 3,316 property crimes and had a property crime rate of 2,166.37 per 100,000 people.

  • The national average for property crime is 1958.2 per 100,000 residents. Hollywood’s property crime rate is 11% greater than the national average.
  • Hollywood’s property crime rate is 12% greater than the state average.
  • Year over year property crime in Hollywood has decreased by 25%.
  • Hollywood has a similar property crime rate to Anaheim, San Jose and Las Vegas.

Here’s a map showing you how property crime has trended in Hollywood over a 30 year period.

  • Property crime peaked in 1990 when there were 11,684 property crimes reported and the city had a property crime rate of roughly 9,515.20 per 100,000 people.
  • Property crime has decreased over 72% from it’s 30-year high in 1990.
  • Property crime is at its lowest level in 30 years.

property crimes in hollywood florida

*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.

Hollywood’s Murder Stats

In 2020, Hollywood reported 16 homicides, a 60% increase over 2019, where 10 homicides were reported.

  • In 2020 Hollywood had a homicide rate of 10.45 per 100,000 people.
  • Hollywood’s murder rate is 1.6x greater than the national average.
  • Hollywood’s murder rate is 1.8x greater than the state average.
  • Hollywood has a similar homicide rate to cities like Pensacola, Phoenix and Boston

homicides in hollywood florida

Hollywood vs The Rest Of Florida

Here’s a graph showing you the violent crime rates of the 16 most populous cities in Florida. Hollywood’s violent crime rate ranked 12th place among all the cities and is about 2.8x less than Daytona Beach, the city with the highest crime rate on the list.

hollywood vs florida cities

Is Hollywood, Florida Safer Than Miami?

Statistically speaking, Hollywood is safer than Miami. Miami’s violent crime rate is twice as high as Hollywood.

Hollywood, Florida 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. Hollywood’s violent crime rate is 6.8x less than Memphis, the most dangerous city on the list. It should also be noted that Miami has a higher property crime rate and murder rate than Hollywood.

hollywood florida vs most dangerous cities us

City

Number of violent crimes in 2020

Violent Crime Rate

Memphis

15,310

2,418.24

Detroit

14,370

2,248.44

St. Louis

6,017

1,995.17

Little Rock

3,657

1,805.11

South Bend

1,765

1,706.09

Cleveland

6,294

1,689.10

Milwaukee

9,407

1,629.70

Birmingham

3,166

1,577.22

Kansas City

7,919

1,558.58

Lansing

1,699

1,508.29

Springfield

2,545

1,504.35

Baltimore

8,552

1,404.20

San Bernardino

3,033

1,365.59

New Orleans

5,215

1,358.08

Albuquerque

7,552

1,337.68

Oakland

5,653

1,282.89

Stockton

4,023

1,254.04

The Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In Hollywood, Florida

Here’s a great color coordinated map that shows you good and bad neighborhoods of Pompano Beach. Green sections are the nicest, red are the worst, blue are average and yellow should be seen in person before making a decision.

Is Downtown Hollywood, Florida Safe?

is downtown hollywood florida safe

Downtown Hollywood, Florida is generally a safe area to visit. If you stick to the crowded areas around Young Circle, you’re unlikely to run into any trouble. Things can be different at night, so it’s best to stick to well populated and well-lit areas and avoid walking by yourself.

Is Hollywood Beach Safe?

is hollywood beach florida safe

Hollywood Beach is generally a safe area to visit. It’s one of the main tourist attractions in Hollywood, so safety is a top priority there. While you’re unlikely to see any violent crime, it’s popularity means it can be a haven for petty crime. Pick-pocketing and theft does occur, so always be alert of your belongings.

Is Hollywood Broadwalk safe?

The Hollywood Beach Broadwalk is generally a safe area to visit. At night there is less people around, especially on the weekdays, but the area is very well lit and vagrants don’t take over the boardwalk like its west coast counterpart, Venice Beach.

There are also live performance at the Hollywood Beach Theater on Wed-Sun from 7pm to 9pm and usually there is a crowd of people, so you won’t be totally alone on those days.

What do residents of Hollywood, Florida say about it’s safety?

  1. Hollywood is a pretty safe area. There are some places to avoid, and you can easily tell where they are because they’re not as nice as the other side of town."
  2. "Stick to the beach and stick to the tourist attractions and you should be fine."
  3. "I would estimate that at least 90% of Hollywood is very nice. The best areas are close to the beach and east of US1. Hollywood Hills and Emerald Hills are nice. Bad areas are situated east of I95 and west of US1, especially close to Dixie Highway."
  4. "Avoid anything on Dixie Highway, State Road 7, south of Hollywood Blvd from 46 ave east to 24 ave."
  5. "We have lived in Hollywood for a for years now. In general, staying east of I-95 is the safest bet, which is what our family has done and been perfectly safe."
  6. "Hollywood, Florida is pretty safe. There are small pockets of rough areas and the beaches may be a little rowdy at night, but that’s about it."
  7. "Some good areas of Hollywood are Emerald Hills, Hollywood Near Memorial Hospital and anything near North in Southlake "
  8. "I have lived in Hollywood for close to 40 years now. It’s a lovely community, most of which is quite safe."

Is Hollywood, Florida Safe For Women?

Hollywood 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.

Is Hollywood, Florida Tap Water Safe To Drink?

The tap water in Hollywood Florida is safe to drink and according to the EPA’s Echo website, Hollywood Florida has had 0 violations from July 30, 2018 to Sept. 30, 2021.

It should be noted that while the tap water in Hollywood Florida meets the EPA health guidelines, it can still contain contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run.

Is Hollywood, Florida Safe From Hurricanes?

Hollywood is not safe from hurricanes and is actually very susceptible to them, due to its location on the south-eastern tip of Florida.

Since 1851, Broward County has been hit by 27 hurricanes and many more tropical storms.

On October 24, 2005, Broward County was hit directly by Hurricane Wilma, which caused $19 billion in damage and resulted in 30 deaths in the state of Florida.

When is hurricane season in Hollywood?

Hurricane season in Hollywood, Florida officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. The peak of hurricane season is mid-August to mid-October.

Is it safe to visit Hollywood during hurricane season?

It is safe to visit Hollywood during hurricane season, as long as you don’t visit when a hurricane is about to hit! Fortunately there is usually adequate warning when a hurricane is brewing in the area.

Check out https://www.nhc.noaa.gov before you visit. This is your best resource for tracking and monitoring storms. Another great website to check out is https://spaghettimodels.com.

Are There Alligators In Hollywood, Florida?

In the state of Florida, if there’s a river, canal, ponds, lake, river or even pools, there’s probably a gator.

Most alligators tend to stay away from humans, however they will snatch your dog if given the chance.

Luckily, they don’t live in the ocean (salt water), so you don’t have to worry about alligators stalking you when you swimming in the Atlantic.

Tips to stay safe while visiting Hollywood, Florida

  • Research the city before you arrive. Learn which areas to avoid and don’t book accommodations in those areas.
  • Check the weather forecast before you arrive. Make sure you are not arriving when there is a hurricane about to touch down on the city.
  • Always be aware of your surroundings. Always be aware of your belongings.
  • Don’t leave your valuables in your car or in plain sight in your car. Stash them in the trunk.
  • Don’t walk around alone at night. Use a ride sharing service to get to your location.
  • Don’t walk around deserted areas, especially at night. Stay in well lit and populated areas.
  • Don’t be a walking advertisement. Don’t show off your new expensive watch or flashy jewelry.
  • Don’t drink in excess, especially if you are by yourself.

A Few Things You Should Do While Visiting Hollywood, Florida According To Locals

  • Get a burger at Le Tub. A very unique and iconic place.
  • Visit the Yellow Green Farmers Market (Sat and Sun, 10 am – 4 pm). Sample EVERYTHING.
  • ArtsPark at Young Circle – They have free movie nights on Friday and usually some events/concerts on Saturday or Sunday.
  • Go Bistro has absolutely fantastic food.
  • If you like dive bars, grab a drink at PRL. Next door, is Mauro’s for pizza. The slice is as big as your head!
  • Gulf Stream Park – Catch a horse race and do some gambling.
  • Hard Rock Casino – A Las Vegas Casino implanted in Florida

How Dangerous Is Hollywood, Florida?

Hollywood is not dangerous at all and is a pretty safe city. It’s violent crime rate is well below the national average and the state average and ranks similar to cities like San Jose and San Diego.

Quick Facts About Hollywood, Florida

Fact

Hollywood city, Florida

United States

Population, Census, April 1, 2020

153,067

331,449,281

Population, Census, April 1, 2010

140,768

308,745,538

Black or African American alone, percent

18.2%

13.4%

American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent

0.3%

1.3%

Asian alone, percent

2.3%

5.9%

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent

0.1%

0.2%

Two or More Races, percent

4.4%

2.8%

Hispanic or Latino, percent

38.9%

18.5%

White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent

38.8%

60.1%

Foreign born persons, percent, 2015-2019

37.7%

13.6%

Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2015-2019

$254,000.00

$217,500.00

Median selected monthly owner costs -with a mortgage, 2015-2019

$1,717.00

$1,595.00

Median selected monthly owner costs -without a mortgage, 2015-2019

$609.00

$500.00

Median gross rent, 2015-2019

$1,217.00

$1,062.00

Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2015-2019

50.3%

21.6%

High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2015-2019

87.4%

88.0%

Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2015-2019

27.9%

32.1%

In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2015-2019

66.1%

63.0%

Median household income (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019

$54,251.00

$62,843.00

Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019

$30,898.00

$34,103.00

Persons in poverty, percent

12.6%

11.4%

Other Cities You Might Be Interested In:

Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Barstow, Chicago, Dallas, Hollywood , Corpus Christi, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston, Las Vegas, Long Beach, Memphis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Oakland, Philadelphia, Reno, San Antonio, San Bernardino, San Jose, Slab City, St. Louis, Stockton

Mariska Lee

Mariska is a recovering attorney who gave up her professional job to discover new perspectives of life while traveling in a 2009 Ford Transit. She has been living the van life for 3 years and has not looked back since.

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