If you are thinking about visiting Miami and have some qualms about the safety of the city, we got you covered.
Lets deep dive into the some crime statistics and crime rates and see how safe or dangerous Miami really is.
What is Miami’s crime rate?
In 2020 Miami reported 2,713 violent crimes and had a crime rate of 613.47 per 100,000 residents. Miami’s crime rate is on 1.5 times greater than the national average.
Here’s a table showing you the crime rate over the last 5 years.
Population
Violent Crime
Miami Crime Rate
2016
454,293
4,018
884.45
2017
462,030
3,408
737.61
2018
470,914
3,071
652.14
2019
467,963
2,938
627.83
2020
442,241
2,713
613.47
Does Miami have a high crime rate?
Miami does not have a high crime rate. It has an elevated crime rate that is higher than the national average, but well below the crime rate of an unsafe city. Miami has a similar crime rate to cities like New York, Austin and Portland.
Here’s a scale to give you some perspective on Miami’s crime rate:
Miami’s crime rate breakdown
Violent Crime Rate
In 2020, Miami reported 2,713 violent crimes: 61 homicides, 162 rapes, 610 robberies and 1,880 aggravated assaults.
You have a 1 in 163 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in Miami.
Year over year violent crime has decreased 8% and violent crime has decreased 45% since 2013.
Here’s a map showing you how violent crime has trended in Miami over a 11 year period.
*Violent crimes include; homicides, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults.
Miami’s Murder Rate
In 2020, Miami reported 61 murders and had a murder rate of 13.79 per 100,000 residents.
Miami’s murder rate is 2 times greater than the national average.
Year over year murder has increased by 42%.
You have a 1 in 7,250 chance of becoming a victim of murder in Miami.
Here’s a map showing you how murders have trended over the last 11years in Miami.
Miami’s Property Crime Rate
In 2020 Miami reported 13,092 property crimes and had a property crime rate of 2,960.38 per 100,000 residents.
Miami’ property crime rate is 1.5 times greater the national average.
Year over year property crime has decreased 26% and property crime has decreased 43% since 2011.
You have a 1 in 34 chance of becoming a victim of property crime in Miami.
Here’s a map showing you how property crime has trended in Miami over a 11 year period.
*Property crimes include; burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson
Miami’s crime rate vs other cities in Florida (2020)
Here’s a graph showing you how Miami’ss crime rate compares to other cities in Florida. Miami had the 9th highest crime rate of all the cities listed in 2020.
Here’s a list of the top 20 most dangerous cities in the United States ranked by violent crime rates. Miami’s crime rate is nearly 4 times less than Memphis, the most dangerous city on the list.
How are Miami’s crime rates calculated?
Crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.
For example, in 2020 there were 2,713 violent crimes in Miami and the population was 442,241. This equals a crime rate of 613.47 per 100,000 residents.
Miami’s Crime Statistics
Here’s a breakdown of all the crimes in the city for 2020 and 2021
In 2020, Miami reported 15,805 total crimes, which is a 23% decrease over 2019.
In 2020, Miami reported 2,713 violent crimes, which is a 8% decrease over 2019.
In 2020, Miami reported 61 murders, which is a 42% increase over 2019.
In 2020, Miami reported 13,092 property crimes, which is a 26% decrease over 2019.
Neighborhoods to avoid in Miami
Here’s a list of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Miami according to residents:
Overtown
Little Haiti
Brownsville
Allapattah
Liberty City
Miami Gardens
Opa-Locka
Carroll City
Model City
Little Havana
West Flagler
West Coconut Grove
Is Downtown Miami safe?
Downtown Miami is generally a safe area. Just be aware that the further west and north you go, the sketchier it gets, especially at night.
Stick to well populated areas and avoid walking through desolate parts of downtown and you shouldn’t have any problems.
Is Miami Beach safe?
In 2020, Miami Beach had a crime rate of 805.89 per 100,00 residents, which is twice the national average and 31% higher than Miami’s crime rate.
One thing to keep in mind while reading this statistic is that Miami Beach is a tourist heavy destination and the number of tourist aren’t included in the calculation, which can inflate the crime rate.
The city of Miami Beach has had some problems recently with shootings. On March 24, 2022, the city declared a state of emergency and implemented a curfew after two shooting took place in a 48 hour period, which injured 5 people.
Many Miami residents also complain that Miami Beach r has gone downhill and is not a place they want to be around, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.
Is the public transportation in Miami safe?
The public transportation system in Miami is handled by the Miami-Dade Metro and it offers many routes that interweave throughout the entire city.
The Metro and the buses are generally a safe option to use during normal commuting hours (7am – 6pm), however we recommend that you use a taxi or ride sharing service outside of those hours. At night there are less people using the metro or buses and it can get sketchy.
If you are taking the bus, you might encounter some weird and erratic passengers, but if you just ignore them, then you should be fine.
Download the Miami-Dade transit app, it tracks the buses to let you know when it’s coming and if its late.
Is Miami safe at night?
Miami is generally safe at night as long as you stay out of the problem areas listed above. Be aware that streets and squares that are perfectly safe to visit in the daytime can be questionable and sketchy at night. Stay in well lit and populated places at night and avoid walking through desolate areas.
Is Miami safe from hurricanes?
Miami is not safe from hurricanes and is actually susceptible to them, due to its coastal location on the coast of Florida.
The last major hurricane to hit Miami was in 1992 when Hurricane Andrew, a category 5 hurricane, passed directly over the city and devastated it. 40 people lost their lives and more than 63,500 houses were destroyed, 124,000 homes were damaged and it caused $27.3 billion in damages.
Hurricane season in Miami officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. The peak of hurricane season is mid-August to mid-October.
It is safe to visit Miami 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.
"Miami has come a long way from what it was like back in the 80s and 90s. Its pretty chill now relatively. A lot of it is pretty gentrified these days and even in ghetto areas its not really dangerous."
"If you’re in a ghetto area you will definitely know. You can either turn around and keep going until the scenery changes, or mind your business."
"The closer you are to the ocean and Collins Street, the safer you will be."
"Miami Gardens, Overtown, Brownsville and Liberty City are the most dangerous neighborhoods in Miami. They are being slowly gentrified and will be unrecongnizable in a generation or two."
"Miami is not dangerous. You just have to use common sense when visiting. If you find yourself in a bad neighborhood, go back where you came from. Don’t be flashly. Always be aware of your surroundings."
"On the whole, I find that Miami is pretty safe. There are some places I wouldn’t walk through in the middle of the night but that can be said for most cities."
"The dangerous parts of Miami have really nothing to offer a tourist, so there should be any reason for you to visit those areas."
Avoid Overtown, Little Haiti, Allapatah annd Model City. As a tourist…just don’t."
Tips to stay safe while visiting Miami
Always be aware of your surrounding
Walk with confidence and with purpose. A criminal is more likely to target someone who is lost and unsure of themselves.
If a strager comes up to you and says “excuse me can I ask you a question?” Avoid and just keep walking. Lookout for teams they always work in pairs, with one person being a distraction.
Watch out for bicycle snatchers.There is a growing trend where bicycles ride super close and snatch your purse or cellphone.
If you are walking alone and someone hurries to walk next to you. Then go on high alert.
Be weary of recommendations from taxi drivers! Most of these places pay the taxi drivers for guest they bring in.
The restaurants on Ocean Drive are ridiculously expensive and there are way better drink and food options away from Ocean.
Is Miami safe?
Statistically speaking, Miami is a moderately safe city. It’s crime rate of 613.47 per 100,000 residents is higher than the national average, but it doesn’t enter the ‘unsafe’ territory. It’s crime rate is on par with cities like Seattle, Fort Lauderdale and Las Vegas.
Facts about Miami
The population of Miami in 2020 was 442,241 and is the 44th most populous city in the United States.
The city covers a land area of 36.00 square miles.
The median income for a household in the city was $44,268. The per capita income for the city was $31,437.
21.5% of the population live below the poverty line.
The median home value in Miami is $485K in 2022.
In 2022, the average rent for a Miami 2-bedroom apartment is $3,382.
78.3% of residents 25 and older is a high school graduate. 31.5% of residents 25 and older has a bachelors degree or higher.
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