Florida : Safety by City
- Amelia Island
- Boca Raton
- Boynton Beach
- Bradenton
- Brandon
- Cape Coral
- Clearwater
- Cocoa Beach
- Coral Springs
- Daytona Beach
- Deerfield Beach
- Delray Beach
- Deltona
- Destin
- Everglades City
- Fort Lauderdale
- Fort Myers
- Fort Pierce
- Fort Walton Beach
- Gainesville
- Hialeah
- Homestead
- Jacksonville
- Jupiter
- Kendall
- Key Largo
- Key West
- Kissimmee
- Lake Buena Vista
- Lake City
- Lake Worth Beach
- Lakeland
- Lauderhill
- Marco Island
- Melbourne
- Miami
- Miami Beach
- Miami Gardens
- Miramar
- Mount Dora
- Naples
- New Smyrna Beach
- North Port
- Ocala
- Orlando
- Ormond Beach
- Palm Beach Gardens
- Palm Harbor
- Panama City Beach
- Pembroke Pines
- Pensacola
- Pompano Beach
- Port St. Lucie
- Punta Gorda
- Sarasota
- St. Augustine
- St. Petersburg
- Tallahassee
- Tampa
- Vero Beach
- West Palm Beach
- Winter Park
The city of Tampa is the county capital of Hillsborough County, as well as the largest in West Central Florida.
Tampa is a lively city: it offers pro football, baseball, and hockey; lots of live music venues and just about any activity on a national tour will pass through.
There’s plenty of clubs whether you’re looking to dance or hear a wide variety of live music, and the city is very diverse in many ways, whether ethnically, socially, culturally, or politically.
Tampa is one of the fastest-growing job markets in the nation and has robust growth in professional fields as well as blue-collar jobs.
Warnings & Dangers in Tampa
OVERALL RISK : MEDIUM
Overall, there isn't much to worry about in Tampa, when compared to other cities in America, though it does have some rough neighborhoods. It's best to be aware of your surroundings at all times.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK : LOW
The means of transport in Tampa are problematic as it tends to be scarce, but it's overall safe - as safe as it can get in a city of Tampa's size.
PICKPOCKETS RISK : LOW
Pickpockets aren't the biggest threat in Tampa, though you might encounter bag snatchers. Don't be too worried, but you should remain vigilant after dark and in crowded places.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK : MEDIUM
Tampa's coastal location and topography make it significantly vulnerable to a wide array of hazards, including hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and sinkholes.
MUGGING RISK : LOW
Tampa is mostly safe when it comes to mugging and kidnapping, but it is recommended that you avoid poorly lit and deserted streets and dangerous areas known for street crime
TERRORISM RISK : LOW
Excluding isolated mass shootings, Tampa hasn't been the target of any terrorist attacks recently, but the attacks shouldn't be ruled out. Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
SCAMS RISK : LOW
There aren't many scams in Tampa. Still, be wary of people trying to distract you to steal from you and of people overcharging you for various services. We advise you to be extremely careful when handling money and around ATMs.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK : LOW
Tampa is somewhat safe for female solo travelers. There are no issues that would endanger females specifically but general caution is advised. Following basic precaution measures should minimize the chances of anything going wrong.
So... How Safe Is Tampa Really?
Tampa, like most mid to large cities has dangerous neighborhoods in addition to its safe neighborhoods.
Luckily for its residents, the dangerous areas in the city have been cleaned up greatly over the last decade.
It is feasible to live in a very safe neighborhood on a budget.
Such areas are, for example, the part of town surrounding Busch Gardens, USF and University Square Mall, as well as some rough areas of East Tampa, Sulphur Springs north of Seminole Heights, and Old West Tampa west of Downtown across the river.
When it comes to the safer areas, generally you can tell the neighborhood by driving around North Tampa, Carrollwood, Citrus Park.
Any neighborhood to the North of citrus Park is going to be safer, have great schools, low crime, better amenities.
There is a small part in South Tampa that has great older neighborhoods that are established but they’re surrounded by either the city or other neighborhoods that aren’t too safe.
As far as other dangers go, Tampa is particularly susceptible to hurricanes, so you have to be prepared if such a situation arises, and be ready to move as soon as you see the first lightning.
How Does Tampa Compare?
City | Safety Index |
---|---|
Tampa | 52 |
Honolulu | 65 |
Chicago | 65 |
Dallas | 64 |
Memphis | 54 |
Sydney (Australia) | 80 |
Santiago de Chile (Chile) | 71 |
Vienna (Austria) | 88 |
Useful Information
- Visas - The US is famous for its harsh policy for acquiring a tourist, let alone a resident visa. The US embassies usually ask for interviews before granting tourist visas, and tourists usually have to pay up to 160 USD to get a visa. If you are not sure about your visa status, contact your local US embassy for further information.
- Currency - The United States dollar is the official currency in Tampa. Credit and debit cards are accepted nearly everywhere, and ATMs are widely available. The prices vary but you can plan on spending about 100 dollars per day.
- Weather - Tampa has a humid subtropical climate characterized by summers that are characteristically hot and humid with recurrent thunderstorms and winters that are dry and mild with mostly clear skies.
- Airports - Tampa International Airport is an international airport serving the city of Tampa. It is located some 9.7 km west of Downtown Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States.
- Travel Insurance - Just like anywhere else, we recommend getting travel insurance when traveling to Tampa, since it covers not only the costs of medical problems but also theft and loss of valuables.
Tampa Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
High °C | 21 | 22 | 25 | 28 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 29 | 25 | 22 |
Low °C | 10 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 14 | 11 |
High °F | 70 | 72 | 77 | 82 | 88 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 84 | 77 | 72 |
Low °F | 50 | 52 | 57 | 61 | 68 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 66 | 57 | 52 |
A mix of good and bad
Indeed a lively city with many good spots to hang out, drink and eat great food and listen to good music. Like it says here, plenty of safe places but also entire neighborhoods that are unsafe and should be avoided.
Amazing destination if you do it right
I know, I know, you’ve probably watched a millions crime shows where the murder has anything to do with the Tampa area. Or you constantly see Tampa popping on Crime Watch.
Guys, this is not necessarily relevant if you are just planning to visit the area. Yes, if you plan to move there you have to absolutely check everything, see what areas are safe even at night and so on. But for the average globetrekker that prefers to stay out of trouble, doesn’t do drugs while exercising common sense no matter where he’s at, I see no problem with Tampa.
I was there once during spring while I was in college and had the best time of my life! Came back several times already, every single time booking one of the hotels on the riverwalk. It’s safe, you get excellent service plus you’re close to a lot of touristy hotspots.
When you explore the city you can either go for an uber or rent a car, depending on your budget. The added flexibility of having your own car is an obvious choice for me, no matter where I’m at. Parking is a big issue, with costs quickly raking up. Also, I would be super sure that the area is well lit and there’s no shady business around.
Clearwater is your usual, runofthemill tourist beach with a decent beach and shops selling all kinds of trinkets. Leaving your belongings unattended will sometimes catch the eye of some sneaky guy so beware.
The USF area is a big no at night, not worth the risk.
Honeymoon island is an absolute must if you like quiet beaches that don’t tend to be overpopulated during the day.
To sum it up: don’t do stupid things, avoid sketchy areas and use google to find cool, less-known places.