Is St Petersburg FL Safe?

With so many things to do in St. Petersburg, FL and so many museums to marvel at, the city attracts many visitors as well as new residents. Life in the Sunshine City might just be what many people are looking for as they retire or what many families want as they start their lives. St. Petersburg, FL has the weather, it also has the beaches and many other attractions that will keep you busy during your visit or during your life here, but we have to figure out if it also has the safety.

What to expect as safety in St. Petersburg

Safety surely is something that many people are interested in whenever they go to another city or area. St. Petersburg, FL isn’t quite that different than most of the country. Like many other cities of a similar size, St. Petersburg is trying to handle their crime statistics as best as they can. Naturally. Here you’ll find a more prominent crime scene than in smaller cities across Florida or the U.S. but that is to be expected. If you’re leaving a small town and decide to see how life is in the bigger cities, higher crime rates could be somewhat of a shock, but it comes with a larger population. However, unlike other cities that are similar in size, criminality is not as troubling in St. Petersburg, FL.

Many people come to St. Petersburg either to retire or to enjoy the beaches and the record-breaking weather. With an average of 361 sunny days per year, snowbirds migrate here during winter to enjoy the warmth. This has led to a population increase and as the population increased, the crime rates grew. This happens to any city when the population grows exponentially and it might seem like a bigger problem because of how populous St. Petersburg is. The city, however, is as safe as it can be expected.

Crime overall statistics in Saint Petersburg FL

When you look at the city’s population and the crime rates you’ll find that you have a 1 in 160 chance of being the victim of a violent crime, whereas in Florida as a whole, there is a 1 in 260 chance to fall victim of a violent crime. When it comes to property crimes there is a 1 in 30 chance of becoming a victim, while in Florida the chances are smaller at a ratio of 1 in 44.

However, if we compare St. Petersburg, FL to other similarly sized cities the numbers change.

With around 265,000 residents, St. Petersburg, FL has 3,900 total crimes for 100,000 people, but in Buffalo, NY or Durham, NC that number is higher at 4,900 and 4,300 respectively.

Unfortunately, crime is present throughout the United States of America, but as far as larger cities go, St. Petersburg can be relatively safe. Get in touch with top realtors in St. Petersburg FL for further information on which neighborhoods are safest. Generally, you’ll find that neighborhoods north of downtown are alright while others are still transitioning.