[ResidentEvil421]

Hi, I am thinking about moving to Flordia and I have lived in NJ my whole life. I only visited Florida once and that was 16 years ago when I was just a child to go to Disney Land. I don't have much memories, but I know it was nice.

I am sure Flordia has changed in 16 years just like any other state. The thing I found most suprising was when I did my research that Flordia's crime is top ten in America and is far worst then NJ.

I was very shocked by this considering NJ has area like Newark, Camden, Trenton, and East Orange. Here is some information I was able to get crime wise.

Flordia has a lot more murder and robberies then NJ but I also put into consideration that NJ only has 8 million while Flordia has 18. I was just wondering is Flordia that bad to move to?

I was thinking about Orlando or around that area.

[markhunt]

Originally Posted by ResidentEvil421

Hi, I am thinking about moving to Flordia and I have lived in NJ my whole life. I only visited Florida once and that was 16 years ago when I was just a child to go to Disney Land. I don't have much memories, but I know it was nice.

I am sure Flordia has changed in 16 years just like any other state. The thing I found most suprising was when I did my research that Flordia's crime is top ten in America and is far worst then NJ.

I was very shocked by this considering NJ has area like Newark, Camden, Trenton, and East Orange. Here is some information I was able to get crime wise.

Flordia has a lot more murder and robberies then NJ but I also put into consideration that NJ only has 8 million while Flordia has 18. I was just wondering is Flordia that bad to move to?

I was thinking about Orlando or around that area.

One difference with crime as it compares to FL vs. NY, NJ, or CT, is that the states in the northeast for the most part have specifically designated bad areas in major cities. Here in FL with all of the urban sprawl and unincorporated areas, you can be in a town with 10,000 people and still have a crime index that is DOUBLE the national average. And they don't call it SPRAWlando for nothing.

That being said, if you are young, single, or even married with no kids and no plans for kids, independantly wealthy, or retired, then FL may just be the place for you. If you are coming from a nice safe middle-upper class town in Jersey with good schools, then you may be in for the shock of your life. If you are coming from Buffalo, Philidelpia, Detroit, or a similar rust belt city, then FL may seem like heaven on earth.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by ResidentEvil421

Flordia has a lot more murder and robberies then NJ but I also put into consideration that NJ only has 8 million while Flordia has 18. I was just wondering is Flordia that bad to move to?

Consider that the rating of New York ties with New Jersey despite that New York has MORE people than Florida. The more transient Sunbelt states tend to have a higher crime rate than the more sturdy Northeastern or Midwestern states.

However Florida is like any other state in that it depends on where you are. Proportionally, NJ has more "good areas" because most of the state population is in the wealthy suburban sprawlpath of NYC and Philadelphia. Proportionally, there are more bad areas in most FL cities. Some of the cities have defined lines (in Jacksonville you stay out of the Northside, in Ft. Lauderdale you stay west of University Dr. or east of Dixie Hwy, in Tampa the further north the better) while in some of the others (Orlando, parts of the St. Petersburg area, many the medium sized cities) it's hard to pin down a defined line and there is a patchwork of good and bad.

So is Florida safe to move to? Well, that depends on what area, just like anywhere else. For the cities, here are some safe places to move to.

Orlando- Winter Park, Winter Springs, Dr. Phillips, Altamonte Springs, Lake Mary, Oviedo

Tampa Bay area- Oldsmar, Westchase, New Tampa, Safety Harbor, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Seminole, Tarpon Springs, Brandon,

West Palm Beach area- Wellington, Boca Raton (nationally ranked), unincorporated Boynton Beach, unincorporated Delray Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Loxahatchee, Jupiter

Fort Lauderdale area- Parkland, Coconut Creek, Margate, Coral Springs, Tamarac, Sunrise, Plantation, Davie, Cooper City, Weston, Pembroke Pines (nationally ranked), WEST Miramar, EAST Hollywood, EAST Ft. Lauderdale, EAST Deerfield.

Miami area- Aventura, Coral Gables, Pinecrest, Sweetwater (kind of gritty but safe), Miami Lakes, Kendall, Doral.

I personally would avoid Orlando and Miami and look into Tampa Bay area, Jacksonville, WPB, Ft. Lauderdale, or smaller cities. It is mostly Orlando and Miami that push FL into the top 10.

[faithfulFrank]

Originally Posted by markhunt

If you are coming from Buffalo, Philidelpia, Detroit, or a similar rust belt city, then FL may seem like heaven on earth.

I resemble that remark.... Good post Mark.

It's a big state....like any other place, there must be good parts and not so good parts.....

Frank D.

[Wilshire81182]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

It is mostly Orlando and Miami that push FL into the top 10.

I cannot speak for Miami, but in Orlando it is also namely one area, ahem, Pine Hills/OBT.

[compelled to reply]

Orange County has the highest crime rate in Florida. It's not "one area" with high crime, there are really only 4-5 areas that are acceptably safe by the standards of a US city: Dr. Phillips, Winter Park, Windermere, Lake Nona area and the rest are in Seminole County. Metrowest, Hunters Creek, Paramore, Waterford Lakes/Avalon Park, Ocoee, etc are for the most part at least above average in crime. Actually now Duval has the highest rate but it's not as large as Orange county and the surrounding counties have very low crime. That's not the case in Orlando except for Seminole. Yes, Pine Hills is the worst but that's not the only bad area. I'm not saying you will automatically get robbed just for passing through but those are the only areas I find acceptable in Orlando/Orange County to live in. Maybe Conway or College Park.

[ChrisA70]

I would just NOT live in Orlando at all, and Altamonte Springs or Winter Park ar not good areas. I lived in both, they are not as bad as Pine Hills AKA "crime hills", but crime has gone up there since I left. I was used to seeing the nightly helicopter search lights in Winter park. And one night I was able to see the sheriffs department pull a moron out of the lake after he robbed an Albertsons up the street. Had a escort service running out of an apartment 3 buildings over from me. An apartment with a "greenhouse" in a walk in closet. I watched 2 high speed chases on tv at work, one was on the street I lived off in WINTER PARK. No thanks on Orlando. I only go there to see Mickey, or Shamu...

[cfIfan]

As has been said before, just as with everywhere there are pockets of bad areas in Orlando, Orange Blossum trail being one particular area. Although Orange County has a high crime rate, bear in mind that does encompass all of downtown Orlando aswell. West Orange county is nice as was stated. I would also add Winter Garden to the Windermere area. Some areas like Celebration have very little crime, but as someone who used to live there, the prices are very high, taxes extortionate, and my parents still have properties there and the areas other than downtown are not well maintained. Besides its only when you live there you realize how desperate housewives it is....lol

Good luck

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by BacktoFLigo

I was used to seeing the nightly helicopter search lights in Winter park.

What part of Winter Park? This is what I mean about Orlando, even if you are in a "good area" you are never far from a bad one. Hannibal Square used to be bad and they had some grungy apartments down by 436 but I lived around there before I moved back to Ft. Lauderdale and it wasn't bad. I suppose there were a fair amount of property crimes but don't recall much violence IN Winter Park. If you lived at the fringes however I believe you.

[sunrico90]

The state of Florida has safe an unsafe areas just like any other area. To answer your question yes can be safe. DO your research and review the city reports to get actual information that is not exaggerated.

Yes some areas are worst than other and many times we have to avoid the area because of the report. The biggest concern that I have is that many will post the negative, but they never talk or discuss what are they doing to better the locale. But the live, visit, work, etc in the bad area.

ALL: Please don't name the apartment complex. Your post can cause a legal situation for C-D. If you have to make an specific statement DM the member. Post will be deleted if they show a legal concern.

Thank you.