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United States · Safety report last updated
As of October 2026, Fort Lauderdale scores 74/100 on the IsMyTripSafe composite safety index — verdict: yes — generally safe. Fort Lauderdale is generally safe for travelers, with official advisories recommending normal security precautions. The main risks for visitors are pickpocketing (moderate risk) and robbery (moderate risk).
Safety Report
IsMyTripSafe.com
United States · Assessed 13 October 2026
74
/ 100
What drives this score
01 · Official Guidance
No advisory against travel
“This travel advice also covers American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and United States Virgin Islands. Before you travel No travel can be guaranteed safe.”
Updated 2026-10-07T10:48:24Z
Full advisory →Exercise normal security precautions
“Canada's official risk level for United States: exercise normal security precautions.”
Updated 2026-10-10T19:41:02.6992267-04:00
Full advisory →02 · Evidence Signals
Mugging & robbery risk
City SignalCity Web Research
Pickpocketing & theft risk
City SignalCity Web Research
Visitor safety sentiment
City SignalCity Web Research
Urban scale factor
City SignalCity Geocoding
Homicide rate
Robbery / mugging
ModerateWhile the overall homicide rate is below the US average, residents express concern about violent crime, and incidents do occur.
Pickpocketing
ModerateCrowded tourist areas, particularly along the beach and in entertainment districts, are common spots for pickpocketing and bag-snatching.
03 · Environment
04 · Institutions
05 · Field Research
Traveller sentiment score
Mixed
65/100
While many visitors feel safe during daylight hours, a significant portion of residents express concern about walking alone at night and perceive drug dealing and property crime as local problems.
Fort Lauderdale is generally safe for travelers, with official advisories recommending normal security precautions.
While Fort Lauderdale has a lower homicide rate than the US average, residents report concerns about drug dealing and property crime. Visitors should be aware of potential risks, especially when walking alone at night.
Recent developments
Common scams
Full briefing
Fort Lauderdale presents a mixed safety profile for travelers. While official advisories from Canada and the UK recommend normal security precautions, indicating no widespread systemic issues, local sentiment suggests some caution is warranted. Residents report moderate concerns regarding violent crime and property crime, with drug dealing also noted as a local problem.
Recent incidents highlight that crime does occur. In May 2026, a shooting injured one person, and in February 2026, a drug smuggling operation heading for Fort Lauderdale was intercepted. While these are isolated events, they underscore the need for vigilance. Crowded tourist areas, especially along the beach and entertainment districts, are potential hotspots for pickpocketing and bag-snatching.
Travelers should exercise normal precautions, similar to those in many other US cities. This includes being aware of your surroundings, securing valuables, and avoiding overt displays of wealth. While feeling safe during daylight is reported as high, feeling safe walking alone at night is considerably lower, so extra caution is advised after dark. Be mindful of potential scams, particularly those targeting tourists in busy areas.
Was this Fort Lauderdale, United States report helpful?
06 · Neighbourhoods
Our field research rated 7 Fort Lauderdale districts for visitors: 4 safer, 3 needing caution. See them plotted on the Fort Lauderdale safety map.
Downtown Fort LauderdalecautionCan be busy with nightlife; exercise awareness, especially after dark.
Wilton ManorscautionKnown for its vibrant nightlife; be mindful of surroundings, particularly late at night.
Broward Boulevard CorridorcautionMixed-use area; some sections may have higher crime rates, especially after dark.
Las Olas BeachsaferPopular tourist area with high visibility and amenities.
Victoria ParksaferResidential area with generally low crime rates.
North BeachsaferQuieter beach area, generally safe for visitors.
RiverwalksaferCultural and recreational district, well-maintained and generally safe.
07 · After Dark
60% of people in United States say they feel safe walking alone at night in their area (UN SDG survey, 2023).
While the overall homicide rate is below the US average, residents express concern about violent crime, and incidents do occur.
After dark, be most careful around Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors, Broward Boulevard Corridor. Stick to busy, well-lit streets and licensed taxis or ride-hail late at night.
08 · Questions
Fort Lauderdale is generally safe for travelers, with official advisories recommending normal security precautions. While Fort Lauderdale has a lower homicide rate than the US average, residents report concerns about drug dealing and property crime. Visitors should be aware of potential risks, especially when walking alone at night. (Assessed 13 October 2026.)
Safety is not one number, and this Fort Lauderdale report does not pretend it is: the score is re-weighted for who is travelling. A woman travelling alone, a family with children and a solo backpacker face different street-level risks, so the headline score shifts and the report leads with the findings that matter for that group. Personalize this report in one click to see the 2026 score and safety briefing for your specific travellers.
No districts were flagged as no-go areas for visitors at the last assessment.
Fort Lauderdale ranks #9 of 9 United States destinations we've assessed, scoring 74/100. See the United States safety overview for the full list.
The score blends 13+ public data sources — government advisories, UNODC/World Bank crime statistics, FBI crime data for U.S. cities, WHO health data, live air quality and disaster alerts — with AI field research over current local reporting. The databases carry the bulk of the weight (and U.S. reports lean more on the latest field research); the traveller-sentiment score from field research carries the rest. Full methodology.
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Raw data: fort-lauderdale.json (CC BY 4.0).
