What Are The 10 Safest Neighborhoods In Tampa?

Tampa is one of those cities that acts as a tourist destination for some and a home for others. If you want to soak up some sun in Tampa, then you might be tempted to move here. Though Tampa is fun to visit, choosing the wrong neighborhood to live in can be a nightmare. That’s why it pays big to get into one of the safer neighborhoods in Tampa.

Palma Ceia, Riverside Heights, and Parkland Estates are three of the safest neighborhoods in the city of Tampa. Other options to consider include Safety Harbor, Harbour Island, and Bayshore Beautiful. Spending more on your home will get you a safer house here.

While it may have a lot of attractions, the truth is that Tampa is a city that’s all about location. Getting into the wrong neighborhood can turn your life into hell, so let’s talk about the best neighborhoods in Tampa.

Tampa’s Downtown is pricey and glamorous, but it’s also a fairly high crime. This leads families who want to have a nice upbringing for their kids to avoid it. Thankfully, there is another option that you can consider that’s fairly safer: Channel District. It has a very similar vibe and layout, but happens to be quite safe.

According to the single statistic, we were able to find on Channel District, it’s safer than 38 percent of cities in Florida. When you pair that with slightly more affordable housing, it’s easy to see why this is becoming a popular place to live.

Total Crime Rate: N/A

Riverside Heights has been mentioned by multiple sites as one of the safest neighborhoods in Tampa, though we were not able to get very solid information on it. The one statistic that we could find on it does lead some credence to it: it’s safer than 85 percent of towns in Florida.

This suburban area has a gorgeous set of homes, nice amenities, as well as a couple of really tasty restaurants. It also has a fairly interesting indie music scene and horror movie scene. Check out a flick at Grindhouse Video if you want to see true crime films. It’s about as close to real crime as you’ll get here.

Total Crime Rate: N/A

Virginia Park is one of those places that makes a good case for moving to Tampa. This elegant and pricey area boasts a median home price of $521,000, so it’s definitely a somewhat exclusive part of town. As a place that has a ton of amenities and an excellent track record for attracting educated professionals, it’s easy to see why it’s a good place to live.

Kids who grow up here have some of the best schools in Tampa. Moreover, this area has a shockingly low total crime rate.

Total Crime Rate: 442 per 100,000 residents

When you say that you live in Parkland Estates, it’s hard to sound like you’re not bragging. It’s a great place to live, regularly getting nominated as the best place to raise kids. Yes, it’s true. This area became somewhat famous for being community-oriented, family-oriented, and kid-oriented.

In fact, this is such a popular place to live, it’s actually gotten several awards on Niche and similar sites for its excellent amenities. If you want to work close to the heart of the city but want to have a suburban life, then you’re going to find this area to be a dream.

Total Crime Rate: 1890 per 100,000 residents

With a name like Harbour Island, you might expect tales of swashbuckling pirates and other miscreants. This isn’t the case at all. Harbour Island is considered to be the safest neighborhood located close to Downtown Tampa. That spells amazing for commuters who want to have safety and convenience in one fell swoop. It’s a youthful area, too.

If you like being near water, Harbour Island also will be sure to please. The beachside locations are amazing. Another major perk people like about Harbour Island is the fact that their schools are some of the best in the city. Expect a high standard of living here!

Total Crime Rate: 1060 per 100,000 residents

If you like the feel of Harbor Island but want to have a more mature ambiance, then you might like its sister neighborhood, Safety Harbor. I mean, “safe” is literally in the name of the place! Safety Harbor is another popular place with tons of waterfront properties to choose from.

Unlike Harbour Island, Safety Harbor tends to attract older couples—often those who want to retire in style. As a result, it tends to be a good choice for people who want to keep things quiet. Trust us when we say that the active police force here will make sure of it.

Total Crime Rate: 1070 per 100,000 residents

Oh, this is a place that lives up to its name. It is an absolutely beautiful slice of Tampa, no matter how you look at it. Exclusivity is kind of a major thing here, even among major names. In order to get a home here, you’ll have to be a big spender. The median home price here rests around $700,000. Yikes!

Bayshore Beautiful doesn’t seem to have any stats about its low crime rate, but the fact that it regularly gets awards for its quality of life speaks volumes. This is a good place to be, if you love cutesy houses with a touch of nostalgia. Don’t be shocked if you end up meeting celebrities here. It’s a place to hob-nob with the nabobs, if you know what I mean.

An affordable town with a shockingly low crime rate? Can it be true? Is it true? Yep, and it’s Oldsmar, which is right near Old Tampa Bay. Oldsmar has been a classy yet blue collar neighborhood for ages, and we love it. This area is famous for attracting young professionals, new moms, and similarly family-centric groups.

Decent public schools, excellent diversity, and plenty of job opportunities nearby have stopped crime in its tracks. No wonder why so many people are flocking to this place for a new standard of life. One might say that this is the heart of the “old boys club” of Tampa too, for what that’s worth.

Total Crime Rate: 1547 per 100,000 residents

(Or 890 per 100,000 depending on the source.)

Belmar Gardens is a super tiny slice of Tampa, but they say big things come in small packages. This is true with Belmar Gardens. Though this area has a fairly petite number of locals, it offers up beautiful homes, peaceful settings, and a hearty community to go along with it.

This area is mostly known for being quiet and kid-friendly. With a median home value of $375,000 or so, you might have to be a little more wealthy than the average Joe, but it’s money well spent. You’ll be surrounded by people who are success-oriented, with one of the lowest crime rates in Tampa.

Total Crime Rate: 400 per 100,000 residents

If you have ever gone to Tampa or hung out with locals from the area, you probably have already heard about Palma Ceia. This is considered to be the best neighborhood in all of Tampa. In fact, living here is considered to be a status symbol—not unlike a Centurion card from AmEx.

There are a lot of different stats behind Palma Ceia’s crime rate, but the reputation alone says it all. It’s not just popular for its country club or ritzy restaurant scene. It’s also famous for having one of the lowest crime rates in the state. Needless to say, it’s hot real estate in uncertain times.

Total Crime Rate: 930 per 100,000 residents or lower

Related Questions

Is Tampa, FL a good place to live?

It can be, but there is a very large divide between the “haves” and “have-nots.” If you live in a wealthy and safe neighborhood, then Tampa offers a wide range of different amenities that make it amazing. From beach weather to country clubs, you’ll never be bored. However, the rough parts of Tampa are truly rough and can easily lead to trouble.

Is Tampa dangerous?

During the 80s and 90s, Tampa was pretty famous for being a dangerous place to live. However, things have changed greatly since then. Tampa is now a far safer place to live, and while there are still areas that suffer from gang activity, the truth is that you have a good chance of having an excellent outlook on life here.Tampa still remains on an upward trajectory when it comes to safety, so if you are looking to invest in a new home, this is a good move. Besides, who doesn’t like a little beachfront property?

What are the most dangerous parts of Tampa?

Tampa may be doing well, but it still has a fair share of dangerous areas. If you want to stay safe, it’s best to avoid neighborhoods like Live Oaks, Woodland Terrace, and Highland Pines. With that said, most of these areas are okay to go through during the day. During the night, walking or even driving is not considered to be a good idea.