Miami, FL vs West Palm Beach, FL: Crime Rate Comparison (2025)
A side-by-side look at reported crime in Miami and West Palm Beach, on the FBI-based Crime Index (0–100, higher = safer) for 2025.
Miami is the safer city
Miami scores 66/100 (grade C) versus 64/100 (grade C) for West Palm Beach — a 2-point gap. West Palm Beach's violent-crime rate is +37% vs Miami. Across the 8 offense categories, Miami has the lower rate in 5.
Miami, FL
SaferCrime Index
- Population
- 498,792
- Violent / 100k
- 358
- Property / 100k
- 2,239
- In Florida
- #31 of 39
West Palm Beach, FL
Crime Index
- Population
- 130,449
- Violent / 100k
- 491
- Property / 100k
- 1,492
- In Florida
- #33 of 39
Crime rates head-to-head
| Metric | Miami | West Palm Beach | US average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Index (higher = safer) | 66C | 64C | 73C |
| Violent crime /100k | 358 | 491 | 315 |
| Property crime /100k | 2,239 | 1,492 | 1,487 |
| Homicide /100k | 5 | 8.4 | 4.1 |
| Total reported /100k | 2,598 | 1,983 | 1,802 |
Grade shown per index band (88–100 = A … 0–29 = F). Rates are reported offenses per 100,000 residents.
By offense
Rate per 100,000 residents — the lower (safer) city is highlighted.
| Offense | Miami | West Palm Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 5 | 8.4 |
| Rape | 19 | 54.4 |
| Robbery | 77.8 | 85.9 |
| Aggravated assault | 256 | 343 |
| Burglary | 208 | 190 |
| Larceny-theft | 1,806 | 1,277 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 219 | 16.1 |
| Arson | 6.4 | 8.4 |
Crime trends
Miami
West Palm Beach
Frequently asked questions
Is Miami or West Palm Beach safer?
Which has more violent crime, Miami or West Palm Beach?
What are the odds of violent crime in Miami vs West Palm Beach?
No area has zero risk
A high Crime Index score means lower reported crime relative to other US cities — it is not a guarantee of safety. Reported crime is not the same as actual crime. Research on the gap between crime that occurs and crime that gets reported to police — often called the "dark figure" of crime — estimates that roughly 40% of violent crime and about a third of property crime go unreported each year. Every index built on official statistics, including this one, necessarily undercounts real crime. That gap is exactly why homicide — the offense with the smallest dark figure — anchors the calculation instead of a more commonly reported but less reliable category like theft.
Scores on this page reflect FBI-reported data for 2025. See the full methodology →
Protecting yourself in Miami & West Palm Beach
Worried about the numbers above? Compare local providers, estimate costs, and explore the right kind of coverage.