According to a WalletHub survey, Fort Lauderdale, Florida is listed as the least safe city in the United States. Other cities that followed up close on the list include Detroit, Birmingham, San Bernadino, and St. Louis, but due to factors such as home and community safety, natural disaster risk, and financial safety, Ft. Lauderdale is the worst.

The site ranked 182 U.S. cities, stating in their survey, “aside from the types of hazards that can cause bodily injury or other physical harm, taking out an unaffordable second mortgage, forgoing health insurance or even visiting unsecured websites are also ways people run into danger. Some cities are simply better at protecting their residents from harm.” 

Ft. Lauderdale ranked 179th in “home and community safety”, which focuses on factors such as the presence of law enforcement and the number of aggravated assaults while ranking 170th for financial safety due to unemployment rates, underemployment, and job security. 

With South Florida being one of the fastest rising areas with coronavirus cases in the country, Mayor Dean Trantalis said, “As far as COVID-19 cases go, Fort Lauderdale has been an example that others have followed in terms of safety protocols. We were the first city to shut down the beach for Spring Break and have continued to stay vigilant in keeping people safe.”