Fort Lauderdale, FL
Census place 1224000 · pop 185,604
Dubbed the "Venice of America" for its hundreds of miles of canals, and a legendary spring-break destination.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.54 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
4060 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
687 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,787/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
14.7% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$486,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
54.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
47 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
15.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
26 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+3.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
91.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
13.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
24.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.93% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$83,130 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
16.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
40.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
30.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.0% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Frequently asked
- Is Fort Lauderdale, FL a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Fort Lauderdale scores 37/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unemployment rate and its weakest is income inequality. Florida overall ranks #29 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Fort Lauderdale, FL?
- Fort Lauderdale reports 687 violent crimes per 100k and 4060 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Fort Lauderdale, FL expensive to live in?
- Fort Lauderdale has a median home value of $486,700 and typical rent around $2,787/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Fort Lauderdale, FL?
- Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.54) — 4/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Fort Lauderdale, FL best at?
- Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (3.0%) — 79/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Dubbed the "Venice of America" for its hundreds of miles of canals, and a legendary spring-break destination.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.