ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Financial website WalletHub published a list of the safest states.
- LINK: WalletHub safest states to live
- LINK: FDLE crime stats
- LINK: Florida Labor stats
- LINK: Pedestrian accidents in Florida
- LINK: Vehicle fatalities in Florida
- LINK: NOAA weather events database
Unfortunately, Florida ranked near the bottom, according to their methodology.
It can't be that bad in Tampa Bay, which got us thinking: Where does our region rank in safety statewide?
So let's look at safety in the four top metro areas which are Tampa Bay, Orlando and the Space Coast, Miami, Fort-Lauderdale area and Jacksonville metro.
Measuring public safety by looking at the official FDLE crime stats released this week, Tampa Bay leads the way.
In fact, Hillsborough County has the lowest crime rate per capita of all large Florida metro areas.
For financial safety we looked at a region's unemployment numbers.
The economic metrics also put Tampa Bay tied for the top.
Road safety is where Florida gets an F. It really puts the entire state in the bottom nationwide.
The leader of this category is really the best of the worst.
Miami and South Florida overall leads with Tampa Bay second in road safety and the rest following.
Weather wise, NOAA keeps track of events causing death, injury or property damage.
Again, Tampa Bay has been the least vulnerable for catastrophic events recently and leads as the safest among the four areas.
WalletHub used other metrics such as uninsured population and fatal occupational fatalities.
Florida scored poorly in insurance coverage among the population.