Sarasota Has A Higher Crime Rate Than Tampa??? (Westchase: appointed, neighborhoods) - Tampa Bay - Florida (FL) -Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater - City-Data Forum

Lior Arel · 10-06-2010, 03:55 PM

This just shocked me! I live in Tampa and have always looked to Sarasota as "I wish I could live there" kind of place. Then, I see it has a higher crime rate than Tampa

Does anyone who lives there have some input? It seems like such a walkable, pretty area; I'm feeling rather disappointed to see that it could be a charade.

MAniacTHW · 10-06-2010, 04:00 PM

Tampa's crime really isn't that bad is what it is.

Lior Arel · 10-06-2010, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAniacTHW

Tampa's crime really isn't that bad is what it is.

I've lived here 8 years. It's not horrid, but I do get tired of all the seediness I see. The gangsta and thug mentality/style that seems to invade even the nicer areas. Kinda thought one would get away from that in Sarasota (I've only visited, never stayed). If the crime rate is higher there, I can only imagine the sketcy quotient is worse.

I could be wrong though. Appearances would seem to dictate otherwise.

gypsychic · 10-06-2010, 04:13 PM

I live in Sarasota, and it's beautiful, to me like paradise. Other than a couple neighborhoods on the northside east of the Trail there is nothing bad here at all. I don't see any way in heck crime rate here is higher than Tampa!

My husband chooses to drive one hour to work each day in downtown Tampa so we can live here - what does that tell you?

ferret111 · 10-06-2010, 05:29 PM

Tampa has cleaned up its act since the mid-00s, conveniently by bulldozing the projects and relocating residents outside of the city limits. It's pretty easy to avoid the sketchy places in Tampa.

Hockeyice · 10-06-2010, 05:31 PM

Tampa definitely isn't the safest city, but what major city is? As long as one uses common sense (which isn't that common anymore), one shouldn't be subjected to major crime. Don't walk around the bad parts of town with a wallet full of cash. Don't drive a car which is about to break down on the road in the bad parts of town at night. Stuff like that. Just use common sense, and one will probably not be subjected to major crime.

TB Fla · 10-06-2010, 07:41 PM

It isn't that Sarasota's crime rate is high, its that Tampa's is really low.

xbillyx · 10-06-2010, 08:44 PM

I find that extremely hard to believe. I'd walk around Sarasota at all hours of the night but not Tampa. Where did you see those stats?

MAniacTHW · 10-06-2010, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xbillyx

I find that extremely hard to believe. I'd walk around Sarasota at all hours of the night but not Tampa. Where did you see those stats?

You also don't live here. Some of us know what we're talking about and have been here for 20+ years.

I had no bad experiences walking around south Tampa, Hillsborough and Armenia (which was the scariest area I walked around, but even that was horrible), Carrollwood, Westchase... In other words, just about the only "threatening" area in Tampa is Nebraska ave. And I wouldn't suggest anyone even drive down there.

xbillyx · 10-07-2010, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAniacTHW

You also don't live here. Some of us know what we're talking about and have been here for 20+ years.

I had no bad experiences walking around south Tampa, Hillsborough and Armenia (which was the scariest area I walked around, but even that was horrible), Carrollwood, Westchase... In other words, just about the only "threatening" area in Tampa is Nebraska ave. And I wouldn't suggest anyone even drive down there.

No, I don't live down there. I was going on what gypsychic said. She lives in Sarasota. The parts of Sarasota I was in I would have been perfectly fine with sleeping on the streets. However, I obviously did not see all of Sarasota.