The city of Ocala is in Marion County, Florida, and has about 60,000 people living there. It is located in the north central part of the state, about 80 miles from Orlando. People all over the world love Ocala for its horse farms, natural springs, historic center, and lively cultural events.
Still, just like any other city, Ocala has areas where crime and violence are more likely to happen than others. The following are five of Ocala’s most dangerous neighborhoods, based on crime rates and stories from different sources:
West Ocala:
Northwest 27th Avenue, Northwest 10th Street, Northwest 44th Avenue, and West Silver Springs Boulevard form the edges of West Ocala, which is in the west center part of Ocala. There are about 9,000 people living in the neighborhood, and most of them are African American. West Ocala has a lot of problems, like a high rate of poverty, a low median income, and people who don’t have much schooling.
As shown by NeighborhoodScout, West Ocala has a concerning violent crime rate of 13.8 per 1,000 people, which is more than three times the national average. Also, 43.4 crimes against property happen for every 1,000 people, which is almost twice the national average.
People who live in West Ocala have a 1% chance of being a victim of a physical crime and a 2% chance of being a victim of a property crime. Most of the crimes that happen in this area are theft, attack, burglary, robbery, and car theft.
Silver Springs Shores:
Silver Springs Shores is a neighborhood in the southeast of Ocala. Southeast Maricamp Road, Southeast 64th Avenue Road, Southeast Highway 314, and Lake Weir are the roads that surround the neighborhood. There are about 15,000 people living there, and most of them are white or Hispanic. The poverty rate, median income, and level of schooling in the neighborhood are all about average.
NeighborhoodScout says that Silver Springs Shores has 11.6 violent crimes for every 1,000 people, which is higher than the national average. In the same way, 38.5 incidents per 1,000 residents is almost twice the national average for property theft.
This means that people who live in Silver Springs Shores have an 86/86 chance of being a victim of a physical crime and a 26/26 chance of being a victim of a property crime. Assault, burglary, theft, auto theft, and burning are all common crimes in the area.
Marion Oaks:
The neighborhood of Marion Oaks is in the southwest part of Ocala. Southwest 66th Street, Southwest 49th Avenue Road, Southwest 95th Street Road, and Southwest 160th Avenue Road are all around it.
Marion Oaks has about 14,000 people living in it, and most of them are white or Hispanic. The amount of poverty, median income, and education in the neighborhood are all about average.
NeighborhoodScout says that there are 10.9 serious crimes for every 1,000 people living in Marion Oaks, which is more than double the national average. Also, 36.4 property crimes happen for every 1,000 people, which is almost twice the national average.
That is, there is a 1% chance that someone in Marion Oaks will be the victim of a physical crime and a 2% chance that someone will be the victim of a property crime. Assault, burglary, theft, auto theft, and burning are the crimes that happen most often in Marion Oaks.
Belleview Heights Estates:
Belleview Heights Estates is a neighborhood in the central south part of Ocala. Southeast Highway 484 and Southeast Baseline Road, Southeast Highway 42, and Southeast 145th Street are all next to it. There are about 6,000 people living in Belleview Heights Estates, and most of them are white or Hispanic.
The rate of poverty in the neighborhood is about average, and most of the people who live there have a median income and level of schooling. It does, however, have problems with crime rates.
NeighborhoodScout says that there are 10.2 serious crimes for every 1,000 people living in Belleview Heights Estates. This is more than twice the national average. Also, 34 property crimes happen for every 1,000 people, which is almost twice the national average.
So, people who live in Belleview Heights Estates have a 1% chance of being a victim of a physical crime and a 2% chance of being a victim of a property crime. Most of the crimes that happen in the neighborhood are assaults, break-ins, theft, car theft, and setting fires.
East Silver Springs Boulevard / Northeast Jacksonville Road:
In the eastern-central part of Ocala, there is an area called East Silver Springs Boulevard/NE Jacksonville Road. Northeast 14th Street, Northeast 25th Avenue, East Silver Springs Boulevard, and Northeast 36th Avenue are all around it. There are about 5,000 people living on East Silver Springs Boulevard/ Northeast Jacksonville Road. Most of them are white or African American.
To make things worse, the neighborhood has a lot of problems with poverty. A lot of people live there without having enough money or schooling. NeighborhoodScout data shows that there are also 9.8 serious crimes for every 1,000 people living in the area, which is more than twice the daily average across the country. Also, the rate of property crime is high—32.7 crimes per 1,000 people, which is almost twice the national figure.
Because of these crime rates, people who live near East Silver Springs Boulevard/ Northeast Jacksonville Road have a 102/31 chance of being a victim of a physical crime and a 31/102 chance of being a victim of a property crime. In this area, robbery, assault, burglary, theft, and car theft are some of the most common crimes.
In conclusion
These are some of the most dangerous areas of Ocala, Florida, as found by crime reports and data from different sources.
Still, it’s important to remember that crime can happen anywhere, so everyone, including tourists, should stay alert and aware of their surroundings.
On the plus side, Ocala has many areas that are safe and quiet, as well as many attractions and services that make it a great place to live and visit.