Miami ranks as least safe city for women

If you’ve ever felt unsafe in Miami, know that it’s not just in your head.

According to consumer research firm ValuePenguin, Miami ranked No. 261 out of 261 cities for women.

In other words, Miami was one of the least safe (if not the worst city) for women’s safety.

The safest city?

Thousand Oaks, California.

Out of the 300 to 400 cities that were considered for this study, the firm analyzed only 261 cities because those were the ones that had the most complete information.

The 2016 study used 31 different factors — including rape and robbery rates — and placed them into four different groups to determine rankings. The groups were crime, public policy and representation, healthcare, and education and wealth.

According to Value Penguin, education and wealth allow women to avoid potentially dangerous situations, and public policy and representation show how well women’s rights are protected.

“We want to vary our sources so that objectivity and a holistic approach is being taken,” said Andrew Pentis, the ValuePenguin associate editor.

Sources in the study included crime statistics from the FBI and healthcare information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some of the data was specifically for metropolitan statistical areas, while others were statewide data applied to all cities in the state.

Miami ranked 212 in crime, 178 in public policy and representation, 259 in healthcare, and 207 in education and wealth.

Other Florida cities fared a little better. Cape Coral was Florida’s highest ranking city at 74, and other major Florida cities included Jacksonville, 121; Tallahassee, 165; and Tampa, 177.

South Florida cities tended to rank considerably worse: Hollywood, 218; Pompano Beach, 232; and Fort Lauderdale, 244.

This story was originally published September 14, 2016 at 12:54 PM with the headline "Miami ranks as least safe city for women."