Ask any local living in Tamarac, and they’ll tell you the city feels more like a laid‑back suburb than a slice of bustling South Florida.
Residents of Tamarac enjoy quick drives to Fort Lauderdale’s beaches, Broward’s green parks, and the shopping of nearby cities such as Coral Springs and Sunrise, yet Tamarac housing prices remain friendlier than many coastal ZIP codes.
Where is Tamarac, FL, located?
Tamarac sits in north‑central Broward County, bordered by the Sawgrass Expressway on the west and flanked by surrounding cities that include North Lauderdale, Lauderdale Lakes, and Margate.
The northwest part of the city features sprawling golf‑course communities, while older neighborhoods cluster closer to Florida Turnpike exits.
What is the cost of living in Tamarac?
Recent Zillow figures place the median list price near $244,000, roughly 15 percent below the South Florida metro median.
Groceries and utilities hover close to the national average, making day‑to‑day expenses predictable for residents of Tamarac who commute across Broward.
Tamarac Crime Rates: The Numbers Behind the Reputation
When you look at crime maps or online aggregators, Tamarac usually lands somewhere in the “B” or “C+” range. That might sound average, but you have to look at what is actually happening to understand the risk.
Violent crime in Tamarac is historically lower than or comparable to the Florida state average. For the typical resident going about their daily routine – going to the grocery store, heading to work, or hitting the gym – the risk of violent crime is low. The stats hover around 2.8 incidents per 1,000 residents. To put that in perspective, your chances of being involved in a violent incident are roughly 1 in 350 to 460.
Property crime is where the numbers tick up a bit. This is the primary driver of the crime statistics here. We are talking about burglary and, most commonly, motor vehicle theft or break-ins. The rate sits around 12 to 14 per 1,000 residents.
How Does Tamarac Compare to Nearby Cities?
Here is a quick look at how Tamarac stacks up against its neighbors:
- Compared to Coral Springs: Tamarac has slightly higher crime stats, largely due to the older commercial areas, but the residential pockets are often comparable.
- Compared to North Lauderdale & Lauderdale Lakes: Tamarac is statistically safer with significantly lower call volumes.
- Compared to Sunrise: Very similar safety profile and suburban feel.
What are the Safest Areas in Tamarac, FL?
Pull up the interactive Tamarac crime map on CrimeGrade and you’ll see areas in Tamarac in green stretching across Westwood, Woodlands, and sections west of Pine Island Road.
The same crime map highlights the safest blocks in dark green while painting red areas, primarily older east‑side corridors, where incidents rise.
Tamarac residents generally consider the western golf‑course enclaves the safest areas in Tamarac, and the map highlights the safest areas again and again in those tracts.
What Safety Resources Does Tamarac Offer?
From National Night Out block parties to free bike‑registration drives, crime in Tamarac varies, but community engagement keeps it trending down.
Programs like Code RED emergency alerts help residents of Tamarac stay in the loop when police activity spikes.
What is the Chance of Being a Victim of Crime in Tamarac?
Crunch the latest ratios, and the chance of being a victim of any offense sits near one in 55, a figure lower than the national average yet not the best in Broward.
Crime per capita in Tamarac hovers around 14 incidents for every 1,000 people, modest for a suburb that tops 65,000 residents.
What is the Role of the Tamarac Police Department?
Law enforcement falls under the Broward Sheriff’s Office Tamarac District.
The agency shares weekly crime reports, deploys Citizens Observer Patrol volunteers, and publicizes a real‑time crime map feed on the city site.
Officers remind newcomers that home security basics such as motion lights, camera doorbells, locked cars go far in slashing both property and violent crimes.
Living in Tamarac: Is it a Safe Place to Live?
Ask long‑time locals, and they’ll say safety varies by neighborhood, yet most feel the city is “safe enough” for evening dog walks.
The cost of crime in Tamarac – estimated at $331 per resident for 2025 – is hardly cheap, but crime‑related costs account for well under one percent of household income.
Pair that with steady property appreciation, and many conclude Tamarac is safer, calmer, and cheaper than an average US city of comparable size.
Future Outlook for Crime in Tamarac
The latest crime statistics reveal that Tamarac posts fewer violent incidents than the Florida median, maintains property rates near Broward norms, and registers a total crime rate in Tamarac that is respectable for a fast‑growing suburb.
BSO forecasts continue to show incremental drops, and city councils fund more license‑plate cameras each budget cycle.
If the downward trend holds, Tamarac’s totals could slip beneath Broward’s mid‑table by 2027.
Tamarac Safety FAQs
The interactive map from CrimeGrade layers offenses by severity; green spots reflect the safest areas in Tamarac, while dangerous in red zones outline higher crime blocks.
Data confirms the northwest part of the city records fewer property and violent crimes, thanks to gated layouts and newer builds.
Among cities of the same size, Tamarac sits mid‑rank – better on violent counts, a bit higher crime on thefts, and overall lower than county hot spots.
Like most suburbs, property and violent crimes skew heavily toward property offenses; violent cases make up roughly fifteen percent of total reports.
Most experts recommend a standard alarm or camera setup; Tamarac residents in a standard three‑bed home often add smart locks, keeping the risk lower than in other cities of similar density.


