Is Sunrise safe?
Sunrise, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Sunrise as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Sunrise
“Go. Sunrise is a stable, safe suburban community in western Broward County that welcomes millions of visitors annually for retail and major sports events. While property crime such as car break-ins occurs in busy retail parking lots, violent crime rates are modest, making the city broadly secure for travelers.”
About the area
Sunrise is a bustling suburban municipality in the Miami metropolitan area, best known as the home of the massive Sawgrass Mills outlet mall and the Amerant Bank Arena. It features quiet residential subdivisions, corporate office parks, and sprawling shopping corridors backdropped by the Florida Everglades.
- Suburban Sprawl
- Retail Hub
- Family-Friendly
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Sunrise
Walk score: 42/100 · Bike score: 48/100
Dedicated bike-share options are minimal, though major thoroughfares feature painted on-street bike lanes and the western edge connects to Everglades levee recreational paths and Markham Park trails.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Violent crime rates are consistently below regional metropolitan averages
- High median household incomes and stable residential homeownership across most subdivisions
- Well-resourced municipal police presence with rapid response times around entertainment districts
- Excellent access to major regional medical centers and modern highway infrastructure
Cons
- Moderate rates of opportunistic property crime and shoplifting in mega-mall parking lots
- Heavily car-dependent layout with high-speed arterial roads that pose hazards to pedestrians
- Isolated residential pockets in eastern Sunrise experience higher calls for property-related disturbances
Homelessness: Homelessness is not highly visible across Sunrise, though occasional panhandling occurs at major arterial intersections such as Sunrise Boulevard and University Drive.
What Sunrise is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and busy with commuters and joggers along neighborhood paths; exceptionally safe.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- High vehicular activity and bustling commerce around retail centers with negligible safety issues.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Active and well-lit around Amerant Bank Arena and Sawgrass Mills; standard parking lot awareness is recommended.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Quiet across residential communities with minimal foot traffic; commercial areas remain secure but desolate after closing.
Transit, parking and getting around
Broward County Transit (BCT) provides bus service along primary arterials (Routes 22, 36, and 72), but there is no direct passenger rail in Sunrise; the nearest Tri-Rail and Brightline stations are located approximately 10 to 12 miles east in Fort Lauderdale.
Parking is exceptionally easy and plentiful, with vast free surface lots and structured parking garages throughout shopping plazas, corporate centers, and residential districts.
Things to do in Sunrise
- Catch an NHL Florida Panthers hockey game or world-class concert at Amerant Bank Arena
- Explore retail therapy and luxury designer outlets at Sawgrass Mills
- Enjoy outdoor sports, disc golf, mountain bike trails, and lake views at nearby Markham Park
Local favorites
- Scuotto's Pizza Cafe · Italian Restaurant · 4.6★ (1280)Longtime family-owned neighborhood trattoria serving authentic NY-style pizza and hearty pasta dishes.
- Grand Lux Cafe · American Restaurant · 4.3★ (3950)Upscale, expansive dining venue at Sawgrass Mills offering an eclectic global menu and decadent desserts.
- Lallos Caribbean Restaurant · Caribbean Restaurant · 4.3★ (1150)Vibrant and casual local spot renowned for Trinidadian roti, jerk specialties, and doubles.
Scores are safety-driven — recent reported crime and local news plus Census income, poverty, housing, education, household and access data — refreshed nightly. Walk and bike scores are shown separately and do not affect the safety score. A guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.