America’s 10 Most Dangerous Beaches

The United States has nearly 12,500 miles of coastline, according to data from the U.S. Congressional Research Service [PDF], spread across 23 coastal states. The state with the longest coastline—occupying more than half the entire U.S. total, in fact—is Alaska, with 6640 miles; America’s shortest state coastline, meanwhile, can be found in New Hampshire, where the entire Seacoast Region on the north Atlantic Ocean stretches for just 13 miles.

With so much coastline overall, the United States also has its fair share of beaches—and now, an analysis by tide forecasting website Tideschart has compiled different data from over 500 of them to uncover the most dangerous beaches in the U.S.

The study ranked every one of 528 different beaches across the United States based on the total number of three potentially perilous phenomena: shark attacks, hurricane landfalls, and surf zone fatalities (taking into consideration dangers such as rip tides and sneaker waves). These factors were used to assign each beach an overall score out of 100—the higher the score, the higher potential risk to life.

Incredibly, the entire top 10 in the study is located in a single state: With just over one-tenth (1350 miles) of all of America’s coastline, Florida was found to be home to all 10 of the United States’ most dangerous beaches. Here they are in order, starting with the most dangerous.

1. New Smyrna Beach, Florida // 76.92
2. Laguna Beach, Florida // 67.75
3. Daytona Beach, Florida // 64.47
4. Miami Beach, Florida // 46.49
5. Indialantic Boardwalk, Florida // 44.64
6. Cocoa Beach, Florida // 44.01
7. Palm Beach, Florida // 43.53
8. Miramar Heights Beach, Florida // 41.88
9. Cape Canaveral, Florida // 40.75
10. Jupiter Beach Park, Florida // 40.37
11. America’s Most Dangerous Beaches by the Numbers

New Smyrna Beach, Florida // 76.92

Every single Florida beach in the study’s Top 10 had experienced the same number of hurricanes (126). But in some of the study’s other categories of danger, the data was vastly different from one beach to the next. In the case of New Smyrna, it was the number of shark attacks that led to it coming out on top overall, with a danger rating out of 100 of 76.92. This one beach has recorded 277 shark attacks, earning it a reputation as “The Shark Bite Capital of the World.” 

Laguna Beach, Florida // 67.75

Florida and the United States’ second most dangerous beach is Laguna Beach, with a score of 67.75. Located on the Emerald Coast of the Florida panhandle on the Gulf of Mexico, Laguna has recorded just nine shark attacks but a staggering 39 surf-related fatalities—the most on this list—that lead to its second place ranking. 

Daytona Beach, Florida // 64.47

Daytona Beach—which is about a half-hour drive north from New Smyrna—recorded a large number of shark attacks (67 in total). It’s also known for its wide and strong rip currents, which lead to a recorded 27 surf fatalities (a figure second only to Laguna Beach). 

Miami Beach, Florida // 46.49

Located on the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, Miami Beach is one of the state’s best known and most popular coastal destinations, and it ranked fourth overall in the Tideschart study with a score of 46.49. The area—the southernmost in the top 10—has recorded 17 shark attacks (more than Laguna Beach), and 13 surf-related deaths (more than New Smyrna). 

Indialantic Boardwalk, Florida // 44.64

The beachside town of Indialantic lies on a barrier island separating the Indian River Lagoon from the Atlantic Ocean, hence its name. The beach’s 8-foot swells have long proved popular with surfers, and it has recorded nine surf-related fatalities over the years, alongside 30 shark attacks.

Cocoa Beach, Florida // 44.01

Like both New Smyrna and Daytona before it, Cocoa Beach, just south of Cape Canaveral, has such a high ranking because it has recorded a relatively high number of shark attacks. In addition to seven reported surf-zone deaths, there have been 39 shark-related incidents off the coast—yet the area remains one of the most popular surfing destinations in the world.

Palm Beach, Florida // 43.53

Palm Beach is located on a barrier island off Florida’s east coast, just north of Fort Lauderdale. Ranked just behind Cocoa Beach, Palm Beach has likewise recorded seven surf-related fatalities but four fewer shark attacks, landing it seventh place overall. 

Miramar Heights Beach, Florida // 41.88

Miramar Heights is the only beach in the top 10 to have reported no shark attacks. It is the last destination to have recorded double-figure surf fatalities, however, with a total of 10—earning it eighth place overall and a score of 41.88.

Cape Canaveral, Florida // 40.75

One of the most famous coastal destinations in all of Florida thanks to its association with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the beach at Cape Canaveral is a popular surfing area but is used by several shark species as a wintering and nursery site. As a consequence, there have been 19 shark attacks recorded in the area, as well as six surf zone fatalities.

Jupiter Beach Park, Florida // 40.37

Rounding out the top 10, Jupiter Beach scored 40.37 in the analysis to land it in 10th place. Although it recorded fewer surfing incidents than Cape Canaveral, its waters are home to several different shark species—including bull, tiger, and great white sharks—and there have been 23 reported attacks in the area.

America’s Most Dangerous Beaches by the Numbers

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