Safest cities in Bahamas
1 city with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in The BahamasAlthough there’s no recent history of terrorism in The Bahamas, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Crime
- Violent crimeThere have been violent crimes and armed robberies, sometimes fatal, in residential and tourist areas of New Providence and Grand Bahama.
- Protecting your belongingsThere is an increase in reported break-ins and thefts. The outlying islands of The Bahamas (known as the Family or Out Islands) have lower crime rates.
- Drink spiking and sexual assaultThe risk of sexual assault increases during regattas and festivals. Do not leave your drinks unattended.
Laws and cultural differences
- Illegal drugs and prison sentencesPenalties for possessing or trafficking drugs are severe. Tourists may encounter drugs in pubs and bars. Police are vigilant and you could face a substantial fine, deportation or imprisonment.
- LGBT+ travellersLocal attitudes towards the LGBT+ community are mostly conservative throughout the Caribbean. In The Bahamas, same-sex sexual relations have been legal since 1991, with an age of consent of 18. However, LGBT+ travellers should be aware that showing affection in public may receive unwanted and negative attention. Showing affection in public,…
Outdoor activities and adventure tourism
- Swimming safetyFatal shark attacks can happen without warning. Night swimming (including at dusk), puts you at a higher risk, even in shallow waters close to resorts. Paddle boards in deeper water could be at risk. The Bahamian authorities warn of a particular threat in New Providence and nearby islands and cays.
- Water sportsThe water sports industry in The Bahamas is poorly regulated. Be careful when renting jet skis and other water sports equipment, as many companies and individuals offering water sports activities are unregistered or use poor quality equipment. People have been killed and seriously injured, or killed others, when using jet skis and other watercraft…
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive a hire car or a UK vehicle, see information on driving abroad.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- HurricanesThe hurricane season in The Bahamas normally runs from 1 June to 30 November. Hurricanes and resulting floods in The Bahamas can be deadly. In preparation for a hurricane, make sure your residence is secure, you have sufficient drinking water and access to life jackets in case there is a tidal surge.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Bahamas, updated 2026-05-28 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 29.9 /100k2024
- Income inequality
- no data
- Human development
- HDI 0.8202023
- Income
- $39,610/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 7.7 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 84/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 61/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 64/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 2.3/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- no dataGIWPS · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 5.3 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- no dataof population · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 1.9 doctors /1k2.2 hospital beds per 1,000
Natural hazards
- Cyclone
- 7.4/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Drought
- 1.3/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Bahamas (as of 2025).
How Bahamas compares
| Measure | Bahamas | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 30 /100k | 2.4 /100k | +28 /100k — better for World median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | no data | 35.2 | — |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.820 | 0.763 | +0.057 — better for Bahamas |
| Road deaths | 7.7 /100k | 15.4 /100k | −7.7 /100k — better for Bahamas |
| Rule of law | 61/100 | 52/100 | +9/100 — better for Bahamas |
| Corruption perceptions | 64/100 | 39/100 | +25/100 — better for Bahamas |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 5.3 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | −14.4 µg/m³ — better for Bahamas |
| Natural-hazard risk | 2.3/10 | 3.8/10 | −1.5/10 — better for Bahamas |
| Measure | Bahamas | North America median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 30 /100k | 15 /100k | +15 /100k — better for North America median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | no data | 41.5 | — |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.820 | 0.776 | +0.044 — better for Bahamas |
| Road deaths | 7.7 /100k | 14.8 /100k | −7.1 /100k — better for Bahamas |
| Rule of law | 61/100 | 52/100 | +10/100 — better for Bahamas |
| Corruption perceptions | 64/100 | 37/100 | +27/100 — better for Bahamas |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 5.3 µg/m³ | 15.4 µg/m³ | −10.1 µg/m³ — better for Bahamas |
| Natural-hazard risk | 2.3/10 | 4.0/10 | −1.7/10 — better for Bahamas |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 1 cities, safest first
- Nassau49.0 · #5297 worldwide