Where the Most Shark Attacks Have Occurred in the United States

Written By: Frank Bongiorno


Shark attacks are a concern for many Americans planning to go for a swim in the ocean, but should they be? Using information from the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), SI Yachts visually mapped out the number of shark attacks that have happened in the United States over the years and the states and counties where they most commonly occur. Although the United States accounts for more than half of all of the shark attacks in the world, 2022 saw a decrease in the number of shark attacks overall, with 13% fewer shark attacks than the prior year.

Which state has the most shark attacks? The states with the most shark attacks ever recorded are Florida, Hawaii, California, and the Carolinas. Florida is known as the "shark attack capital of the world" and accounts for more than half of the total shark attacks in the United States each year. However, shark attacks in Florida have decreased by half in the past few years, with just 16 attacks reported in 2022.

Don't let the fear of a shark attack keep you from enjoying the ocean, though, as there are many other things that have a better chance of killing you than a shark. Did you know that cows kill an average of 20 Americans a year, while sharks only kill one?


Where Are the Most Shark Attacks in the U.S.?

The most shark attacks are in the state of Florida, and the majority of those attacks occur in Volusia County, which has the most shark attacks ever recorded, at 343. Brevard County, Florida, was the county with the second-most ever recorded, with 156 shark attacks. Of the 30 U.S. counties with the most shark attacks, 12 are located in Florida.

The 10 U.S. Counties With the Most Shark Attacks Ever Recorded

  1. Volusia County, FL: 343
  2. Brevard County, FL: 156
  3. Palm Beach County, FL: 82
  4. Maui County, HI: 73
  5. Duval County, FL: 46
  6. St. Johns County, FL: 45
  7. Oahu County, HI: 42
  8. Martin County, FL: 41
  9. Charleston County, SC: 39
  10. St. Lucie County, FL: 37

This visual also looks at the number of shark attacks that have occurred in the United States over the past ten years, between 2013 and 2022, to see how many shark attacks have been happening in the coastal states. It also details the eight shark attack fatalities that occurred during this time.


The 5 U.S. States With the Most Shark Attacks Between 2013 and 2022

  1. Florida: 242
  2. Hawaii: 71
  3. South Carolina: 44
  4. North Carolina: 31
  5. California: 28

What Is the Likelihood of Being Attacked by a Shark?

How likely are you to get bitten by a shark? Not that likely. With an average of 40 shark attacks in the United States each year and the average shark attack fatality rate at just one per year, plenty of other things have a much better chance of killing a person than a shark attack. Below are just some of the animals and situations that are a bigger threat to Americans than being killed by a shark.

  • Falling out of bed kills 450 people each year.
  • Deer colliding with cars kill 440 people each year.
  • Bees, hornets, and wasps kill 58 people every year.
  • Lightning kills 49 people each year.
  • Dogs kill 40 people each year.
  • Cows kill 20 people each year.
  • Snakes kill five people each year.
  • Vending machine accidents kill two people every year.


How to Avoid a Shark Attack

While the odds of being bitten by a shark are fairly low and the odds of being killed by a shark are even lower, there are some steps that can be taken to further reduce the risk of a shark attack. Below are some of the simple steps you can take or things to avoid doing when swimming in ocean waters.

  • Don't swim in water when it's dark or dusk, as this is when sharks are more active.
  • Avoid wearing shiny items like jewelry or metal clasps; light reflects off of metal and can resemble fish scales.
  • Don't swim if you are bleeding from a wound or menstruating; sharks are able to smell blood from long distances.
  • Avoid wearing bright colors; sharks see contrast well, and a bright color against skin can draw their attention.
  • Don't swim too far from shore, where sharks are more likely to be and help is farther away.
  • Swim in groups instead of alone, as sharks are more likely to attack a person on their own.
  • Refrain from splashing too much in the water, which can draw a shark's attention.
  • Avoid swimming in waters used for fishing, as bait fish can draw a shark to that area. Seabirds diving for bait fish are a good indication that sharks could be nearby in the water.
  • Be cautious when swimming in murky waters; when visibility is low, a nearby shark may not be noticed.
  • Avoid bringing pets into the water, as their erratic movements and splashing could attract a shark.


How Have Shark Attack Trends Changed Over Time?

We compared the shark attack numbers from 2013 to 2022 to the total number of shark attacks that have been recorded for each state going back to 1837. A large percentage of the total attacks for each state were found to have occurred during the past ten years. Florida shark attacks during this time amounted to 242, which was 27% of their total shark attacks ever recorded. There have been a total of 1,596 shark attacks recorded in the United States, with 29% of them occurring within just the past ten years.

Why are shark attacks on the rise in recent years? The increases have been traced to human destruction of shark's habitats through development and tourism as well as climate change. This human interference forces the sharks closer to shore, where swimmers are, leading to an increase in attacks. If these shark attack trends continue, well, you're going to need a bigger boat.

"Where the Most Shark Attacks Have Occurred in the United States" is brought to you by SI Yachts, experts in Viking Yachts and Princess Yachts

U.S. Counties With the Most Shark Attacks Ever Recorded



County

Number of Shark Attacks

1

Volusia, FL

343

2

Brevard, FL

156

3

Palm Beach, FL

82

4

Maui, HI

73

5

Duval, FL

46

6

St. Johns, FL

45

7

Oahu, HI

42

8

Martin, FL

41

9

Charleston, SC

39

10

St. Lucie, FL

37

11

Horry, SC

35

12

Kauai, HI

32

13

Beaufort, SC

27

14

Hawaii, HI

26

15

Indian River, FL

22

16

Monroe, FL

21

17

San Diego, CA

20

18

Miami-Dade, FL

19

18

Galveston, TX

19

20

Humboldt, CA

17

20

Brunswick, NC

17

22

Broward, FL

16

23

New Hanover, NC

15

24

Monterey, CA

14

24

Pinellas, FL

14

24

Carteret, NC

14

27

Santa Barbara, CA

13

28

San Luis Obispo, CA

12

28

Nueces, TX

12

30

Sonoma, CA

11

30

Dare, NC

11

Shark Attacks in the United States Over the Past 10 Years (2013-22)



State

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Total Number of Shark Attacks Over the Past 10 Years (2013-22)

1

Florida

24

28

30

32

31

16

21

16

28

16

242

2

Hawaii

13 (1)

7

7 (1)

10

6

3

9

5 (1)

6

5 (1)

71

3

South Carolina

6

5

8

2

10

3

1

1

4

4

44

4

North Carolina

1

4

8

3

1

3

3

3

3

2

31

5

California

1

4

2

4

2

1

3

4 (1)

3 (1)

4

28

6

New York

0

0

1

0

0

2

0

0

0

8

11

7

Texas

1

1

2

1

1

1

0

0

0

1

8

8

Georgia

0

1

0

0

0

1

1

0

2

0

5

9

Oregon

1

0

0

1

0

0

1

1

0

0

4

10

Alabama

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

3

10

Massachusetts

0

0

0

0

1

2 (1)

0

0

0

0

3

12

Delaware

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

2

13

Virginia

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

13

Louisiana

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

13

Mississippi

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

13

Rhode Island

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

13

Maine

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1 (1)

0

0

1

13

Maryland

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

1


Total

48

52

59

53

53

32

40

33

47

41

458


Total Number of Fatalities

1

0

1

0

0

1

0

3

1

1

8

Fatal Shark Attacks Between 2013 and 2022


Location

Date

Type of Shark

Maui, HI

Dec. 2, 2013

Presumed Tiger Shark

Maui, HI

April 29, 2015

Presumed Tiger Shark

Wellfleet, MA

Sept. 15, 2018

Presumed Great White

Manresa State Beach, CA

May 9, 2020

Great White Shark

Bailey Island, ME

July 27, 2020

Great White Shark

Maui, HI

Dec. 8, 2020

Tiger Shark

Morro Bay, CA

Dec. 24, 2021

Great White Shark

Maui,. HI

Dec. 8, 2022

Presumed Tiger Shark

Total Attacks Since 1837 vs. the Past 10 Years

Total Since 1837 Total Between 2013 and 2022 Percent of Total Shark Attacks Since 1837 That Occurred in Just the Past 10 Years

Florida

912

242

27%

Hawaii

187

71

38%

California

136

28

21%

South Carolina

115

44

38%

North Carolina

78

31

40%

Texas

45

8

18%

Oregon

29

4

14%

New Jersey

15

0

0%

Georgia

17

5

29%

New York

20

11

55%

Alabama

10

3

30%

Massachusetts

6

3

50%

Virginia

5

1

20%

Louisiana

5

1

20%

Delaware

5

2

40%

Mississippi

2

1

50%

Washington

2

0

0%

Rhode Island

2

1

50%

Maine

2

1

50%

Connecticut

1

0

0%

Maryland

2

1

50%

TOTAL

1,596

458

29%