The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Ohio For 2023


We used data and science to identify the most dangerous cities in the Buckeye State for 2023.

Most dangerous cities in Ohio research summary. We analyzed the most recent FBI crime data to determine the most dangerous cities in Ohio based on violent and property crimes per capita. Here are the results of our analysis:

  • The most dangerous city in Ohio is Canton based on the most recent FBI crime data.

  • The violent crime rate in Ohio is 1,472 per 100k people.

  • The property crime rate in Ohio is 5,117 per 100k people.

  • The safest city in Ohio is Olmsted Township.

  • Ohio is the 35th most dangerous state in the United States.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | References


Where are you moving to next? If it happens to be Ohio, then this is the article for you. Ohio is a state filled with many exciting cities, but the state does have a relatively dangerous city or two.

If you enjoy beautiful state parks, walking through large cities, and fields upon fields of corn, then Ohio is a great choice. But there are the dangerous places to avoid living as a newcomer. Luckily for you, RoadSnacks has figured out that answer for you. We used the most recent FBI crime data on property and violent crimes per capita to determine which cities in Ohio stick out like a sore thumb when it comes to danger. And while these places might be dangerous as a whole, there are always better and worse places even at the city level.

And it’s hard to fault the people living in these cities for the crime that occurs there. Ohio has seen a decrease in the relevance of its most prominent industries over the past several decades. People have been leaving cities like Cleveland and Columbus for coastal cities or Chicago with higher tech job prospects. Not to mention the Opioid Epidemic that finds its ground zero almost directly in the center of Ohio.

So with that in mind, grab some Skyline Chili with a side of Buckeyes for dessert as we walk you through our analysis of dangerous cities in Ohio.

We analyzed 269 cities in Ohio using the latest FBI crime data to determine which cities in Ohio were the most likely to make you double check your doors are locked.

The winner of the most dangerous place in Ohio for 2023? Canton, Ohio is the most dangerous city in Ohio.

The larger cities didn’t fare much better. Cleveland, Dayton, and Cincinnati all ranked in our top ten most dangerous cities list.

Interested to see how your favorite cities stacked up? Read on to learn more about our methodology and to see what makes each of these cities so dangerous.

Learn more about the safest places in Ohio.

If you’re looking for something more national, check out the most dangerous cities in America or the most dangerous states in America.

For more Ohio reading, check out:

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Ohio For 2023

We’re kicking our list up a notch with the most dangerous places to live in Ohio for 2023 — Canton, a city of 69,623 located approximately 20 miles south of Akron.

We hope they have enough security guarding the memorabilia on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton because the city had the highest burglary rate in all of Ohio. Overall, residents faced a 1 in 19 chance of being the victim of a property crime in 2021.

And the bad news just keeps on coming for Canton. The city experienced the highest rate of rape cases in the whole state, and the overall violent crime rate is the second highest.

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 69,623
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,472 (Second most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,117 (Third most dangerous)
More on Canton:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Canton, OH

Next up on our list of Ohio’s most dangerous cities is Whitehall, a suburb of Columbus. Whitehall has some of the highest violent crime numbers in the state, including the 54th highest murder rate. That’s a murder every other month, which is quite high for a city of just 18,985.

Property crime also ranks as the fourth highest statewide, with about three cases occurring each day on average.

At least you can get away from all this crime by spending a relaxing day looking at flowers at the Franklin Park Conservatory nearby.

Overall SnackAbility

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/10

Population: 18,985
Rank Last Year: 7 (Up 5)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,042 (Fifth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,677 (Fourth most dangerous)
More on Whitehall:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Whitehall, OH

Source: Public domain

A part of the Dayton Metro Area, Moraine is a small city of just 6,518 and the third most dangerous place to live in Ohio.

In actuality, Moraine has the highest overall crime rate in Ohio for 2021, but most of that comes from having the second highest rate of property crime in the state.

Unfortunately, the crime problem doesn’t end with property in Moraine. The city also had the 172nd highest murder rate in Ohio for 2021.

Overall SnackAbility

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/10

Population: 6,518
Rank Last Year: 2 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 935 (Eighth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 6,014 (Second most dangerous)
More on Moraine:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Moraine, OH

Source: Public domain

Located a half-hour northeast of Dayton, Springfield is Ohio’s fourth most dangerous city. Springfield experienced about two burglaries a day on average in 2021 — that’s enough to give it the eighth highest burglary rate statewide.

Overall, people in Springfield had a 1 in 25 chance of having their stuff stolen or damaged.

At least you can get away from the crime-filled streets of Springfield at Buck Creek State Park… just bring a buddy and get home before dark.

Overall SnackAbility

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/10

Population: 58,253
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,114 (Third most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,889 (Tenth most dangerous)
More on Springfield:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Springfield, OH

Source: Public domain

Ohio’s 2nd most populous city and the home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is also one of the most dangerous places to live in the state.

Once again, Cleveland had the highest violent crime rate in Ohio, with residents facing a 1 in 60 chance of being attacked in 2021. That includes the highest murder rate and sixth highest rate of rape cases statewide.

Additionally, Cleveland ranked worse for property crime this year than last year. But don’t rule the whole city out because of this result; there are still plenty of safe neighborhoods in Cleveland to choose from.

Overall SnackAbility

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/10

Population: 379,313
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 2)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,665 (Most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,751 (13th most dangerous)
More on Cleveland:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Cleveland, OH

Mount Healthy is a suburb of Cincy, but its high crime rate keeps it from being one of Cincinnati’s best suburbs.

Mount Healthy sounds like a great place to stay fit, and there are plenty of great parks hero, but you’d be well-advised to not linger alone after dark.

The biggest danger in Mount Healthy, though, is property crime, which ranks as the 12th highest in Ohio. In fact, residents had a 1 in 26 shot of having their belongings stolen or damaged in 2021.

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 6,729
Rank Last Year: 8 (Up 2)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,040 (Sixth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,819 (12th most dangerous)
More on Mount Healthy:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Mount Healthy, OH

Up next on our list is Dayton, Ohio’s 6th biggest city. Dayton had the third highest burglary rate statewide in 2021 and averaged about two car thefts a day.

We just hope no one pulls a Grand Theft Auto move and steals a plane from the Air Force Museum or a classic car from the Packard Museum.

Violent crime is even worse in Dayton — the city had the 11th highest murder rate in Ohio, with about one murder each week, on average. Dayton also had the 13th highest rate of rape cases statewide and the seventh highest violent crime rate overall.

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 139,671
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,034 (Seventh most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,609 (15th most dangerous)
More on Dayton:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Dayton, OH

In the early 20th century, Portsmouth was known for its shoes and paving bricks. With this manufacturing backbone, the town, located across the river from Kentucky in the south-central part of Ohio, saw rapid growth starting in the last part of the 19th century. This economic stimulus led the population to quadruple from 1870 to 1930.

However, the time since has seen a reversal of fortune. The area’s current population of 19,702 is less than half its pre-Great Depression peak. This long decline, spurred by economic dislocation, has led to many problems for the community, including increased crime. The rate of burglaries is particularly high, with 151 such crimes in a year.

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 19,702
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 3)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 538 (17th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,217 (Eighth most dangerous)
More on Portsmouth:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Portsmouth, OH

Welcome to the birthplace of LeBron James! But that’s just the beginning. Fellow NBA great Stephen Curry also took his first breath in town. Meanwhile, baseball legend Thurman Munson, as well as famed bands like Devo and The Black Keys, all came from Akron as well.

Quite a storied history. Of course, those folks eventually moved out of town to find fame and fortune. Why? Well, the community itself has its share of problems, from high poverty to daunting crime rates. In fact, Akron stands as the number 9 most dangerous place in Ohio. This includes high rates of arson, car thefts, and rape. Not to mention the 36 murders that take place in a year.

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 195,701
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 834 (Ninth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,309 (21st most dangerous)
More on Akron:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Akron, OH

There might be lions and tigers and bears at the Cincinnati Zoo, but it turns out that the city’s streets are the really dangerous place.

Cincinnati has the third highest murder rate in Ohio, with more than one murder per week, on average, in 2021. Overall, Cincinnati’s residents had a 1 in 123 chance of being attacked over the year.

Not to mention that 1,467 cars got stolen and 1,752 burglaries went down. A good chunk of this crime comes from Cincinatti’s worst neighborhoods, so if you steer clear of those, you should be all right.

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 305,308
Rank Last Year: 9 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 811 (Tenth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,285 (22nd most dangerous)
More on Cincinnati:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Cincinnati, OH

Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous cities in Ohio for 2023?

Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Ohio. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Ohio, followed by a more detailed release at the end of the year.

For our analysis, we focused on the 2021 data, specifically the 2021 Crime In The United States Report for Ohio. We will update the results when data becomes available in September 2023.

So what criteria did we use? Have a look:

  • Violent Crimes Per Capita
  • Property Crimes Per Capita

In order to make the analysis as apples to apples as possible, we only considered Ohio cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 269 cities in Ohio.

We then ranked each city from 1 to 269 for the two criteria with a #1 ranking being the most dangerous for the particular criteria.

Next, we averaged the two rankings into one “Dangerous Index”.

Finally, we ranked every city on the “Dangerous Index” with the lowest index being the most dangerous in Ohio — Canton. Any ties went to the smaller city.

Most Dangerous Places To Live In Ohio FAQs

No, Ohio is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #16 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in ohio ranks 33rd highest in the United States — 20.38% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Buckeye State ranks 29th highest in the United States — 5.51% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020.

Yes, Columbus is a dangerous city. Columbus ranks as the #108 most dangerous out of 320 major cities over 100,000 people in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. Keep in mind that are always safe and dangerous parts of any city, so even though Columbus might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Upper Arlington is the safest in Columbus, while Franklinton is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.

Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Columbus ranks 124th highest in America — 1.23% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 102nd highest in the United States — 17.87% worse than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020 and that no city in America is ‘dangerous’. Despite the uptick in murders, it’s nothing like you’d see in Tijuana or Caracas where the murder rate is 2x any American city.

Graphing The Most Dangerous And Safest Places In Ohio

Most Dangerous Cities In Ohio Graph

Click To Enlarge

Summary: Locking It All Up In Ohio

So what is the most dangerous city in Ohio? After analyzing 269 cities in Ohio, Canton takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Ohio based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2021.

The latest FBI crime data shows that Canton ranks as the most dangerous city in Ohio for 2023.

We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Canton and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up.

We analyzed 269 cities in Ohio using the latest FBI crime data to determine which cities in Ohio were the most likely to make you double check your doors are locked.

The winner of the most dangerous place in Ohio for 2023? Canton, Ohio is the most dangerous city in Ohio.

The larger cities didn’t fare much better. Cleveland, Dayton, and Cincinnati all ranked in our top ten most dangerous cities list.

Interested to see how your favorite cities stacked up? Read on to learn more about our methodology and to see what makes each of these cities so dangerous.

Learn more about the safest places in Ohio.

If you’re looking for something more national, check out the most dangerous cities in America or the most dangerous states in America.

Here are the safest cities in Ohio:

  1. Madeira (Pop. 9,340)
  2. Brecksville (Pop. 13,611)
  3. Brunswick Hills Township (Pop. 10,621)
  4. New Philadelphia (Pop. 17,428)
  5. Sagamore Hills (Pop. 10,917)
  6. Clearcreek Township (Pop. 16,724)
  7. Broadview Heights (Pop. 19,059)
  8. Carlisle (Pop. 5,573)
  9. Chester Township (Pop. 10,322)
  10. Olmsted Township (Pop. 13,644)

For more Ohio reading, check out:

Crime By City In Ohio

Rank City Population Violent Crimes Per Capita Property Crimes Per Capita
1 Canton 69,623 1,472 5,117
2 Whitehall 18,985 1,042 4,677
3 Moraine 6,518 935 6,014
4 Springfield 58,253 1,114 3,889
5 Cleveland 379,313 1,665 3,751
6 Mount Healthy 6,729 1,040 3,819
7 Dayton 139,671 1,034 3,609
8 Portsmouth 19,702 538 4,217
9 Akron 195,701 834 3,309
10 Cincinnati 305,308 811 3,285
11 Butler Township 7,835 331 6,024
12 Springfield Township, Summit County 14,459 359 4,253
13 Lima 36,233 637 3,207
14 Columbus 916,001 587 3,230
15 Mansfield 45,971 441 3,439
16 Toledo 269,941 1,077 2,807
17 Hamilton 62,155 448 3,225
18 Franklin 11,675 299 3,854
19 Euclid 46,272 518 2,867
20 Springdale 11,160 492 2,858
21 Trotwood 24,433 609 2,553
22 Piqua 21,531 339 3,000
23 Youngstown 63,538 768 2,423
24 Zanesville 25,166 298 3,035
25 Warren 38,193 447 2,641
26 Van Wert 10,594 358 2,765
27 Newark 50,980 253 3,373
28 Cheviot 8,164 342 2,694
29 Kenton 8,163 294 2,842
30 Middletown 48,944 286 2,942
31 Wooster 26,160 286 2,878
32 Fremont 15,764 266 3,038
33 Reynoldsburg 38,600 354 2,461
34 Chillicothe 21,622 198 4,643
35 East Cleveland 17,001 599 1,952
36 Wellston 5,519 308 2,337
37 Barberton 25,746 291 2,617
38 Groveport 5,642 372 2,109
39 Alliance 21,328 445 1,987
40 Wilmington 12,353 242 2,825
41 West Carrollton 12,821 304 2,199
42 Lorain 63,859 532 1,905
43 Reading 10,928 292 2,159
44 Obetz 5,479 182 3,686
45 Niles 18,070 221 2,767
46 Circleville 14,226 196 3,205
47 Steubenville 17,482 177 3,420
48 Heath 11,111 162 4,041
49 Northwood 5,481 218 2,645
50 Garfield Heights 27,296 560 1,703

References

  • FBI UCR 2022

  • Census – American Cumminity Survey

This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. It is our tenth time ranking the most dangerous places to live in Ohio and is updated for 2023.
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.