Do you live in one of the most dangerous cities in Ohio?
We all watch the news and see reports on Facebook of the latest crimes that happen in our hometowns. But it can be hard to tell at a big picture level how dangerous our town actually is.
No one wants to feel unsafe, and statistically speaking, odds are that where you live is most likely relatively safe. In order to help the good people of Ohio — and anyone looking to move to Ohio — know just how close they are to danger, we took data from the annual FBI report and did some serious analysis.
As luck would have it, some of the biggest names in Ohio are also the most dangerous according to the most recent FBI data.
The data shows that these ten cities are currently the most dangerous in the Buckeye State:
- Springfield (Photos)
- Moraine (Photos)
- Lima (Photos)
- Cleveland (Photos)
- Whitehall (Photos)
- Middletown (Photos)
- Dayton (Photos)
- Canton (Photos)
- Cincinnati (Photos)
- Chillicothe (Photos)
Why did Springfield take the top spot? For the answer to this question and a detailed explanation of the data and analysis we used in creating this ranking, read on. Or 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:
- 10 Best Places To Live In Ohio
- 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Ohio
- 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Ohio
How we determined the most dangerous cities in Ohio for 2018?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets, a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in the country, followed by a more detailed release at the end of the year.
For our analysis, we focused on the JUST released 2016 data, specifically the 2016 Crime In The United States Report. We will update the results when data becomes available for 2017 in October 2018.
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 cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 239 cities in Ohio.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 239 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 — Springfield. Read on for a detailed look at the 10 most dangerous cities in Ohio.
Here’s a visualization of the criteria:
Read on for a detailed look at the 10 most dangerous cities in Ohio.
1. Springfield
Population: 59,503Rank Last Year: 5 (Up 4)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 690
Property Crimes Per 100k: 6,789
Springfield shot up the rankings this year to take the spot as the most dangerous city in Ohio for 2018.
Springfield, a St. Louis suburb, has seen property crimes plummet about 30% recently, so law enforcement must be cracking down on vehicle thefts and home invasion robberies.
But, statistically, 1 in 144 people in Springfield were raped, attacked or murdered in 2016. Wow.
2. Moraine
Population: 6,385Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 532
Property Crimes Per 100k: 10,712
Moraine has more violent crime than most cities in the Buckeye State.
While property crime dropped by 10% between 2014-16, violent crime rose by 11%, producing very little net gain for the city’s overall crime rate.
In 2016, Moraine residents had a 1 in 9.3 chance of being the victim of a violent crime.
3. Lima
Population: 37,715Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 943
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,989
Located in Allen County, Lima hasn’t experienced much of a change in its crime statistics recently.
Its relatively poor violent crime statistics went up between 2014-16, while property crime fell by a very small amount to 2,259 occurrences.
4. Cleveland
Population: 386,227Rank Last Year: N/A
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,630
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,316
We noticed a trend in our top ten that is exemplified by Cleveland. Violent crime rates tend to be higher in bigger cities. This probably has to do with population density and a larger range of incomes. Smaller cities have a tendency to have higher property crime rates.
Cleveland ranks 13th for property crime and 1st for violent crime according to the most recent FBI data.
FYI – Cleveland didn’t rank last year because they didn’t submit data to the FBI.
5. Whitehall
Population: 18,804Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 4)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 813
Property Crimes Per 100k: 6,184
Tiny Whitehall, statistically, is the 7th most violent city per capita in the entire state of Ohio. Whitehall, for those outside of the St. Louis area, is essentially a tiny St. Louis suburb.
While crimes here skyrocketed in 2015, apparently, local jurisdictions have made progress, as crimes went down in 2016. However, for a town of just over 18,804 people, 153 violent crimes is eye opening. Statistically, 1 in 122 residents was the victim of a rape, attack or was killed just two years ago. And that’s even lower than it was the year before, when it was double that.
6. Middletown
Population: 48,768Rank Last Year: 11 (Up 5)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 522
Property Crimes Per 100k: 6,758
Folks who live in little Middletown have the 191 highest chance of being the victim of a rape or attack. The city, located in Southeastern Ohio, has seen a moderate population decline in recent years, perhaps due to the crime happening within its city limits.
In 2016, 1 out of 13.7 Middletown residents were the victim of a crime.
Middletown is also home of the famous Lambert?s Cafe (the ‘throwed rolls restaurant’).
7. Dayton
Population: 140,260Rank Last Year: 8 (Up 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 999
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,158
Dayton ranks 3rd and 16th for violent and property crime.
And while the city is about half a violent as some other cities, its below average score still earns it the title of 7th most dangerous city in Ohio.
The good news is that violent crime was reduced by about 10% from 2014-16, but the bad news is that property crime rose by 21% in that period.
8. Canton
Population: 71,652Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 2)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 944
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,113
Canton is a tad bit safer than it was last year at this time.
You have a 1 in 19.6 chance of being the victim of a property crime in Canton and a 1 in 105 chance of being the victim of a violent crime.
9. Cincinnati
Population: 298,880Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 5)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 910
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,146
Cincinnati has done a good job of cracking down on crime year over year. It still ranks highly for violent crime, but at least property crime isn’t as big of an issue.
It’s hard for bigger cities to stay off this list, but remember that certain parts of the city are much more dangerous than others.
10. Chillicothe
Population: 21,692Rank Last Year: 9 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 433
Property Crimes Per 100k: 8,053
Chillicothe, located in Ross County, is the 10th most dangerous and 22nd most violent city in Ohio.
Violent crime has remained high from 2014-16, during which time property crime fell by only small amounts.
Locking It All Up In Ohio
The latest FBI crime data shows that Springfield ranks as the most dangerous city in Ohio for 2018.
However, there will be new data coming out later this year. At that point we can revisit Springfield’s status — that is if they haven’t beaten us all up already.
If you’re curious enough, here are the safest cities in Ohio:
- Chester Township
- Olmsted Township
- St. Clair Township
For more Ohio reading, check out:
- 10 Most Ghetto Cities In Ohio
- These Are The 10 Richest Cities In Ohio
- 10 Worst Places To Live In Ohio
Detailed List Of The Most Dangeroues Cities In Ohio
| Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springfield | 59,503 |
| 2 | Moraine | 6,385 |
| 3 | Lima | 37,715 |
| 4 | Cleveland | 386,227 |
| 5 | Whitehall | 18,804 |
| 6 | Middletown | 48,768 |
| 7 | Dayton | 140,260 |
| 8 | Canton | 71,652 |
| 9 | Cincinnati | 298,880 |
| 10 | Chillicothe | 21,692 |
| 11 | Butler Township | 7,856 |
| 12 | Hamilton | 62,423 |
| 13 | Mansfield | 46,656 |
| 14 | Steubenville | 18,137 |
| 15 | Toledo | 278,366 |
| 16 | Akron | 197,257 |
| 17 | Zanesville | 25,494 |
| 18 | Brooklyn | 10,841 |
| 19 | Mount Healthy | 6,028 |
| 20 | Youngstown | 64,181 |
| 21 | Columbus | 862,515 |
| 22 | Lancaster | 39,959 |
| 23 | Warren | 40,005 |
| 24 | Trotwood | 24,024 |
| 25 | Heath | 10,528 |
| 26 | Circleville | 13,930 |
| 27 | Norwood | 20,065 |
| 28 | Alliance | 22,012 |
| 29 | Kenton | 8,199 |
| 30 | Washington Court House | 13,986 |
| 31 | Fremont | 16,215 |
| 32 | Marion | 36,278 |
| 33 | North College Hill | 9,320 |
| 34 | Sidney | 20,797 |
| 35 | Cheviot | 8,281 |
| 36 | Springfield Township, Summit County | 17,813 |
| 37 | Franklin | 11,782 |
| 38 | Wellston | 5,459 |
| 39 | Van Wert | 10,794 |
| 40 | Bucyrus | 11,830 |
| 41 | Barberton | 26,172 |
| 42 | Nelsonville | 5,159 |
| 43 | Forest Park | 18,669 |
| 44 | Reynoldsburg | 37,406 |
| 45 | Wooster | 26,883 |
| 46 | Piqua | 20,845 |
| 47 | Oberlin | 8,342 |
| 48 | Niles | 18,538 |
| 49 | Elyria | 53,633 |
| 50 | Huber Heights | 38,180 |
| 51 | Logan | 7,106 |
| 52 | Wilmington | 12,443 |
| 53 | Xenia | 26,037 |
| 54 | Colerain Township | 58,907 |
| 55 | Bedford Heights | 10,594 |
| 56 | Greenville | 12,962 |
| 57 | Sandusky | 25,078 |
| 58 | Cambridge | 10,341 |
| 59 | Port Clinton | 5,939 |
| 60 | Fairborn | 33,587 |
| 61 | University Heights | 13,131 |
| 62 | Oregon | 20,055 |
| 63 | Warren Township | 5,320 |
| 64 | Galion | 10,053 |
| 65 | East Cleveland | 17,240 |
| 66 | Shelby | 9,012 |
| 67 | Fairfield | 42,810 |
| 68 | Miami Township, Montgomery County | 29,140 |
| 69 | Bellefontaine | 13,073 |
| 70 | Richmond Heights | 10,445 |
| 71 | Cleveland Heights | 44,696 |
| 72 | Jackson Township, Stark County | 40,780 |
| 73 | Struthers | 10,314 |
| 74 | Ontario | 6,091 |
| 75 | Riverside | 24,920 |
| 76 | Urbana | 11,482 |
| 77 | Grove City | 40,161 |
| 78 | Bexley | 13,775 |
| 79 | West Carrollton | 12,944 |
| 80 | Ironton | 10,856 |
| 81 | Milford | 6,910 |
| 82 | Mount Vernon | 16,685 |
| 83 | South Euclid | 21,686 |
| 84 | Monroe | 15,933 |
| 85 | Hillsboro | 6,547 |
| 86 | Bedford | 12,678 |
| 87 | Delaware | 38,658 |
| 88 | Upper Sandusky | 6,515 |
| 89 | Willard | 6,031 |
| 90 | Jackson | 6,211 |
| 91 | Willoughby | 22,701 |
| 92 | Perkins Township | 11,844 |
| 93 | Liberty Township | 11,655 |
| 94 | Fairfield Township | 22,417 |
| 95 | Englewood | 13,455 |
| 96 | Maumee | 13,875 |
| 97 | Cuyahoga Falls | 49,064 |
| 98 | Kent | 29,995 |
| 99 | Groveport | 5,813 |
| 100 | Austintown | 35,680 |
Columbus, Oh is not even listed. How accurate is this list when one of Ohio’s largest cities is not even included?
Whitehall is in Columbus city limits pretty much.
I doubt the accuracy since Columbus, Lancaster, Steubenville and others not listed. Crime in the cities are closely related to poverty. Southern Ohio has a lack of jobs and a lot of poverty as do many inner cities. Most city crime is drug related and that’s everywhere.
How about the dirty south. Southside columbus. And Cincinnati is not top 3….wronggggg..
Was it appropriate to give violent crime and property crime equal weight in calculating danger scores?
“Dangerous” should just mean violent crime. They shouldn’t have included property crimes. The real list of 10 most dangerous cities in Ohio should be:
1. Cleveland
2. Toledo
3. Lima
4. Canton
5. Cincinnati
6. Dayton
7. Youngstown
8. Akron
9. Whitehall
10. Springfield
Before you put your name to anything this critical you should be careful coming to any conclusions until you check reported crimes compared to actual crimes. Even though the FBI provide the tools needed to come up with these results they, and you have no way to tell how and why the reports were taken.
no,that list couldnt be right cause dayton wasnt in there.portsmouth is just a small,tiny town of 99,000 nothing like dayton,akron,cincinnati dont believe that.
East cleveland
They were using the UCR which does not take into account dark figure crimes, as well as the UCR only takes the most violent or deviant crimes committed, so if there are multiple crimes committed at one time the worst crime will be the only one reported. Just keep that in mind!
Youngstown was the murder capital of the USA per captita 2001-2003.
In fact I passed a woman wearing a shirt today that had “Youngstown, Ohio murder capital of America, 2001-2003 come heavy or don’t come at all”. LOL Still true today no matter how many gentrified craft beer places they can prop up throughout the area.
come up in new philadelphia ohio you get your head taken off your shoulders
“Springfield, a suburb of St. Louis,”. Unless you are writing about some other state, St. Louis is more than 500 miles away in Missouri. The last I checked there were two states inbetween Ohio and Missouri. Now Springfield, Ohio is small city halfway inbetween Dayton and Columbus and is not considered a suburb of either although it is considered to be in the Dayton CSA
The article says that Springfield Ohio is a st. Louis suburb St Louis is in Missouri
This site, “roadsnacks,” dies not ascribe to any respected methods of research. Much of the information posted in this piece is indeed false. Not only did they put two of the cities on the list as two suburbs of St. Louis Missouri, but their population statistics and crime rates are not even close.
I really dislike places that do this. But people are gullible and believe whatever they are fed.
135 homocides in Columbus as of December 22 that’s the murder cap of ohio
Chris Kolmar, You and your site have zero credibility. You stated that Springfield and Whitehall were suburbs of St. Louis. The last time I looked at a map there were TWO STATES between Ohio and Missouri.They are Indiana and Illinois. Not even Springfield, Missouri is a suburb of St. Louis, They are 250 miles apart. How do you make such mistakes? Your facts are wrong in more ways than one. You contradict yourself. You claim both Dayton and Whitehall are the most dangerous.
Your article lists Springfield as a suburb of St. Louis. So, did you look at data for Springfield Missouri or Springfield Ohio? Perhaps double check that geography before publishing.
Why does the Springfield article refer to to it as a suburb of st Louis?