Akron’s neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You’ve got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there’s a neighborhood for everyone in Akron.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in Ohio thanks in part to tons of entertainment and jobs, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine in Akron. Some neighborhoods aren’t as safe as others.
So the question arises, which Akron neighborhoods are the most dangerous and which are the safest?
Today, we’ll use Saturday Night Science to determine which Akron hoods need a little tender loving care – the sore thumbs of the Akron area if you will. Realistically, you can’t expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Northwest Akron ranks way above the rest.
We examined 21 of Akron’s neighborhoods to find out the most dangerous places to live. These places don’t quite measure up to Akron’s reputation.
Table Of Contents: Top 10 | Methodology | Summary | Table
So what’s the worst neighborhood to live in Akron for 2025? According to the most recent census data, Middlebury looks to be the worst neighborhood in Akron.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Akron that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don’t blame the messenger.
For more Ohio reading, check out:
The 10 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In Akron For 2025
/10
Population: 4,993
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,091
Property Crime Per 100k: 4,165
Median Home Value: $49,643 (4th worst)
Median Income: $26,477 (2nd worst)
More on Middlebury: Data
/10
Population: 3,042
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 998
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,808
Median Home Value: $47,950 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $28,858 (4th worst)
More on Summit Lake: Data
/10
Population: 11,283
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,017
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,883
Median Home Value: $57,546 (6th worst)
Median Income: $32,926 (6th worst)
More on East Akron: Data
/10
Population: 5,479
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,041
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,974
Median Home Value: $53,417 (5th worst)
Median Income: $28,938 (5th worst)
More on Lane-Wooster: Data
/10
Population: 6,913
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,180
Property Crime Per 100k: 4,504
Median Home Value: $41,960 (worst)
Median Income: $26,718 (3rd worst)
More on University Of Ohio Akron: Data
/10
Population: 5,727
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 936
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,572
Median Home Value: $86,350 (15th worst)
Median Income: $15,724 (worst)
More on Downtown: Data
/10
Population: 5,586
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,079
Property Crime Per 100k: 4,117
Median Home Value: $48,550 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $37,464 (11th worst)
More on South Akron: Data
/10
Population: 4,646
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 934
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,565
Median Home Value: $69,143 (8th worst)
Median Income: $33,412 (7th worst)
More on Elizabeth Park Valley: Data
/10
Population: 2,592
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 768
Property Crime Per 100k: 2,929
Median Home Value: $70,850 (10th worst)
Median Income: $35,933 (10th worst)
More on Rolling Acres: Data
/10
Population: 15,909
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 898
Property Crime Per 100k: 3,429
Median Home Value: $66,290 (7th worst)
Median Income: $40,829 (13th worst)
More on Kenmore: Data
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous Akron neighborhoods in 2025
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We plugged the following criteria into Saturday Night Science to get the worst neighborhoods in Akron:
- High crime (Estimated)
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one’s willing to pay to live here)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Akron, Ohio for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criterion into a “Worst Score.”
The neighborhood with the lowest “Worst Score” ranks as the most dangerous neighborhood of Akron.
The article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2025. This report is our time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Akron.
Skip to the end to see the list of all 21 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Akron
Well, there you have it — the worst of the neighborhoods in Akron with Middlebury landing at the bottom of the pack.
The worst neighborhoods in Akron are Middlebury, Summit Lake, East Akron, Lane-Wooster, University Of Ohio Akron, Downtown, South Akron, Elizabeth Park Valley, Rolling Acres, and Kenmore.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Akron aren’t all bad. Northwest Akron takes the cake as the best place to live in Akron.
The best neighborhoods in Akron are Northwest Akron, Highland Square, Wallhaven, Fairlawn Heights, and Merriman Valley.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more Ohio reading, check out:
Most Dangerous Neighborhoods To Live In Akron For 2025?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middlebury | 4,993 | $49,643 | $26,477 |
| 2 | Summit Lake | 3,042 | $47,950 | $28,858 |
| 3 | East Akron | 11,283 | $57,546 | $32,926 |
| 4 | Lane-Wooster | 5,479 | $53,417 | $28,938 |
| 5 | University Of Ohio Akron | 6,913 | $41,960 | $26,718 |
| 6 | Downtown | 5,727 | $86,350 | $15,724 |
| 7 | South Akron | 5,586 | $48,550 | $37,464 |
| 8 | Elizabeth Park Valley | 4,646 | $69,143 | $33,412 |
| 9 | Rolling Acres | 2,592 | $70,850 | $35,933 |
| 10 | Kenmore | 15,909 | $66,290 | $40,829 |
| 11 | Chapel Hill | 7,198 | $76,183 | $33,985 |
| 12 | West Akron | 15,361 | $83,686 | $33,584 |
| 13 | North Hill | 15,911 | $75,423 | $38,185 |
| 14 | Firestone Park | 14,889 | $69,454 | $51,585 |
| 15 | Ellet | 16,052 | $100,408 | $51,493 |
| 16 | Goodyear Heights | 18,716 | $76,356 | $45,547 |
| 17 | Merriman Valley | 6,968 | $128,450 | $54,169 |
| 18 | Fairlawn Heights | 2,641 | $165,400 | $82,048 |
| 19 | Wallhaven | 4,745 | $162,380 | $59,502 |
| 20 | Highland Square | 10,343 | $110,085 | $46,670 |
| 21 | Northwest Akron | 12,084 | $158,750 | $91,588 |