The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Akron For 2022


We used data and science to identify the neighborhoods in Akron that are the real pits.

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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 the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it's not all rainbows and sunshine in Akron. Some neighborhoods aren't as great as others.

So the question arises, which Akron neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?

Today, we'll use science and data 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 Highland Square ranks way above the rest.

We examined 21 of Akron's neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don't quite measure up to Akron's reputation.

So what's the worst neighborhood to live in Akron for 2022? According to the most recent census data, Downtown 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.

Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best. Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Akron.

For more Ohio reading, check out:

Worst Neighborhoods In Akron

The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Akron For 2022

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 5,012
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $49,200 (4th worst)
Median Income: $14,041 (worst)
More on Downtown:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 5,835
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $43,900 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $23,695 (5th worst)
More on Middlebury:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 11,635
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $54,612 (7th worst)
Median Income: $26,239 (6th worst)
More on East Akron:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 3,598
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $43,483 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $21,995 (4th worst)
More on Summit Lake:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 7,617
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $34,986 (worst)
Median Income: $18,009 (2nd worst)
More on University Of Ohio Akron:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 6,766
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $58,525 (9th worst)
Median Income: $21,063 (3rd worst)
More on Lane-Wooster:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 3,953
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $50,025 (5th worst)
Median Income: $32,567 (9th worst)
More on Elizabeth Park Valley:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 2,506
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $73,150 (13th worst)
Median Income: $31,150 (8th worst)
More on Rolling Acres:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 6,037
Rank Last Year: 9 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $55,633 (8th worst)
Median Income: $28,818 (7th worst)
More on South Akron:  Data

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 6,690
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $69,880 (11th worst)
Median Income: $33,246 (11th worst)
More on Chapel Hill:  Data

Methodology: How we determined the worst Akron neighborhoods in 2022

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 threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Akron:

  • 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)
  • High crime (Estimated)

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 criteria into a "Worst Score".

The neighborhood with the lowest "Worst Score" ranks as the worst neighborhood of Akron.

Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Akron to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 21 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.

This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.

Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Akron

Well there you have it -- the worst of the neighborhoods in Akron with Downtown landing at the bottom of the pack.

As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Akron aren't all bad. Highland Square takes the cake as the best place to live in Akron.

We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.

For more Ohio reading, check out:

Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Akron For 2022?

Rank Neighborhood Population Home Value Median Income
1 Downtown 5,012 $49,200 $14,041
2 Middlebury 5,835 $43,900 $23,695
3 East Akron 11,635 $54,612 $26,239
4 Summit Lake 3,598 $43,483 $21,995
5 University Of Ohio Akron 7,617 $34,986 $18,009
6 Lane-Wooster 6,766 $58,525 $21,063
7 Elizabeth Park Valley 3,953 $50,025 $32,567
8 Rolling Acres 2,506 $73,150 $31,150
9 South Akron 6,037 $55,633 $28,818
10 Chapel Hill 6,690 $69,880 $33,246
11 Kenmore 15,733 $60,435 $32,693
12 West Akron 15,512 $76,367 $36,438
13 North Hill 15,861 $53,360 $41,920
14 Goodyear Heights 19,778 $71,329 $39,030
15 Ellet 17,085 $94,107 $43,129
16 Firestone Park 14,566 $78,442 $39,122
17 Merriman Valley 7,748 $116,643 $52,394
18 Wallhaven 4,239 $127,160 $59,651
19 Fairlawn Heights 2,875 $201,933 $79,537
20 Northwest Akron 10,910 $165,320 $80,193
21 Highland Square 10,828 $98,953 $43,705

Editor's Note: This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Don't freak out we updated this article for 2022. This is our time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Akron.

About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.