Crime is everywhere, even in the beautiful Buckeye State. From small towns to big cities, Ohio isn’t immune to illegal activity and some areas of the state are affected more than others. According to recent FBI statistics and rankings conducted by Road Snacks, the following 10 cities in Ohio are currently the most dangerous. Rankings were determined by 100,00 per capita stats based on 2019 FBI data, which is the most recent data available and accounts for “offenses known to law enforcement.” To read more about the specific types of crime reported in each city, check out the FBI’s 2019 Crime Table 8 for Ohio.
- Canton
Tim Evanson/Flickr Topping the list is the city of Canton. With a population of just over 70,000, both property crime and violent crime were high in 2019 compared to population size, coming in at 1,398 violent crimes and a staggering 5,292 property crimes. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town. Canton, OH, USA
- Moraine
Nyttend/Wikipedia A part of the Dayton Metro Area, Moraine is a small city of just 6,455 and the second most dangerous place to live in Ohio. In actuality, Moraine has the highest overall crime rate in Ohio for 2019, but most of that comes from having the highest rate of property crime in the state. Unfortunately, this Dayton suburb also had the highest murder rate in Ohio for 2019. Visit the city website to learn more. Moraine, OH, USA
- Cleveland
Erik Drost/Flickr This bustling northeast Ohio city is home to 384,666 people. The city is the third most dangerous in Ohio, according to recent FBI data. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town. Cleveland, OH, USACleveland, OH, USA
- Whitehall
Zillafag/Flickr Next up on our list of most dangerous cities in Ohio is Whitehall, a suburb of Columbus. Whitehall has some of the highest violent crime numbers in the state, including the third highest murder rate. That works out to a murder every other month, which is quite high for a city of just over 19,000. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town. Whitehall, OH, USA
- Chillicothe
Dan Keck/Flickr Ohio’s fist capital is home to a population of 21,441. Located about an hour south of Columbus, Chillicothe comes in as the fifth least safe place to live in Ohio. While Chillicothe doesn’t have a whole lot of violent crime, it does have much higher-than-average rates of property crime. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town. Chillicothe, OH, USA
- Cincinnati
David Berkowitz/Flickr Home to the Great American Ballpark and great views of the mighty Ohio River, the Queen City ranks sixth in terms of least safest places to live in the Buckeye State. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town. Cincinnati, Ohio, USACincinnati, OH, USA
- Springfield
Cindy Funk/Flickr According to FBI statistics, the city of Springfield saw 5,060 property crimes and 493 violent crimes in 2019. It’s home to a population of just over 59,000. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town. Springfield, OH, USA
- Dayton
Doug Kerr/Flickr With a significantly larger population of 140,427, the city of Dayton saw a total of 4,039 property crimes in 2019, down from 6,323 property crimes in 2018. Violent crimes fell to 962. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town. Dayton, OH, USA
- Lima
Ohio Redevelopment Projects - ODSA/Flickr Home to a population of 36,653, the city of Lima ranks as the ninth most dangerous city in the state, with a total of 4,073 property crimes and 706 violent crimes in 2019. Unfortunately, both of these statistics represent significant increases from 2018. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town. Lima, OH, USA
- Mt. Healthy
Greg Hume/Wikipedia This Cincinnati suburb is a newcomer to the list, ranking in the top 10 most dangerous places in Ohio. High crime rates are to blame; the biggest danger in Mount Healthy is property crime, which ranks as the eighth highest in Ohio. In fact, residents had a 1 in 19 shot of having their belongings stolen or damaged in 2019. Visit the Mt. Healthy website to learn more. Mount Healthy, Mt Healthy, OH 45231, USA
What do you think of these statistics? Did any of them surprise you? Let us know!
Tim Evanson/Flickr
Topping the list is the city of Canton. With a population of just over 70,000, both property crime and violent crime were high in 2019 compared to population size, coming in at 1,398 violent crimes and a staggering 5,292 property crimes. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town.
Canton, OH, USA
Nyttend/Wikipedia
A part of the Dayton Metro Area, Moraine is a small city of just 6,455 and the second most dangerous place to live in Ohio. In actuality, Moraine has the highest overall crime rate in Ohio for 2019, but most of that comes from having the highest rate of property crime in the state. Unfortunately, this Dayton suburb also had the highest murder rate in Ohio for 2019. Visit the city website to learn more.
Moraine, OH, USA
Erik Drost/Flickr
This bustling northeast Ohio city is home to 384,666 people. The city is the third most dangerous in Ohio, according to recent FBI data. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town.
Cleveland, OH, USACleveland, OH, USA
Zillafag/Flickr
Next up on our list of most dangerous cities in Ohio is Whitehall, a suburb of Columbus. Whitehall has some of the highest violent crime numbers in the state, including the third highest murder rate. That works out to a murder every other month, which is quite high for a city of just over 19,000. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town.
Whitehall, OH, USA
Dan Keck/Flickr
Ohio’s fist capital is home to a population of 21,441. Located about an hour south of Columbus, Chillicothe comes in as the fifth least safe place to live in Ohio. While Chillicothe doesn’t have a whole lot of violent crime, it does have much higher-than-average rates of property crime. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town.
Chillicothe, OH, USA
David Berkowitz/Flickr
Home to the Great American Ballpark and great views of the mighty Ohio River, the Queen City ranks sixth in terms of least safest places to live in the Buckeye State. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town.
Cincinnati, Ohio, USACincinnati, OH, USA
Cindy Funk/Flickr
According to FBI statistics, the city of Springfield saw 5,060 property crimes and 493 violent crimes in 2019. It’s home to a population of just over 59,000. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town.
Springfield, OH, USA
Doug Kerr/Flickr
With a significantly larger population of 140,427, the city of Dayton saw a total of 4,039 property crimes in 2019, down from 6,323 property crimes in 2018. Violent crimes fell to 962. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town.
Dayton, OH, USA
Ohio Redevelopment Projects - ODSA/Flickr
Home to a population of 36,653, the city of Lima ranks as the ninth most dangerous city in the state, with a total of 4,073 property crimes and 706 violent crimes in 2019. Unfortunately, both of these statistics represent significant increases from 2018. Visit the city website to learn more about this Ohio town.
Lima, OH, USA
Greg Hume/Wikipedia
This Cincinnati suburb is a newcomer to the list, ranking in the top 10 most dangerous places in Ohio. High crime rates are to blame; the biggest danger in Mount Healthy is property crime, which ranks as the eighth highest in Ohio. In fact, residents had a 1 in 19 shot of having their belongings stolen or damaged in 2019. Visit the Mt. Healthy website to learn more.
Mount Healthy, Mt Healthy, OH 45231, USA
For further details about crime data and Ohio cities, check out the FBI’s Table 8 Listing of Ohio’s 2019 Crime in the United States.
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Address: Canton, OH, USAAddress: Whitehall, OH, USAAddress: Chillicothe, OH, USAAddress: Dayton, OH, USAAddress: Cleveland, OH, USAAddress: Cincinnati, OH, USAAddress: Springfield, OH, USAAddress: Portsmouth, OH 45662, USAAddress: Logan, OH 43138, USAAddress: Lima, OH, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
most dangerous cities in Ohio January 27, 2022 Sarah M. What are some other dangerous places in Ohio? In addition to the cities listed above, Ohio has some treacherous trails that outdoor adventurers should be sure and exercise caution around. One is the Buckeye Trail. Hocking Hills State Park, located in Logan, Ohio, has 16 hiking trails and the statewide Buckeye Trail is the most dangerous trail in the park. It’s also arguably the most dangerous hike in all of Ohio. The year 2013 saw three fatal falls from the cliffs in Hocking Hills; 2017 saw one; and 2019 saw at least three more. Many people wander off-trail here to get a closer look at the giant cliff faces that can be found throughout the park. However, these cliffs are often slippery, and the many accidents that have occurred here to make this the most dangerous hike in Ohio. (But we need to add a disclaimer, here: Hocking Hills is truly one of the most magnificent areas of the Buckeye State, and there are numerous accessible and family-friendly hikes in the park worth seeking out!) What are the safest cities in Ohio? If the above list of the most dangerous cities in Ohio got you bummed, we have some good news: Ohio’s safest cities had the state’s lowest violent and property crime rates. Additionally, all of the safest cities reported fewer than 20 total violent crimes this year, with 80% reporting 10 or fewer. Earning the top 10 spots are the cities of Chester Township, Olmsted Township, Sagamore Hills, Clearcreek Township, Springboro, North Ridgeville, Poland Township, Hamilton Township (Warren County), Bay Village, and Seven Hills. Other cities that earned spots in the top 20 were Perrysburg, Hudson (pictured), Berea, North Royalton, Powell, Clayton, Brunswick, Mason, American Township, and Aurora. Overall, Ohio’s violent crime rate is pretty low compared to most states, (ranking eighth lowest out of 50), so you should feel pretty safe living in the Buckeye State!
The OIYS Visitor Center
most dangerous cities in Ohio
January 27, 2022
Sarah M.
What are some other dangerous places in Ohio? In addition to the cities listed above, Ohio has some treacherous trails that outdoor adventurers should be sure and exercise caution around. One is the Buckeye Trail. Hocking Hills State Park, located in Logan, Ohio, has 16 hiking trails and the statewide Buckeye Trail is the most dangerous trail in the park. It’s also arguably the most dangerous hike in all of Ohio. The year 2013 saw three fatal falls from the cliffs in Hocking Hills; 2017 saw one; and 2019 saw at least three more. Many people wander off-trail here to get a closer look at the giant cliff faces that can be found throughout the park. However, these cliffs are often slippery, and the many accidents that have occurred here to make this the most dangerous hike in Ohio. (But we need to add a disclaimer, here: Hocking Hills is truly one of the most magnificent areas of the Buckeye State, and there are numerous accessible and family-friendly hikes in the park worth seeking out!) What are the safest cities in Ohio? If the above list of the most dangerous cities in Ohio got you bummed, we have some good news: Ohio’s safest cities had the state’s lowest violent and property crime rates. Additionally, all of the safest cities reported fewer than 20 total violent crimes this year, with 80% reporting 10 or fewer. Earning the top 10 spots are the cities of Chester Township, Olmsted Township, Sagamore Hills, Clearcreek Township, Springboro, North Ridgeville, Poland Township, Hamilton Township (Warren County), Bay Village, and Seven Hills. Other cities that earned spots in the top 20 were Perrysburg, Hudson (pictured), Berea, North Royalton, Powell, Clayton, Brunswick, Mason, American Township, and Aurora. Overall, Ohio’s violent crime rate is pretty low compared to most states, (ranking eighth lowest out of 50), so you should feel pretty safe living in the Buckeye State!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
In addition to the cities listed above, Ohio has some treacherous trails that outdoor adventurers should be sure and exercise caution around. One is the Buckeye Trail. Hocking Hills State Park, located in Logan, Ohio, has 16 hiking trails and the statewide Buckeye Trail is the most dangerous trail in the park. It’s also arguably the most dangerous hike in all of Ohio. The year 2013 saw three fatal falls from the cliffs in Hocking Hills; 2017 saw one; and 2019 saw at least three more. Many people wander off-trail here to get a closer look at the giant cliff faces that can be found throughout the park. However, these cliffs are often slippery, and the many accidents that have occurred here to make this the most dangerous hike in Ohio. (But we need to add a disclaimer, here: Hocking Hills is truly one of the most magnificent areas of the Buckeye State, and there are numerous accessible and family-friendly hikes in the park worth seeking out!)
What are the safest cities in Ohio?
If the above list of the most dangerous cities in Ohio got you bummed, we have some good news: Ohio’s safest cities had the state’s lowest violent and property crime rates. Additionally, all of the safest cities reported fewer than 20 total violent crimes this year, with 80% reporting 10 or fewer. Earning the top 10 spots are the cities of Chester Township, Olmsted Township, Sagamore Hills, Clearcreek Township, Springboro, North Ridgeville, Poland Township, Hamilton Township (Warren County), Bay Village, and Seven Hills. Other cities that earned spots in the top 20 were Perrysburg, Hudson (pictured), Berea, North Royalton, Powell, Clayton, Brunswick, Mason, American Township, and Aurora. Overall, Ohio’s violent crime rate is pretty low compared to most states, (ranking eighth lowest out of 50), so you should feel pretty safe living in the Buckeye State!
