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.
The result is that there are dangerous places in Ohio.
Luckily, we’re here with the numbers. To determine the most dangerous places in Ohio, we used Saturday Night Science to review the FBI’s latest crime report for violent crime and property crime statistics for the 239 cities with over 5,000 residents.
So grab some Skyline Chili with a side of Buckeyes for dessert as we walk you through our analysis of dangerous cities in Ohio.
1,561 violent crimes /100k · 4,426 property crimes /100k · #1 most violent in Ohio
Located in
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
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 64 chance of being attacked in 2024. That includes the third highest murder rate and second 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.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,371 violent crimes /100k · 4,516 property crimes /100k · #3 most violent in Ohio
Located in
Clark County, Ohio
Located a half-hour northeast of Dayton, Springfield is Ohio’s second most dangerous city. Springfield experienced about two burglaries a day on average in 2024 — that’s enough to give it the highest burglary rate statewide.
Overall, people in Springfield had a 1 in 22 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.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,051 violent crimes /100k · 5,958 property crimes /100k · #6 most violent in Ohio
Located in
Franklin County, Ohio
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 43rd highest murder rate. That’s a murder every other month, which is quite high for a city of just 19,603.
Property crime also ranks as the third 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.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,339 violent crimes /100k · 4,334 property crimes /100k · #4 most violent in Ohio
Located in
Montgomery County, Ohio
Up next on our list is Dayton, Ohio’s 6th biggest city. Dayton had the third highest burglary rate statewide in 2024 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 fourth highest murder rate in Ohio, with about one murder each week, on average. Dayton also had the tenth highest rate of rape cases statewide and the fourth highest violent crime rate overall.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
588 violent crimes /100k · 6,404 property crimes /100k · #16 most violent in Ohio
Located in
Montgomery County, Ohio
A part of the Dayton Metro Area, Moraine is a small city of just 6,636 and the fifth most dangerous place to live in Ohio.
In actuality, Moraine has the third highest overall crime rate in Ohio for 2024, 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 152nd highest murder rate in Ohio for 2024.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,122 violent crimes /100k · 3,454 property crimes /100k · #5 most violent in Ohio
Located in
Stark County, Ohio
We’re kicking our list up a notch with the sixth most dangerous places to live in Ohio for 2026 — Canton, a city of 68,725 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 fourth highest burglary rate in all of Ohio. Overall, residents faced a 1 in 28 chance of being the victim of a property crime in 2024.
And the bad news just keeps on coming for Canton. The city experienced the sixth highest rate of rape cases in the whole state, and the overall violent crime rate is the fifth highest.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
846 violent crimes /100k · 3,829 property crimes /100k · #9 most violent in Ohio
Located in
Hamilton County, Ohio
There might be lions and tigers and bears (oh my) at the Cincinnati Zoo, but it turns out that the city’s streets are the really dangerous place.
Cincinnati has the sixth highest murder rate in Ohio, with more than one murder per week, on average, in 2024. Overall, Cincinnati’s residents had a 1 in 118 chance of being attacked over the year.
Not to mention that 2,760 cars got stolen and 1,709 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.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,410 violent crimes /100k · 2,999 property crimes /100k · #2 most violent in Ohio
Located in
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
East Cleveland is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and is the first suburb of Cleveland. The population was 17,843 at the 2010 census. East Cleveland is bounded by the city of Cleveland to its north, west, and a small section of its southwestern edge, and by Cleveland Heights to the east and the majority of its southern limits.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
715 violent crimes /100k · 3,857 property crimes /100k · #12 most violent in Ohio
Located in
Scioto County, Ohio
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 17,343 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 118 such crimes in a year.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
439 violent crimes /100k · 6,565 property crimes /100k · #24 most violent in Ohio
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Ohio’s statewide median.
On the map
Where crime hits hardest in Ohio
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most dangerous cities in Ohio for 2026?
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 2024 data, specifically the 2024 Crime In The United States Report for Ohio.
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 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 — Cleveland. Any ties went to the smaller city.
This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. It is our eleventh time ranking the most dangerous places to live in Ohio and is updated for 2026.
The full plate
Crime By City In Ohio
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Dangerous Index | Population | Total Crimes Per 100K | Violent Crimes Per 100K | Property Crimes Per 100K | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland | 3.50 | 362,762 | 5,987 | 1,561 | 4,426 | 109 |
| 2 | Springfield | 4.00 | 57,911 | 5,887 | 1,371 | 4,516 | 4 |
| 3 | Whitehall | 4.50 | 19,603 | 7,009 | 1,051 | 5,958 | 1 |
| 4 | Dayton | 6.00 | 134,857 | 5,673 | 1,339 | 4,334 | 40 |
| 5 | Moraine | 9.00 | 6,636 | 6,992 | 588 | 6,404 | 0 |
| 6 | Canton | 9.00 | 68,725 | 4,576 | 1,122 | 3,454 | 2 |
| 7 | Cincinnati | 10.00 | 311,599 | 4,675 | 846 | 3,829 | 68 |
| 8 | East Cleveland | 11.00 | 13,336 | 4,409 | 1,410 | 2,999 | 5 |
| 9 | Portsmouth | 11.00 | 17,343 | 4,572 | 715 | 3,857 | 3 |
| 10 | Butler | 12.50 | 8,195 | 7,004 | 439 | 6,565 | 1 |
| 11 | North College Hill | 12.50 | 9,401 | 4,085 | 915 | 3,170 | 1 |
| 12 | Lima | 13.00 | 34,552 | 4,127 | 758 | 3,369 | 6 |
| 13 | Akron | 16.00 | 188,223 | 3,775 | 820 | 2,955 | 24 |
| 14 | Springdale | 17.00 | 11,096 | 3,857 | 478 | 3,380 | 1 |
| 15 | Toledo | 17.50 | 263,668 | 3,773 | 1,041 | 2,732 | 32 |
| 16 | Trotwood | 19.00 | 22,895 | 3,516 | 699 | 2,817 | 6 |
| 17 | Piqua | 19.50 | 20,861 | 3,514 | 523 | 2,991 | 0 |
| 18 | Youngstown | 20.50 | 58,850 | 3,441 | 688 | 2,753 | 11 |
| 19 | Zanesville | 27.50 | 24,610 | 3,174 | 333 | 2,840 | 0 |
| 20 | Columbus | 28.00 | 915,447 | 3,088 | 435 | 2,653 | 112 |
| 21 | Mount Healthy | 28.50 | 6,809 | 2,893 | 470 | 2,423 | 3 |
| 22 | Reynoldsburg | 28.50 | 41,277 | 2,878 | 480 | 2,398 | 1 |
| 23 | Sandusky | 30.00 | 23,981 | 2,977 | 388 | 2,590 | 3 |
| 24 | Niles | 33.00 | 18,202 | 3,077 | 291 | 2,785 | 1 |
| 25 | Lancaster | 35.50 | 41,687 | 2,531 | 405 | 2,125 | 5 |
| 26 | Chillicothe | 39.00 | 21,848 | 4,847 | 206 | 4,641 | 0 |
| 27 | Van Wert | 40.00 | 11,018 | 3,485 | 236 | 3,249 | 0 |
| 28 | Norwood | 40.00 | 19,057 | 3,395 | 241 | 3,154 | 0 |
| 29 | Cheviot | 41.50 | 8,504 | 2,387 | 317 | 2,070 | 0 |
| 30 | Garfield Heights | 41.50 | 28,876 | 2,334 | 464 | 1,870 | 2 |
| 31 | Oregon | 42.00 | 19,639 | 4,399 | 193 | 4,206 | 1 |
| 32 | Sidney | 42.50 | 20,230 | 2,392 | 311 | 2,081 | 1 |
| 33 | Barberton | 43.50 | 24,375 | 2,379 | 304 | 2,076 | 0 |
| 34 | Hamilton | 44.50 | 62,860 | 2,370 | 313 | 2,057 | 2 |
| 35 | Sharonville | 46.00 | 13,811 | 2,201 | 319 | 1,883 | 0 |
| 36 | Fremont | 46.00 | 15,782 | 2,535 | 272 | 2,262 | 1 |
| 37 | Wooster | 47.00 | 26,966 | 2,351 | 286 | 2,066 | 0 |
| 38 | Jackson | 48.00 | 6,190 | 2,310 | 291 | 2,019 | 0 |
| 39 | Massillon | 50.00 | 32,569 | 2,134 | 316 | 1,818 | 2 |
| 40 | Alliance | 50.50 | 21,490 | 2,336 | 275 | 2,061 | 0 |
| 41 | Lorain | 50.50 | 65,374 | 2,132 | 581 | 1,551 | 2 |
| 42 | West Carrollton | 53.00 | 12,798 | 2,000 | 352 | 1,649 | 0 |
| 43 | Uhrichsville | 54.00 | 5,122 | 2,070 | 625 | 1,445 | 1 |
| 44 | Franklin | 55.50 | 11,642 | 2,680 | 189 | 2,491 | 0 |
| 45 | Ontario | 56.00 | 6,650 | 3,609 | 150 | 3,459 | 0 |
| 46 | Colerain | 57.50 | 58,402 | 2,181 | 252 | 1,930 | 1 |
| 47 | Findlay | 58.00 | 40,089 | 1,948 | 314 | 1,634 | 2 |
| 48 | Forest Park | 59.50 | 19,730 | 1,972 | 284 | 1,688 | 1 |
| 49 | Heath | 60.50 | 10,781 | 4,536 | 130 | 4,406 | 0 |
| 50 | Circleville | 60.50 | 14,623 | 1,983 | 280 | 1,703 | 1 |
| 51 | Maumee | 63.50 | 13,558 | 2,596 | 162 | 2,434 | 0 |
| 52 | Marion | 63.50 | 35,373 | 1,767 | 447 | 1,320 | 0 |
| 53 | Gahanna | 64.00 | 34,979 | 2,073 | 232 | 1,841 | 1 |
| 54 | Boardman | 64.50 | 39,587 | 3,208 | 134 | 3,074 | 1 |
| 55 | Newark | 64.50 | 51,394 | 1,909 | 282 | 1,627 | 2 |
| 56 | Elyria | 65.00 | 53,263 | 1,770 | 291 | 1,479 | 2 |
| 57 | Weathersfield | 66.00 | 8,005 | 1,686 | 325 | 1,362 | 0 |
| 58 | Eastlake | 66.50 | 17,269 | 1,923 | 255 | 1,668 | 0 |
| 59 | Napoleon | 67.50 | 8,714 | 2,031 | 218 | 1,813 | 0 |
| 60 | South Euclid | 68.50 | 21,255 | 2,032 | 207 | 1,825 | 3 |
| 61 | Xenia | 70.00 | 25,820 | 1,739 | 279 | 1,460 | 0 |
| 62 | Westerville | 70.00 | 37,540 | 1,947 | 221 | 1,726 | 0 |
| 63 | Reading | 70.50 | 11,118 | 2,285 | 153 | 2,132 | 1 |
| 64 | Northwood | 71.50 | 5,226 | 2,124 | 172 | 1,952 | 0 |
| 65 | Huber Heights | 71.50 | 43,269 | 1,988 | 190 | 1,798 | 0 |
| 66 | Upper Sandusky | 72.50 | 6,632 | 2,262 | 151 | 2,111 | 1 |
| 67 | Englewood | 73.00 | 13,175 | 2,801 | 129 | 2,672 | 0 |
| 68 | Steubenville | 73.00 | 18,037 | 2,999 | 122 | 2,877 | 1 |
| 69 | Cuyahoga Falls | 73.00 | 50,639 | 2,020 | 174 | 1,846 | 0 |
| 70 | Grove City | 74.00 | 43,284 | 2,782 | 129 | 2,652 | 0 |
| 71 | Blue Ash | 75.50 | 13,410 | 1,976 | 179 | 1,797 | 1 |
| 72 | Girard | 79.00 | 9,434 | 1,622 | 244 | 1,378 | 0 |
| 73 | Vandalia | 79.00 | 14,854 | 1,939 | 168 | 1,771 | 0 |
| 74 | Kenton | 79.50 | 7,802 | 1,679 | 231 | 1,448 | 0 |
| 75 | Fairborn | 79.50 | 34,779 | 1,567 | 273 | 1,294 | 0 |
| 76 | Bexley | 81.50 | 12,436 | 2,533 | 121 | 2,412 | 0 |
| 77 | Cleveland Heights | 82.00 | 43,853 | 1,551 | 251 | 1,300 | 3 |
| 78 | Port Clinton | 82.50 | 5,905 | 1,355 | 339 | 1,016 | 0 |
| 79 | Salem | 82.50 | 11,661 | 1,595 | 232 | 1,364 | 0 |
| 80 | Liberty | 83.50 | 11,877 | 1,709 | 185 | 1,524 | 0 |
| 81 | Shelby | 87.50 | 9,255 | 1,405 | 270 | 1,135 | 0 |
| 82 | Perkins | 88.00 | 12,607 | 2,760 | 103 | 2,657 | 0 |
| 83 | Ravenna | 88.50 | 11,182 | 1,914 | 134 | 1,780 | 0 |
| 84 | Struthers | 89.00 | 9,877 | 1,357 | 283 | 1,073 | 0 |
| 85 | Fairfield | 89.00 | 44,296 | 1,659 | 167 | 1,492 | 0 |
| 86 | Ashland | 90.00 | 18,552 | 1,590 | 172 | 1,418 | 0 |
| 87 | Euclid | 91.50 | 48,176 | 1,453 | 218 | 1,235 | 7 |
| 88 | Hubbard | 93.50 | 7,551 | 1,483 | 185 | 1,298 | 0 |
| 89 | Defiance | 93.50 | 17,042 | 1,397 | 217 | 1,179 | 0 |
| 90 | Norton | 95.50 | 11,314 | 1,768 | 133 | 1,635 | 0 |
| 91 | Miamisburg | 96.00 | 19,781 | 1,618 | 147 | 1,471 | 0 |
| 92 | Wellston | 96.50 | 5,470 | 1,261 | 256 | 1,005 | 0 |
| 93 | Oberlin | 97.00 | 7,438 | 1,519 | 161 | 1,358 | 0 |
| 94 | Urbana | 98.00 | 11,166 | 1,800 | 125 | 1,675 | 0 |
| 95 | Bedford Heights | 100.50 | 10,723 | 2,108 | 103 | 2,005 | 1 |
| 96 | Stow | 100.50 | 33,791 | 1,870 | 115 | 1,755 | 2 |
| 97 | Amherst | 101.00 | 12,996 | 1,239 | 239 | 1,000 | 0 |
| 98 | Worthington | 101.00 | 14,402 | 1,410 | 167 | 1,243 | 0 |
| 99 | Independence | 104.50 | 7,510 | 1,358 | 160 | 1,198 | 1 |
| 100 | Sugarcreek | 105.00 | 9,729 | 2,415 | 82 | 2,333 | 0 |
Source: FBI UCR 2024. 239 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Locking It All Up In Ohio
So what is the most dangerous city in Ohio? After analyzing 239 cities in Ohio, Cleveland takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Ohio based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2024.
The latest FBI crime data shows that Cleveland ranks as the most dangerous city in Ohio for 2026.
The most dangerous cities in Ohio are Cleveland, Springfield, Whitehall, Dayton, Moraine, Canton, Cincinnati, East Cleveland, Portsmouth, and Butler.
We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Cleveland and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up.
Questions and answers
Most Dangerous Places To Live In Ohio FAQs
Is Ohio a dangerous state?
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 most dangerous in the United States — 16.51% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Buckeye State ranks 29th most dangerous in the United States — 5.32% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.
Is Columbus, OH a dangerous city?
Yes, Columbus is a dangerous city. Columbus ranks as the #98 most dangerous out of 328 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, Bexley 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 176th highest in America — 18.71% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 75th highest in the United States — 27.69% worse than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022 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.
