The 10 Safest Neighborhoods In Akron For 2020

How We Determined The Safest Akron Hoods In 2020

You can ask people which neighborhoods are the safest, or you can just look at the unbiased raw data. So, instead of relying on speculation and opinion, we analyzed the hard numbers from the FBIs most recent crime report (published in September of 2019) for every neighborhood in Akron.

To be more specific, we analyzed the FBIs Uniform Crime Report. We then ran an analysis to calculate each neighborhoods property and violent crimes based on the demographics of the area and reported crime. We used two key criteria:

• Total Crimes Per Capita
• Violent Crimes Per Capita
• Property Crimes Per Capita

We then ranked each neighborhood with scores from 1 to 21 in each category, where 1 was the safest.

Next, we averaged the rankings for each neighborhood to create a safe neighborhood index.

And finally, we crowned the neighborhood with the lowest safest neighborhood index the ‘Safest City Neighborhood In Akron.’ We’re lookin’ at you, Fairlawn Heights.

Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the safest places Akron. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the neighborhoods in the city from safest to most expensive.

The 10 Safest Neighborhoods To Live In Akron For 2020

Located between Interstate 77 to the southwest and West Market Street to the northeast and bounded by Miller Road to the northwest and Frank Blvd Park to the southeast, Fairlawn Heights is a treasure trove of early to middle 20th century architecture. Once home to the Quaker Oats heiress and the like, this lovely section of Akron boasts large wooded lots nestled along a hillside, giving it the feel of being in the country when only minutes from downtown Akron and the expressway. Houses tend to start in the 3000 sq foot range upwards to 10,000 sq feet, with most having been built in either the late 1920s early ’30s, and then again from the late 1940s to the mid 1960s. Many styles of Architecture abound, with Tudor Revival being the main choice, and Georgian revival and colonial a close second, There are French Norman and French Chateaux as well as Bauhaus and mid-century modern next to large 1960s country ranches.

The violent crime per 100K people in Fairlawn Heights comes in at 279 and the property crime per capita is 1,694 for 2020.

The violent crime per 100K people in Northwest Akron comes in at 279 and the property crime per capita is 1,694 for 2020.

Famous residents such as John S. Knight, Senator Charles Dick, presidential candidate Wendell Willkie, industrialist Paul Litchfield, and Alcoholics Anonymous founder Dr. Robert Smith, as well as the founders of the Goodyear and Firestone rubber companies, have lived here in the Merriman Heights portion. Located between Memorial Parkway to the south and Portage Country Club, and Sand Run Park to the north, Portage Path on the west to the train tracks east of Bell Ridge Road, Merriman Heights consists of homes built between 1911 and the present and is one of Akron’s wealthiest neighborhoods. Beginning with the construction of Stan Hywet Hall in the early part of the 20th century, it has long been known as ‘Rubber Baron Heights’ because all of the great captains of the rubber industry had their homes here. While its age is apparent via the quality of architecture, Merriman Heights remains as pristine as the day it was developed. With Cuyahoga Valley National Park minutes from its doorstep and the best public schools in Akron, Merriman Heights remains one of Akron’s premier neighborhoods. Homes generally start at 5000 square feet and can reach 21,000 square feet, such as Stan Hywet Hall. Most having been constructed between 1911 and 1930. A subdivision called Merriman Woods of late-midcentury-modern multi-level homes cascading down the hill from Merriman Road was built in the mid to late 1970s, and contains homes with sizes starting at around 3000 square feet to upwards of 8,000 square feet. House styles in the Heights vary from the French Norman, Large Colonial, and Georgian to Tudor, Spanish, and Renaissance Revival styles, many with indoor pools and situated on wooded lots.

The violent crime per 100K people in Merriman Valley comes in at 363 and the property crime per capita is 2,203 for 2020.

Situated at the intersections of Market Ave, Exchange St, and Hawkins Ave. Wallhaven is a commercial and rental residential district which houses many of Akron’s original and unique points of interest such as: Swensons Hamburger stand, here in its original location offering some of the best burgers in Akron owing to its secret recipe for hamburger meat; and Ken Stewart’s Grille, one of Akron’s finest dining experiences. You will also find many essentials here such as banks, bagels, Dry Cleaners, Pharmacies, a Robek’s smoothies shop and many others. The Subdivision of Sunset View is full of large older houses equal to the size of those found in Merriman Heights and is bounded by Storer Ave and Delia, to the East and South, and Exchange to Elmdale on the North and West. Developed mostly between the early 1920s to the mid 1930s. It’s Akron’s third premier vintage Housing neighborhood After Merriman Heights and Fairlawn Heights.

The violent crime per 100K people in Wallhaven comes in at 554 and the property crime per capita is 3,366 for 2020.

Highland Square is known as one of the more eclectic areas of Akron. It is a pleasant and walkable residential area featuring an organic grocery store, a library, a theater, several restaurants, and some nightclubs and bars. The Square is considered the Arts and hip urbanite district of Akron. Its large number of historical and modern apartment complexes mean that it is more densely populated than the rest of Akron, in which single unit homes are more common. Many of these apartments line the neighborhoods major thoroughfare, West Market Street, making them very accessible. Highland Square is strongly progressive; John Kerrys Summit County Headquarters was located in a Highland Square storefront during the 2004 Presidential Election. Many members of the LGBT community have made their home here and many businesses are either gay owned or gay friendly. Although Highland Square is sexually diverse and progressive, it is not as ethnically diverse as other parts of Akron. The commercial part of Highland Square is anchored by the historic Highland Theatre. The Highland Square Neighborhood Association works to maintain the character and atmosphere of the area. Every summer the association promotes and operates PorchRokr Music and Arts Festival, a festival featuring local artists, performers and musicians performing on residential porches and lawns and drawing well over 5,000 people to the neighborhood.

The violent crime per 100K people in Highland Square comes in at 758 and the property crime per capita is 4,604 for 2020.

Ellet is physically separated from the other neighborhoods by a highway Interstate 76, a river, and an airport.

The violent crime per 100K people in Ellet comes in at 776 and the property crime per capita is 4,711 for 2020.

Harvey Firestone embarked on creating a neighborhood with tree-lined boulevards curved around a central park. He saw families of different income levels living together in diverse styles of homes. He saw churches, schools and stores within walking distance. When Seiberling started on his ambitious housing initiatives in Goodyear Heights, Harvey Firestone did not want to be outdone. Like Seiberling, Firestone hired his estate landscape architect, Alling S. DeForest, to design the layout for Firestone Park. Akron officials have pushed the limits of the area beyond its original borders. City publications draw the park as far south as Firestone Country Club, annexed from Coventry Township in 1985. Firestone Park is located in south Akron, bordering Coventry Twp. Firestone has easy access to two expressways, Interstate 77 and Interstate 277 / U.S. Highway 224. The 2000 U.S. census can explain the attraction objectively. It paints a portrait of an educated working-class population with good incomes and home values. Firestone Park, a public park shaped like the original Firestone shield emblem, is at the heart of the community. It is surrounded by churches, a school, a community center, a new library, and a small business district.

The violent crime per 100K people in Firestone Park comes in at 839 and the property crime per capita is 5,091 for 2020.

The violent crime per 100K people in West Akron comes in at 851 and the property crime per capita is 5,165 for 2020.

The violent crime per 100K people in Chapel Hill comes in at 874 and the property crime per capita is 5,305 for 2020.

As early as 1910 Frank A. Seiberling, founder and then president of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., realized how detrimental the housing shortage was to his workers and his company. Even though labor was abundant, Seiberling believed that the transient nature of the workforce cost the company a great deal. Training wasnt cheap, and the cost of constantly retraining new employees was proving unmanageable. To solve this problem, Seiberling proposed purchasing a large parcel of farmland half a mile from the Goodyear factories. The board was not convinced. The company felt that it was too risky to get involved in the intimate affairs of their employees. However, Seiberling was so committed to the project that he bought the land himself. Seiberling chose a rural plot of land just northeast of Goodyears main plant.

The violent crime per 100K people in Goodyear Heights comes in at 878 and the property crime per capita is 5,333 for 2020.