Ohio endured a post-pandemic crime surge. But so far in 2025, violent crime and homicides are dropping in many U.S. cities.
Still, in Ohio, the decline has been uneven.
Some cities maintain very high violence rates. This list ranks 20 Ohio cities by their violent crime per resident using recent local and national data.
“Deadliest” here means highest per-capita violent crime, not just raw totals. Smaller cities may rank higher simply because they have fewer people.
Cleveland reports the highest violent crime rate in Ohio. Its crime burden is driven by assaults, robberies, and gun violence concentrated in neighborhoods like Central, Kinsman, and Slavic Village.
East Cleveland
A small city with extremely elevated per-capita violence. Its limited tax base and high rates of vacancy and poverty worsen policing and infrastructure capacity.
Springfield
Crime rate remains high relative to population. Springfield struggles especially with property crime, drug violence, and repeat offender cycles in certain districts.
Dayton
Dayton had one of the highest homicide rates per capita. Westwood, Riverdale and some South Dayton blocks see disproportionate violence tied to economic distress.
Toledo
Crime declined in 2025, but per-capita rates stay elevated. Toledo faces high rates of assault, gangs, and firearm incidents especially in its East Side and Old South End.
Canton
Canton’s rate ranks it among the state’s worst for violence. Crime is concentrated near downtown and along major corridors, with repeat robbery and assault incidents.
Akron
Akron’s violent crime remains well above state average. East Akron and North Hill see persistent trouble with gun violence, disagreements over policing strategy, and concentrated poverty.
Youngstown
Persistent challenges place it on this list. Manufacturing decline, opioid activity, and weak tax revenues make Youngstown vulnerable to violent crime cycles.
Lima
Lima’s per-capita violence outpaces many larger cities. Industrial job loss and substance abuse issues drive much of its assault and theft incidents.
Mansfield
Small size magnifies its crime rate. Drug trafficking, property crime, and repeat offenders in specific neighborhoods push its violent crime stats upward.
Warren
Warren appears in many Ohio crime rankings. Crime centers often cluster near its industrial corridors and aging housing stock.
Whitehall
Suburb whose rate rivals many midsize cities. Despite being near Columbus, Whitehall deals with high rates of auto thefts, burglaries, and robberies.
Moraine
Suburban hot spot with elevated crime. As a Dayton suburb, it sees spillover from regional crime, especially thefts and assaults.
Portsmouth
Longstanding crime pressures inform its rank. Proximity to drug routes along the river and economic stagnation amplify violent crime here.
Chillicothe
Rural city with a surprisingly high rate. Limited law enforcement resources and geographic isolation make crime harder to deter.
Zanesville
Violence is high relative to its population. Economic decline, social service gaps, and repeat offenders contribute to its crime burden.
Hamilton
Frequently appears in statewide danger listings. Crime in Hamilton tracks closely with poverty pockets and aging infrastructure in certain wards.
Lorain
Rate remains above Ohio’s average. Lorain sees elevated rates of robbery and assault, especially in neighborhoods near the lakefront and industrial zones.
Elyria
Rounds out the list with higher violence per capita. Suburban-urban transition zones and older housing stock drive property and violent crime interactions.
Mount Healthy
A small city whose rate places it in the top 20. Though compact, it experiences concentrated violent incidents tied to adjacent urban centers.
