Are you thinking about moving to Cleveland, Ohio? Whether you’re moving with children, downsizing in retirement, living alone, or even moving in with friends, safety may be a big concern. Cleveland has a reputation for crime like other large cities in Ohio.
The good news is Cleveland is a safe place to live as long as you avoid a handful of high crime areas. What are the safest neighborhoods in Cleveland? Here’s a look at the best places to live to reduce your risk of crime and enjoy all that the Forest City has to offer.
Crime Stats in Cleveland
Is Cleveland a safe place to live? That’s a big question as you consider relocating to the Forest City. While you explore safe neighborhoods in Cleveland, it helps to understand crime in Cleveland and how safe the city is overall.
The Cleveland crime rate is 5,984 total crimes per 100,000 people. There are 1,517 violent crimes and 4,467 property crimes per 100,000 people. The national average crime rate is 2,580 total crimes per 100,000 people with 3,82 violent crimes and 2,362 property crimes per 100,000 people.
Ohio’s major cities usually rank high on the list of most dangerous cities in the U.S. Cleveland usually has more crime than other Ohio cities, including Cincinnati, Akron, Canton, and Columbus. You can see how crime in Cleveland vs Cincinnati compares here.
This Cleveland crime map is a useful tool to help you explore the safest neighborhoods to live in Cleveland. You can see crime by neighborhood and types of offenses.
Safest Neighborhoods in Cleveland
Are you ready to explore the safest neighborhoods to live in Cleveland? From hip and up-and-coming neighborhoods to bustling urban centers and quiet, suburban neighborhoods, you can find what you’re looking for while enjoying security and safety. Here are the top safe neighborhoods in Cleveland you’ll want to put on your list.
Kamm’s Corner – Cleveland’s Safest Neighborhood with Outdoor Recreation
- Crime: 60% less crime than Cleveland
- Median home price: $189,500
- Great for: Nature lovers, families, renters, and medical professionals
Kamm’s Corner isn’t just one of the safest Cleveland neighborhoods, it’s also one of the most beautiful and affordable places to live in the city. This charming and close-knit community has it all, from kid-friendly events and festivals to golfing, walking trails, and waterfront recreation.
Kamm’s Corner is home to the Rocky River Reservation, a wooded preserve on the Rocky River with golf courses, game fields, and open green space. It also boasts the Cleveland Clinic – Fairview Hospital, one of the area’s top employers.
Tremont – Artsy & Safe Cleveland Neighborhood for Families
- Crime: 60% less crime than Cleveland
- Median home price: $369,000
- Great for: Artists, families, seniors, and young professionals
Home to about 14,000 people, Tremont is one of the most desirable communities in the city thanks to its gorgeous scenery, low crime, and family-friendly environment. After decades of decline, Tremont is becoming once more a popular place to live with close proximity to downtown.
Tremont is one of the two safest neighborhoods in Cleveland to raise a family with crime significantly lower than average for the city and slightly below the U.S. average.
Residents appreciate Tremont’s fun, artsy scene with small galleries, boutique shops, upscale sandwich bars, and hip cocktail bars. Despite its suburban feel, Tremont has a fun nightlife.
Its rising popularity and low crime have helped push up rent and home prices in Tremont. On average, rent is $1,378 in the neighborhood compared to the city average of $1,172.
Ohio City – Trendy & Safe Neighborhood in Cleveland for Millennials
- Crime: 58% less crime than Cleveland
- Median home price: $307,000
- Great for: Millennials and young professionals
Ohio City is one of the hottest neighborhoods in Cleveland with low crime and plenty to do if you’re looking for late-night entertainment and recreation. The community has become a dining and entertainment hotspot with everything from upscale bars and gourmet eateries to beer gardens and casual bistros.
This bustling neighborhood offers the perfect blend of commercial and residential space to keep you busy. One of the icons of the area is the West Side Market which receives over one million visitors per year. You’ll also have easy access to outdoor recreation and open green space including Fairview Park and Wendy Park on Lake Erie.
Most people living in Ohio City are young professionals or millennials with a younger average age than most Cleveland neighborhoods.
University Circle – Exciting Low-Crime Neighborhood for Students & Millennials
- Crime: 55% less crime than Cleveland
- Median home price: $634,000
- Great for: Students, millennials, medical professionals, and fitness enthusiasts
As the name implies, University Circle is home to Cleveland’s most prestigious universities as well as several nationally ranked medical centers and world-class museums. If you’re looking for a safe neighborhood in Cleveland with culture and walkability, University Circle is where you want to be.
University Circle boasts several of the city’s top attractions and educational facilities like the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and Case Western Reserve University. Even though it’s only one square mile, there’s still plenty of open green space and parks to enjoy.
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Downtown Cleveland – Best Cleveland Neighborhood for Young Professionals with Low Crime
- Crime: 50% less crime than Cleveland
- Median home price: $161,000
- Great for: Young professionals, singles, and millennials
Most people expect the downtown area of a large city to be the most dangerous, but Downtown Cleveland is actually one of the safest places to live! Cleveland has a unique downtown area that feels very residential and more like a neighborhood than an urban core.
It’s also the fastest-growing area in the city. Between 2013 and 2018, Downtown Cleveland’s population grew by 48% with most of the growth attributed to young professionals who do not have children. It’s the most densely populated area of the city with only 3.2 square miles of area and 15,000 people.
If you’re looking for a safe place to live in Cleveland that’s walkable and still feels like a neighborhood, look no further. You’re around 15 minutes away from almost anything in the city, but entertainment, groceries, dining, and nightlife are always within walking distance. There’s also a free trolley serving the downtown area!
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Edgewater – Low Crime Beachfront Neighborhood in Cleveland on the West Side
- Crime: 36% less crime than Cleveland
- Median home price: $129,000
- Great for: Families, millennials, and retirees
Edgewater is one of the most exciting places to live and one of the safest areas in Cleveland. This lakefront community is on the West Side of the city just past downtown and puts you within walking distance to Edgewater Beach and Edgewater Park. You’ll enjoy a convenient dog park on the lake, kayaking, more than 1,000 feet of swimming access, beach volleyball, and even ice cream during hot summer days.
You’ll find everything from condos priced under $75k to waterfront homes priced at more than $1 million in Edgewater.
West Park – Popular Neighborhood for Young Professionals & Families
- Crime: 30% less crime than Cleveland
- Median home price: $139,000
- Great for: Young professionals and families
With a population of more than 23,000, West Park is one of the most popular safe neighborhoods in Cleveland and it’s actually made up of four different neighborhoods: Riverside, Bellaire-Puritas, Jefferson, and Kamm’s Corners. Families appreciate not only the low crime in West Park but also its parks, tree-lined streets, and playgrounds.
West Park mostly has single-family bungalow homes with a low cost of living. Despite its desirability, residents enjoy a low cost of living with affordable homes and rent. You don’t need to give up convenient amenities, either; West Park has a large commercial area with bars, live music venues, shopping, and dining.
Jefferson – One of the Most Affordable Cleveland Neighborhoods with a Low Crime Rate
Crime: 6% less crime than Cleveland
Median home price: $125,000
Great for: Families, young professionals, and commuters
Located in southwest Cleveland on the West Side, Jefferson is home to about 20,000 people. Jefferson isn’t just one of the safest Cleveland neighborhoods; it’s also one of the most diverse with more than 14% of residents born outside the U.S.
Jefferson attracts residents thanks to its ideal location close to downtown Cleveland and ten minutes from the Lake Erie shore. Lorain Avenue running through Jefferson offers plenty of dining and shopping options. The neighborhood is largely made up of single-family homes, but there are rentals too. Average rent is just $634 compared to the Cleveland average of $1,172.
High Crime Areas of Cleveland
Cleveland may have a high crime rate, but a significant amount of violent crime is concentrated in just a few areas. These are the most dangerous areas to avoid in Cleveland.
- North Broadway has 60% more crime than the Cleveland average. It’s one of the worst neighborhoods in Cleveland for crime with almost 500% more violent crime than the national average.
- Kinsmith with 3,300 residents has 44% more crime than Cleveland.
- Central has 2,146 violent crimes per 100k people with a population of more than 11,500. That’s 466% more violent crime than the national average!
- Stockyards with 7,000 residents has 41% more crime than Cleveland.
- Woodland Hills has a population of more than 7,500 with 40% more crime than the city average.
- Fairfax has 40% more crime than Cleveland.
- Union Miles Park has 34% more crime than the city average with a population of almost 10,000.
- Saint Claire-Superior has 1,956 violent crimes per 100,000 residents.
- South Broadway is the largest neighborhood on this list. There are 1,916 violent crimes per 100,000 people – 405% more than the national average.
Keep in mind that neighborhoods labeled as the “bad areas of Cleveland” aren’t necessarily bad or as dangerous as they seem. A large share of violent crime is not random but instead involves gang violence and domestic violence.
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If you understand the risks of the neighborhood and take steps to protect yourself, you will still find a lot to love about living in these communities. For instance, Stockyards has one of the lowest costs of living in Cleveland with nearby recreation centers, a diverse population, great schools, and easy access to the highway.
It’s easy to find safe neighborhoods in Cleveland that are just a few blocks away from the high crime areas of the city. This is also why some neighborhoods on this list are actually mostly safe except for small blocks or areas that border a higher-crime community.
Safest Neighborhoods in Cleveland Map
Safest Cleveland Neighborhoods FAQ
Is downtown Cleveland safe?
Downtown is one of the safest neighborhoods in Cleveland! There is 50% less crime in downtown than the Cleveland average with 3,005 crimes per 100k people – not much higher than the national average.
Is it safe to live in Cleveland, Ohio?
Cleveland has a high crime rate compared to most mid-sized cities, but there are many safe places to live in Cleveland.
What parts of Cleveland should I avoid?
North and South Broadway, most of Saint Claire-Superior, Union Miles Park, Kinsmith, Stockyards, and Woodland Hills are the high crime areas of Cleveland to avoid, especially at night if you are unfamiliar with the area.
Don’t be intimidated by the high crime rate in Cleveland. As you can see, the safest areas in Cleveland have plenty to offer, including a low cost of living, job opportunities, and outdoor recreation. Even most of the high crime areas are only bad in part! You can also explore top Cleveland suburbs to find even safer places to live in Greater Cleveland.
Have you settled on a neighborhood to make your new home? As you prepare for moving day on the horizon, call Summit Moving & Storage for a free quote. We’ve served the Cleveland area since 1930 with dependable moving services and top-notch customer support!
