Is Ohio Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Updated On March 6, 2022
Ohio, United States
Safety Index:
80
* Based on Research & Crime Data
User Sentiment:
80
* Rated 80 / 100 based on 8 user reviews.

Ohio is one of the most interesting states in the United States of America for travelers.

This is because Ohio has such a wide variety of things to offer.

It has three big cities, rich rolling wooded hills in the southeast, and beautiful lakes and flatlands in the northern part of the state.

The state is home to the biggest university in the country, Ohio State University, and is home to six professional sports teams, including two professional football teams and two professional baseball teams.

If you are a sports fan, there is no shortage of things to do while you travel in Ohio.

One unique natural feature in the state is the caves in the southeastern part of the state.

These caverns attract people from all over the globe who like to explore the underground.

You can experience just about everything the United States has to offer without leaving the state of Ohio.

Warnings & Dangers in Ohio

Overall Risk

OVERALL RISK: LOW

Overall, Ohio is one of the safest states in the Union. Even though it has three major city centers, Ohio is still in the bottom half of the country when it comes to its violent crime rate. As long as you avoid some of the more dangerous neighborhoods in Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus, you shouldn't have any issues while you are there.

Transport & Taxis Risk

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

The rate of violent crime when taking a taxi or another transport company is very low in Ohio. To stay safe, make sure you only use reputable companies with a good track record. One way to do this is to schedule rides ahead of time or rent a car.

Pickpockets Risk

PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW

There is almost zero risk of being pickpocketed while you are traveling in Ohio. Robberies of tourists are very rare. To avoid having your wallet or purse stolen off of you, avoid congested areas in big cities. Outside of the bigger cities, there is almost no record of pickpocketing.

Natural Disasters Risk

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

Ohio is in tornado alley, especially in the western part of the state. This means there is some chance that you could be in a tornado if you visit during tornado season (April through September). The good news is most tornadoes aren't serious and pose no real threat. They are also very rare, even if they happen in Ohio more than in other states. The only other natural disaster risk in Ohio is flash flooding in some lowland areas.

Mugging Risk

MUGGING RISK: LOW

Mugging is not a common crime in the state of Ohio like it may be in New York City or other urban areas in the United States. The crime only happens in some of the worst neighborhoods in big cities in the state.

Terrorism Risk

TERRORISM RISK: LOW

There has never been an international terror incident in Ohio in recorded history. There is some chance that you could be in the area during a domestic attack of some kind, but that is extremely rare as well. Rare enough that you could even say it just doesn't happen. You shouldn't worry about terrorism at all while you are traveling in Ohio.

Scams Risk

SCAMS RISK: LOW

Most scams in Ohio are not going to happen person-to-person. Your best chance of getting scammed when traveling in Ohio is going to happen online before you book. Don't give your credit card number or personal information to websites that seem untrustworthy. Trust your instincts with your pertinent information.

Women Travelers Risk

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

While it is less safe for women to travel than men anywhere in the world, the risk is still relatively low for women while they travel in Ohio. As long as you are vigilant and don't go into dark or dangerous areas at night alone, you shouldn't have any issues while you are there. The biggest risk to women in Ohio is violent crime or robbery.

Tap Water Risk

TAP WATER RISK: LOW

The water all over the state of Ohio has been classified as safe to drink by the FDA. The entire state uses modern filtration methods and other safety precautions to make sure the water is good. You won't have to travel with your water supply at all while you are there.

Safest Places to Visit in Ohio

If you want to stay as safe as possible while traveling in Ohio, be sure to only travel in the rural areas.

This is good news if you are someone who likes to enjoy the outdoors while traveling.

The crime rate in state and national parks around the state is extremely low to the point of almost being nonexistent.

The only areas with any real crime rate in the state of Ohio are Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and some other bigger cities like Toledo.

Even these areas are safe if you stick to the areas designed for tourists.

A simple Google search before you go will tell you what areas to avoid, helping you not book a hotel in a bad part of town just to save a little money.

Overall, these cities are still safe compared to other cities in Asia, South America, and Europe.

Places to Avoid in Ohio

When you are traveling in Ohio, there are some places you want to avoid.

One smaller city in the southwestern part of the state that makes this list is Dayton.

The city has seen some economic issues lately, leading to a rise in crime and drug use.

It’s not a part of the state that is popular with tourists anyways.

On top of Dayton, other cities on the high end when it comes to crime rates are Canton, Chillicothe, and other inner-city neighborhoods in Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus.

As long as you do your research ahead of time and don’t wander into areas you are unsure of, you should have zero issues with a crime while you are in Ohio.

Safety Tips for Traveling to Ohio

  1. Know the driving laws. Ohio is very spread out and you may have to rent a car and drive to get where you need to be. If you are going to drive and are from another country, be sure to familiarize yourself with all the driving laws in the state before you go.
  2. Travel advisories. The Ohio state department regularly issues the latest travel advisories on its website. Make sure you check the state’s website before you go and during your trip to know the current threats to you and your party. These usually change seasonally based on the weather.
  3. Project confidence. The best way to avoid becoming a target is to not appear like a target. Move in groups and never act like you are lost or you don’t know what you are doing. This means the rare pickpocket or thief won’t see you as a potential target and will avoid you.
  4. Stay In Contact Back Home. Leave your schedule and general vacation plan with someone back home. This way, they will be able to help if you become lost or someone needs to reach you on vacation in an emergency. It’s a good idea to leave your itinerary with one family member and one friend.
  5. Ask locals. Talk to locals to get recommendations about places to go and places to avoid. The locals are the best source of information, even better than the most trusted online review sites. They will know about things that the average tourist simply won’t know about. I’ve found some great restaurants doing this.
  6. Don’t give up too much information. You are inevitably going to talk to some strangers when you are on vacation. When you do, don’t give them too much information, especially about where you are staying or what your plans are for the future. This will give a potential thief an idea of when your things are going to be left unattended.
  7. Don’t leave belongings sitting around. When you are out and about, don’t leave your personal belongings sitting around where people can take them. Even though Ohio is generally a very safe state when it comes to crime, you shouldn’t make it easy for potential thieves.
  8. Tell your bank. If your bank doesn’t know you are going on vacation, they may flag your account when you start using your debit and credit cards in another country. Let them know where you are going to be ahead of time so you won’t have any financial issues during your trip.
  9. Hide some emergency cash. Hide some emergency cash somewhere in your luggage. This way, if your wallet or purse is stolen, you won’t be complete without any money and will be able to navigate the emergency.
  10. Stay in groups. If you are traveling with your family, don’t allow anyone to wander off alone where they could fall and get hurt or be attacked. It’s a good idea to enact a buddy system if you are in a big group so everyone is responsible for at least one other person.

So... How Safe Is Ohio Really?

All in all, Ohio is one of the safest places you can travel in the United States.

It has a crime rate in the bottom half of the country despite having three of the biggest cities in the country.

The people there are generally known as friendly and helpful people who still stop to help you with anything if you have an issue.

Just ask.

This doesn’t mean that you can be careless while you are in Ohio.

This is especially true if you are in some of the bigger cities, like Cleveland.

The dangers in Ohio are about the same as any of the safer places in the rest of the country.

The crime rates in the big cities are only bad in some of the worst neighborhoods in the cities.

You can generally feel pretty safe if you are in the areas designed for tourists to have a good time.

One thing you have to be worried about while you are in Ohio is the weather.

If you don’t like cold weather, avoid going in the winter.

The opposite is true if you don’t enjoy hot and humid weather.

The key to having a safe and good time while you are in Ohio is to plan and know what you are getting into.

How Does Ohio Compare?

StateSafety Index
Ohio80
Kansas81
Iowa82
Idaho85
Illinois77
Indiana61
Alaska65
Colorado82
Florida70

Useful Information

Visas

Visas

There is no visa required to travel to Ohio internationally. The only reason you will need a visa while you are in the United States is if you plan on staying for an extended period of time or if you plan on conducting business. The only paperwork you need to travel internationally is a valid passport.

Currency

Currency

Ohio uses the United States Dollar as currency for all payments. if you need to exchange your home currency for USD, you can do so in various locations around the state. You can also do so at your home airport or at the airport where you land in Ohio.

Weather

Weather

There is a saying in Ohio that goes "If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes". This is because Ohio experiences just about every kind of weather there is throughout the year. Make sure you know what the weather is going to be like during the time you are visiting so you can pack accordingly.

Airports

Airports

Ohio has three major airports in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. Each of them can fly both domestically and internationally. The most popular airport in the state is the Cleveland airport.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance

To guarantee your trip goes off without any issues, purchase travel insurance ahead of time. Travel insurance ensures you don't lose money if your hotel, airline, or resort has to cancel for any reason, including weather.

Click here to get an offer for travel insurance

Ohio Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Jan -3° C
Feb 0° C
Mar 6° C
Apr 12° C
May 17° C
Jun 22° C
Jul 24° C
Aug 23° C
Sep 19° C
Oct 13° C
Nov 7° C
Dec 1° C
Choose Temperature Unit

Average High/Low Temperature

Temperature / MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High
°C
251118232830292619125
Low
°C
-7-505101518161261-4
High
°F
364152647382868479665441
Low
°F
192332415059646154433425

Ohio - Safety by City

CitySafety Index
Akron49
Ashtabula45
Canton32
Cincinnati48
Cleveland55
Columbus57
Cuyahoga Falls80
Dayton40
Defiance75
Elyria74
Findlay78
Kettering71
Logan78
Lorain67
Mansfield62
Medina71
Middletown76
Parma74
Port Clinton76
Put-in-Bay77
Sandusky76
Tiffin78
Toledo69
Vandalia76
Westerville77
Yellow Springs74
Youngstown52
Zanesville68

Where to Next?

8 Reviews on Ohio

  1. M
    Michael says:

    Many things to see here

    As a state, Ohio has a diverse lineup of things to see and visit. I think Ohio is a good reflection of the US considering you can see some many, diverse environments.

    I would recommend you take some time to visit the caves in the southeastern part – they are something else.

    You will need months to see everything Ohio has to offer.

    1. decent

      the memes are different than the actual state

  2. Overall safe

    I’ve lived here, and it’s pretty safe generally

    1. Hello any one

      I like to lived here in Lebanon Ohio but I believe it’s really pretty safe here Ohio but I consider about West Virginia have lowest taxes it’s lot of cheaper there I don’t know if how safety West Virginia or not

  3. An okay place

    I mean, sometimes there are crimes, but that is every state. You must visit! I don’t know why the frick people make memes about Ohio? Its AMAZING!!!

  4. Agreed!

    As an Ohio resident. They’re spot on about everything in this article.

  5. OhiO is So Gut Cmr to oho do gut uuu Just Kidding Not So safr

Ohio Rated 4 / 5 based on 8 user reviews.

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