The city of Canton, Ohio is located in northeast Ohio and is known for its diverse population, close proximity to Cleveland, and for being the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There are also many incredible museums, shops, and restaurants located in the city.
Is Canton Ohio safe? If you are thinking about moving to Canton, then you may be asking yourself this question. While the Canton Ohio crime rate is on the higher end, there are many safe places to live in the area. Here’s a complete overview of Canton crime, as well as the best and worst places to live in the city.
Table of Contents
Understanding the Canton Ohio Crime Rate – How Crime Rates Are Calculated
The first step to understanding the crime rate in Canton Ohio, is to understand how crime rates are calculated. Crime rates are based on FBI crime data that is collected from local law enforcement agencies. To get the final number of “X crimes per 100,000 people,” the FBI takes the total number of crimes committed in an area and divides it by the total population of that area. Then, the number is multiplied by 100,000. Crime rates are broken down into the categories of overall crime, violent crime, and property crime.
Crime rates are a great starting point for comparing crime in different cities, but you should not rely only on the crime rates when looking for a place to live. Crime rates are very objective and do not consider unique factors contributing to crime in the city. Oftentimes, the crime rates that you see are for the entire city and don’t differentiate crime in one neighborhood compared to another. It is common for different neighborhoods (and even different streets) to have different levels of crime, but overall crime rates do not show this. In fact, in many cities, less than 10% of the city’s total area can account for half of all violent crime.
The FBI discourages the use of crime rates to compare cities and metro areas. Because data reporting is voluntary, one city may appear safer than another, when in reality, they just haven’t reported all of their crime.
It is also important to note that the FBI’s crime reporting system changed from the UCR system to the NIBRS system in 2021. The new system is much more detailed and collects data on more crimes. This may lead to a misleading rise in crime rates, especially for cities that adopted the new system sooner than mandated.
What Is the Canton Crime Rate?
Here are the Canton Ohio crime statistics compared to the state and national averages.
National crime rate:
- 2,346 crimes per 100,000 people
- 388 violent crimes per 100,000 people
- 1,158 property crimes per 100,000 people
- 1 in 43 chance of being a victim of a crime
Ohio crime rate:
- 2,159 crimes per 100,000 people
- 309 violent crimes per 100,000 people
- 1,850 property crimes per 100,000 people
- 1 in 46 chance of becoming a victim of a crime
As you can see, the crime rate in Ohio is lower than the national average when it comes to both overall and violent crime. It is slightly above the national average when it comes to property crime. So how does that Canton OH crime rate compare?
Canton Ohio crime rate:
- 6,293 crimes per 100,000 people
- 1,429 violent crimes per 100,000 people
- 4,862 property crimes per 100,000 people
- 1 in 16 chance of becoming a victim of crime
The overall crime in Canton OH is 191.5% higher than the state average and 168.2% higher than the national average. These numbers may be alarming, but the Canton Police Department is constantly working to lower these numbers. According to News 5 Cleveland, in August of 2023, the CPD received a criminal justice grant of $82,000 to place surveillance trailers in neighborhoods across the city. The goal of these cameras is to help deter criminals and give residents peace of mind.
Canton Crime Map & Crime Reports
If you want to understand where most of the crime in Canton OH is located, then take a look at a crime map. This Canton Ohio crime map allows you to see where crime in the city is located. If you want to see crimes in real time, then you can check out the LexisNexis Community Crime Map. This resource analyzes Canton crime reports as they happen and shows them on the map.
Violent Crime in Canton
Let’s take a look at the Canton violent crime rate. Violent crime includes offenses such as Canton shootings, murder, homicide, manslaughter, rape, sexual assault, assault, and kidnapping.
Violent crime rate in Canton:
- Canton murders (2020): 14
- Canton violent crime rate: 1,429 violent crimes per 100,000 people
- Chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in Canton: 1 in 70
The violent crime rate in Canton is 362.8% higher than the state average and 268.5% higher than the national average. Although this number is high, it is on the decline. According to the Canton Repository, There was an 11% reduction in overall violent crimes in Canton in 2022 compared with 2021. There was also a decrease in felonious assaults, domestic violence, assault, threats, robbery, and aggravated robbery. So far in 2023, violent crime in Canton is 8% lower than the average of the past three years for the same time period. Canton was also one of the cities included in a $2 million funding plan to reduce violent crime in Ohio.
Property Crime in Canton
Here is an overview of property crime in Canton. Property crime includes burglary, theft, larceny, motor vehicle theft, arson, vandalism, and shoplifting.
Property crime rate in Canton:
- Canton property crime rate: 4,864 crimes per 100,000 people
- Total property crimes in Canton (2020): 3,411
- Chance of becoming a victim of property crime in Canton: 1 in 21
The property crime rate in Canton is 162.9% higher than the state average and 148.4% higher than the national average. It is important to remember that property crime is not typically a threat to your safety. Make sure you lock your vehicles and keep your valuable belongings out of plain sight in order to decrease your chances of becoming a victim of property crime.
High Crime Areas Of Canton
What are the worst neighborhoods in Canton Ohio? The neighborhoods in East Canton tend to see the highest amount of crimes. The area around Sherrick RD SE is one of the most dangerous areas of Canton. There is not much to do in this area, and there is increased gang activity, especially at night.
Lincoln Highway is also an area that should be avoided. This southeastern area of Canton is home to low-income housing and higher crime rates than the rest of the city.
Although Downtown Canton has many fun attractions and amenities, it is widely considered one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Canton. Increased nightlife and gang activity makes Downtown Canton an area to avoid, especially after dark.
View this post on Instagram
Safest Neighborhoods in Canton
Although the Canton Ohio crime rate is high, there are many safe places to live in the area. Generally speaking, the northern section of Canton is incredibly safe.
Avondale is easily one of the safest Canton neighborhoods. This area is full of gorgeous homes with large yards. The average home price in this area is $555,000, according to Redfin. Another one of the safest places to live in Canton is the village of Hills and Dales. This village is just outside of the city limits but is a part of the Canton metropolitan area. Hills and Dales sees little to no crime and is located near fun attractions such as Tam O’Shanter Park and the Brookside Country Club.
View this post on Instagram
Canton Safety Tips – How to Avoid Crime in Canton Ohio
- Make sure you don’t display cash or other valuable items such as cell phones or expensive jewelry.
- Be aware of your surroundings when traveling through high-crime areas such as Sherrick RD SE and Lincoln Highway.
- Install a security system in your home.
- Stay on well-lighted, frequently-traveled streets at night.
- Lock your doors and windows.
- Travel in groups if going out after dark.
- Be aware of your surroundings on public transportation.
- Don’t leave valuables in your vehicle.
- Consider carrying pepper spray.
- Don’t go anywhere you feel unsafe- trust your instincts.
- Have the information of the local police department on hand.
- Consider downloading an app such as WalkSafe if you need to walk alone.
Canton Police Department
The Canton Police Department was founded in 1805; however, the first chief of police was not appointed until 1903. Throughout its history, Canton has only had 15 chiefs of police. Former Police Chief Thomas W. Wyatt holds the longest tenure, serving 23 years from 1980 to 2003. In 1856, there were only two men in the department. By 1937, the department had grown to 74 members. Today, there are 167 officers on the force across three different divisions.
The Canton Police Department is led by Police Chief John Gabbard.
Canton police reports are public information. You can access Canton Ohio police reports by visiting the department’s website and navigating to the Incident Report Inquiry page.
Canton Police Department information:
- Address: 218 Cleveland Ave SW, Canton, OH 44702 (located in Canton City Hall)
- Non-emergency number: 330-489-3100
- Emergencies: Always call 911
Canton Ohio Crime Rate FAQ
Is Canton OH Safe?
Canton Ohio is a safe place to live. Although the Canton Ohio crime rate is on the higher end, there are many safe places to live in the area.
Is Canton Ohio Dangerous?
There are certain areas of Canton that are considered to be dangerous. As long as you avoid these areas, you should be safe living in the city. There are also many programs in place to get crime down and keep citizens out of danger.
What Is the Canton Murder Rate?
The Canton Ohio murder rate is 20 murders per 100,000 people. This is 185.7% higher than the state average and 205.5% higher than the national average. There were 14 Canton Ohio murders in 2020.
Is Canton OH safe? The Canton Ohio crime rate is high, but there are many measures being taken to lower these numbers and keep citizens out of trouble. Overall, there are many safe places to live in the area that see little to no crime at all. If you are ready to call Canton home, then give the best Canton moving company a call. Contact the experts at Krupp Moving today at 330-359-1491 to discuss your move and receive a free quote.
