Clevelanders know the city isn’t perfect, but some neighborhoods and suburbs stick out when you compare crime rates.
These aren’t stories from decades ago — many ranked among the highest-crime areas in recent reports, listings, and maps. Poverty, neglected infrastructure, high unemployment, and gang activity often show up as common threads.
What makes this list especially important? These are places near home: your commute, your weekend spots, your block maybe.
If you want to understand where caution still matters — whether for visiting friends, running errands, or choosing where to live — below are fifteen Cleveland proper neighborhoods and nearby suburbs repeatedly flagged in recent rankings.
We’re not judging — just showing what the data says, so you can see what locals already know.
Saint Clair-Superior sits near downtown and Lake Erie, but struggles with high violent and property crime. Vacant homes and poverty weigh heavy on the neighborhood’s reputation.
Industrial Valley (Cleveland)
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Once a hub of factories, Industrial Valley now has little residential presence but ranks high in crime per capita. Sparse population makes incidents stand out even more.
North Broadway (Cleveland)
North Broadway has faced decades of decline and disinvestment. Crime rates here are consistently higher than the city average, with property theft leading the way.
Woodland Hills (Cleveland)
Woodland Hills posts violent crime numbers well above national averages. Despite challenges, recent redevelopment projects aim to breathe new life into the area.
Kinsman (Cleveland)
Kinsman ranks as one of Cleveland’s most dangerous neighborhoods. Residents still point to community groups trying to change the story on these streets.
Union-Miles Park (Cleveland)
Union-Miles Park deals with high burglary and assault rates. Many families remain proud of the area, pushing for better policing and resources.
Clark-Fulton (Cleveland)
Clark-Fulton sits on the city’s near-west side and shows higher-than-average property crime. Still, its diverse immigrant community brings strong cultural identity.
Central / Cedar-Central (Cleveland)
Central ranks high for violent crime and robberies. As home to Cleveland’s public housing roots, it highlights the city’s long struggle with poverty.
Stockyards (Cleveland)
The Stockyards neighborhood, once built around meatpacking, now carries some of the city’s higher assault and theft rates. Residents continue calling for redevelopment to match nearby neighborhoods.
Buckeye-Shaker (Cleveland)
Buckeye-Shaker reports crime above Cleveland’s average, especially property crimes. Parts of the neighborhood, however, border University Circle and see active reinvestment.
Fairfax (Cleveland)
Fairfax has high crime tied to concentrated poverty and unemployment. It also borders Cleveland Clinic, where economic activity contrasts with struggling blocks nearby.
South Broadway (Cleveland)
South Broadway experiences a mix of violent and property crime. The neighborhood’s aging housing stock and limited business presence contribute to its struggles.
East Cleveland
East Cleveland consistently ranks among Ohio’s most dangerous cities. Once a wealthy suburb, decades of decline left high crime and strained city resources.
Glenville (Cleveland)
Glenville remains infamous for its crime rate, but also proud of its cultural history. The neighborhood continues to wrestle with gun violence and poverty.
Hough (Cleveland)
Hough carries one of Cleveland’s most storied legacies, including the 1966 riots. Crime here remains elevated, though residents point to redevelopment near University Circle as hopeful signs.
