COLUMBUS Crime in Columbus fell significantly in both 2024 and 2025, according to data from the Columbus Division of Police and the FBI. Homicides dropped 31% in 2025 compared to 2024, and serious crimes citywide fell 14.5% in the same period, the steepest single-year drop in recent memory.
The numbers give context to a city that has long carried a reputation for high crime. While Columbus still reports more crime than the national average, the trend line is moving in the right direction.
Homicides and Assaults Plummet Data
Columbus recorded 84 homicides in 2025, down from 122 in 2024, a 31% drop, according to data compiled by AllColumbusData.com from Columbus Police Department records. The 2024 total itself was the lowest since 2019 and represented a 40% decline from the all-time high in 2021.
Comparing January through December of 2024 to the same period in 2025, Part 1 crimes which include murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and theft, fell from 7,046 to 6,024, a 14.5% decrease, according to Columbus Police data. Aggravated assaults saw the steepest drop, falling nearly 46%. Burglaries fell 34%. Motor vehicle thefts also declined.
Rape was the only category that increased, rising about 15%. Columbus police have attributed part of that increase to changes in how cases are reported and tracked.
Mayor Andrew Ginther announced at a 2024 year-end press conference that the city committed $744 million in its 2025 budget to neighborhood safety, including hiring 180 new officers. Police solved 76% of homicides in 2024, a 1% improvement over 2023.
Despite the improvements, Columbus still ranks higher in crime than most U.S. cities of similar size. FBI data shows the overall crime rate fell 13% in 2024 but remains above the national average.
Safest Neighborhoods in Columbus
Crime is not spread evenly across Columbus. Residents who choose their neighborhood carefully can live in areas with crime rates well below the national average.
Bexley consistently ranks as the safest neighborhood in Columbus according to FBI crime data. This eastern suburb has excellent schools, including Capital University, and a strong community feel. Median household income is around $138,929.
Upper Arlington, just northwest of downtown, has a crime rate 37% below the national average and is considered 95% safer than other Ohio cities. Its school district ranks among the best in the state.
Victorian Village and Italian Village, both near downtown, have crime rates roughly 85% below the Columbus city average. Both are walkable, historic districts popular with young professionals.
Harrison West and German Village also consistently rank among the safest neighborhoods inside city limits. German Village in particular has a crime rate below 1% and strong community infrastructure.
Clintonville, on the north side near Ohio State, is popular with families and young professionals and reports significantly lower crime than the city average.
Safest Columbus-Area Suburbs
For families looking outside city limits, several Columbus-area suburbs report crime rates well below both state and national averages.
Dublin, northwest of Columbus, is consistently one of the safest communities in Ohio with low violent and property crime rates. Powell, in Delaware County north of Columbus, also ranks among Ohio’s safest cities. New Albany, northeast of Columbus, is a master-planned community with low crime and strong schools. Worthington, a northern suburb, has historically low crime rates and a walkable historic downtown. Hilliard and Westerville round out the list of suburbs where residents report high safety and strong community services.
Know Before Moving
Crime data has limits. Areas near high-traffic locations like the airport, downtown entertainment districts, or large parks can appear to have higher crime rates simply because more people pass through them. Neighborhood-level crime maps from the Columbus Division of Police at columbuspolice.org give the most accurate picture of specific blocks and streets.
This article is based on data from the Columbus Division of Police, FBI Crime Data Explorer, AllColumbusData.com.