Crime & Safety in Kent
Kent's crime rates ran meaningfully below both national and Ohio averages per the most recent data reviewed, with a real, current improving trend.
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Learn moreViolent and property crime run well below average
Kent's violent crime rate ran approximately 65% below the cited national rate; property crime ran approximately 28% below -- an overall crime rate approximately 29% below the national average, with a cited safety score of 79/100.
A real, current improving trend
Kent's crime rate fell approximately 14% in 2024 versus the prior year, part of a broader, cited 20-year downward trend in both violent and property crime.
A real caveat: the population denominator
Kent's official resident population (used as the crime-rate denominator) runs smaller than the city's real, functional academic-year population given KSU's large student body.
Key takeaways
- Kent's violent crime rate ran approximately 65% below the national rate; property crime ran approximately 28% below.
- Kent's crime rate fell approximately 14% in 2024 versus 2023 -- a real, current improving trend.
- Kent's population denominator is affected by KSU's large student body -- a real caveat when interpreting the rate.
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