Is Firestone Park safe?
Akron, Ohio · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Firestone Park as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Firestone Park
“Go with care. Firestone Park is a solid, historic working-class residential enclave with deep tire-industry heritage that is generally tranquil during daytime hours. Visitors coming for events at Firestone Stadium or exploring local parks will find it quiet, though situational awareness is recommended after dark.”
About the area
Designed in the early 20th century as a planned community for Firestone Tire and Rubber Company workers, Firestone Park features distinct tree-lined residential streets, pocket parks, and brick bungalows. While primarily residential, it sits just south of downtown Akron and centers around historic Firestone Stadium and neighborhood community hubs.
- Historic / Tree-Lined
- Working-Class
- Quiet Residential
- Suburban Feel
Walking and biking in Firestone Park
Walk score: 52/100 · Bike score: 48/100
There is no local bike-share program; while the neighborhood lacks dedicated on-street bike lanes, quiet residential streets provide moderate bikeability with access northward toward the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Above-average homeownership rates (over 60%) compared to Akron citywide benchmarks, fostering community stability
- Active neighborhood community center, library branch, and dedicated green spaces around the central park
- Lower rates of violent crime compared to adjacent industrial and downtown Akron sectors
Cons
- Elevated rates of opportunistic property crime, vehicle break-ins, and porch theft
- Subdued economic vitality with modest median household incomes and limited upscale retail amenities
- Commercial corridors along South Main Street and Waterloo Road exhibit occasional traffic and nuisance issues
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is relatively low in the residential interior of Firestone Park, though individuals experiencing homelessness or occasional panhandling are sometimes observed near transit stops and shopping plazas along Waterloo Road.
What Firestone Park is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and calm as residents commute and dog walkers use the neighborhood sidewalks and park spaces.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Active around the local schools, parks, and retail corridors along Waterloo Road with a relaxed community atmosphere.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet residential feel, though main thoroughfares see steady automotive traffic and require standard urban vigilance.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Subdued and dark on interior residential side streets; walking alone is generally discouraged due to occasional opportunistic property offenses.
Transit, parking and getting around
Public transit is provided by METRO RTA with primary bus coverage via Route 14 (South Main) and Route 11 connecting the district directly to the Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center downtown; there is no passenger rail service.
Street parking is widely available and free along most residential avenues, and commercial venues feature dedicated, free surface parking lots.
Things to do in Firestone Park
- Attend a championship softball game or community sporting event at the historic Firestone Stadium
- Walk or picnic through the curving landscaped paths of the neighborhood's namesake Firestone Park
- Visit the Akron-Summit County Public Library's Firestone Park branch for community exhibits and historic neighborhood archives
Local favorites
- Waterloo Restaurant · American Restaurant · 4.4★ (2150)Longstanding neighborhood staple serving hearty homestyle breakfasts, comfort food platters, and scratch-made pies.
- Pierre's Brooklyn Pizza & Deli · Pizza Restaurant · 4.5★ (460)Popular local counter offering New York-style thin crust pizza, calzones, and specialty subs.
- Fiesta Pizza & Chicken · Pizza & Wings · 4.4★ (520)Classic community takeout joint known for crispy fried chicken, jojos, and sheet pizzas.
Scores are safety-driven — recent reported crime and local news plus Census income, poverty, housing, education, household and access data — refreshed nightly. Walk and bike scores are shown separately and do not affect the safety score. A guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.
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