Bowling Green, Ohio, named one of the safest college towns in the United States based on FBI statistics

Using FBI statistics and other safety factors, Research.com named Bowling Green as one of the 10 safest college towns in America.

The city of Bowling Green once again earned national recognition for being one of the safest college towns in the United States.

Research.com named Bowling Green among its 50 safest college towns for 2027, with Bowling Green State University’s home community ranking inside the top 10 nationally. Bowling Green clocked in at No. 9 in the country and also ranked as the safest residential university location in Ohio.

The publication, which uses figures from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data on property, violent and total crime rates per 1,000 residents, called Bowling Green “a consistently safe community for students and long-term residents of northwestern Ohio.”

Safety is but one hallmark of a Bowling Green community in which BGSU students make up more than 50% of the population, making it one of the most unique – and for many current and former Falcons, very best – places to attain a degree.

Michael Campbell, chief of the BGSU Police Department, noted the collaboration between the greater community and the University, which has seen enrollment surge in recent years and currently has its largest student population in nearly two decades.

“Rankings such as this one demonstrate a strong town-gown partnership with a shared focus on safety and a collaborative approach to problem solving,” Campbell said.

The publication listed several indicators as being important for a safe college town, including:

• Community engagement
• Low crime rates
• Affordability of education
• Well-lit and maintained public spaces
• Effective local law enforcement
• Programs and training for student safety
• Access to mental and emotional health resources

For many in the BGSU learning community, the high ranking came as no surprise.

Bowling Green is one of the top five universities in the United States that students say they would choose again, according to The Wall Street Journal, and BGSU recently was one of just three finalists nationally for the American Public and Land-grant Universities’ 2026 Excellence in Student Success Award.

U.S. News & World Report also recently named BGSU as the No. 1 public university in Ohio for first-year experiences.

A safe environment is an integral part of the BGSU experience, a contributing factor to why more than 4,000 families have sent incoming freshmen to Bowling Green in back-to-back academic years.

“Providing a safe environment is one where students can thrive, and the community shares a commitment to student success,” Campbell said. “It is important to not only focus on crime statistics, but also the students’ and parents’ reduction in the fear of crime.

“I believe they're choosing a campus and community that is invested in helping our learning community grow and succeed in a secure and supportive environment.”