This +10000000. Goodyear Hts, North Hill and West Akron I would avoid - as CSC said, some parts are ok but there is a lot of overlap with the bad parts. Ellet (east side of akron, bordering Tallmadge and Springfield) or the Merriman valley (bordering cuy falls/Bath) are really the only places I'd live within Akron proper. I'd look in the suburbs suggested above. If you find a specific place and want to know about the area, shoot me a PM. Source: Grew up in Akron and lived in Ellet for 3 years