If you're considering a move to Illinois, we've done the groundwork for you. We've sifted through FBI crime data, examining 310 cities with populations exceeding 5,000, to compile a comprehensive list of the safest places in Illinois for 2024.
As a whole, Illinois ranks as the 24th safest states in the nation. While it's true that some cities in the Land of Lincoln face challenges predominantly related to petty crimes, the state as a whole boasts a remarkable commitment to safety.
Whether you're a single professional looking for a secure suburb outside of Chicago, an enthusiast of small-town charm seeking a peaceful retreat, or want to live where safety is a top priority, Illinois offers many options. Cities like Naperville beckon with their low crime rates and exceptional quality of life. For those who thrive on the vibrant energy of a big city, Arlington Heights provides a haven amidst the urban hustle and bustle.
So, if you want to discover more about the safest locales in Illinois, grab a deep-dish pizza and join us as we explore the most secure places to call home in the Prairie State.
Many of Illinois' top ten safest cities are in and around Chicago.
But what city is the safest city to live in Illinois for 2024? According to the FBI crime data, Campton Hills is the safest place to live in Illinois if you care about low crime.
And while Campton Hills deserves the number one spot, read on to see how HomeSnacks ranked the Land of Lincoln's other 310 cities.
For more reading on safe places to live in and around Illinois, check out:
Population: 10,802
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (third safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 9 (safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Campton Hills: Data | Crime | Real Estate
Campton Hills is not the Compton 2Pac sings about, it is actually quite the opposite: it's safe. Located in Northern Illinois, it is one of Chi-towns far West burbs and it comes in as our number one safest city in Illinois.
Campton Hills' gold star qualities like the non-existent number of crimes per 100,000 residents speaks volumes. With a little over 11,000 residents, the superb quality of life in this little village in Kane County is the reason that it basically maintained its spot from last year. Campton Hills is the kind of place where packages from Amazon won't get stolen from your front porch when you're not home.
Population: 5,698
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (third safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 35 (third safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Spring Grove: Data | Crime | Real Estate
Spring Grove is a little village located on the northern border of Illinois in McHenry County near the Illinois/Wisconsin border.
They have definitely upped their safety game from last year in Spring Grove; they moved up to the second safest Illinois city in 2024.
Spring Grove is one of those snowy villages. According to their residents, the only dangers lurking in the shadows in Spring Grove might be the occasional snowball fight. Keep that snow slinging to a minimum Spring Grove, we wouldn't want you to tarnish that impeccable 9/10 safety rating. Unless, of course, you want to sling some snow at those Packer fans in Wisconsin.
Population: 8,770
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 11 (sixth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 22 (second safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Hawthorn Woods: Data | Crime | Real Estate
Hawthorn Woods is an affluent village in Lake County and it is our third safest city in Illinois.
You won't hear guns a-poppin' and see fists flying unless maybe there's a scuffle over a putt on one of their pristine Arnold Palmer golf courses. Wow, fancy and safe!
This Chicago burb offers a city vibe with a laid back suburban feel. There is a sense of community in Hawthorn Woods and education is a top priority.
So grab the fam, pack the grocery getter, and get a-movin' soon so you don't miss out on any of their safe, family friendly activities scheduled for 2024.
Population: 7,167
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 13 (eighth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 69 (tenth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Sandwich: Data | Crime | Real Estate
Sandwich, within DeKalb County, upholds its status as the fourth safest place in Illinois. This is attributed to its robust police force and the city's low rate of 13/100k people violent crimes per capita and 83/100k people total crimes per capita. Notably, there was only 1 violent crime cases alongside 5 property crime reports.
Founded by Almon Gage and "Long John" Wentworth, Sandwichs heritage contributes to its strong sense of community and collective focus on safety.
Population: 40,577
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 22 (12th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 61 (seventh safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Bartlett: Data | Crime | Real Estate
Bartlett, in Cook County, is the fifth safest city in Illinois, boasting a low 22/100k people violent crime rate and an almost non-existent murder rate. Its historical journey from a Native American hunting ground to a modern, safe suburb, thanks to figures like Luther Bartlett, remains untarnished by crime.
The city's law enforcement maintains a commendable 83/100k people total crimes per capita, securing Bartlett's reputation for safety, as reflected in its statewide rankings: 12th safest in violent crime and 7 in property crime.
Population: 6,826
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 29 (16th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 73 (11th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Benton: Data | Crime | Real Estate
Established in 1841 and the county seat of Franklin County, Benton is the sixth safest city in Illinois, boasting a 29/100k people for violent crime per capita. Its low 102/100k people total crimes per capita and 73/100k people property crimes per capita reflect its overall safety, reinforcing its reputation as a secure community despite steady growth since its inception.
Population: 18,036
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 38 (32nd safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 44 (fourth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Cary: Data | Crime | Real Estate
Cary, established as a farming community in 1841 and influenced by the Illinois & Wisconsin Railway, is the seventh safest locale in Illinois.
Located within McHenry County, Cary's dedication to maintaining peace is highlighted by a negligible 38/100k people violent crimes per capita, 0 murder incidents, and a modest 8 property crimes. Cary's low 83/100k people crime rates per capita and mere instances of 7 violent crimes cement its reputation as a secure suburban haven.
Population: 5,548
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 36 (24th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 90 (13th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Lake Bluff: Data | Crime | Real Estate
Lake Bluff, originally a stagecoach stop and now a village in Lake County, Illinois, boasts an excellent safety record with a meager 126/100k people rate of crimes per capita. Known for its past as "Rockland" and a summer colony for religious and recreational retreats, Lake Bluff has 0 reports of murder or rape and negligible 2 robbery occurrences.
The village's violent crime rate of 36/100k people is exceptionally low, securing its position as the eighth safest location statewide. Additionally, Lake Bluff ranks at the 13th safest for property safety.
Population: 57,993
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 37 (30th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 65 (ninth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Orland Park: Data | Crime | Real Estate
Orland Park in Cook County, Illinois, has transitioned from its agricultural beginnings to a bustling suburb after the introduction of the "Sedgwick Station." The city prides itself on being the ninth safest place in Illinois, boasting a negligible 37/100k people violent crime rate, including a non-existent murder rate and low instances of assault.
Additionally, Orland Park's property crime rates are remarkably low, with a property crime per capita rate of 65/100k people that ranks it as the ninth safest for property safety across the state.
Population: 8,787
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 34 (21st safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 113 (18th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Clarendon Hills: Data | Crime | Real Estate
In DuPage County, Clarendon Hills stands out as the tenth safest city, maintaining its low crime rates since its incorporation in 1923. Inspired by Riverside's park-like design, the village has 0 murder cases, just 3 violent crimes, and a mere 10 property crimes reported despite its 8,787 population. The community's dedication to safety is evident with exceptional per capita crime rates: violent crime at 34/100k people and property crime at 113/100k people.
While there are surveys and public polls on what cities in Illinois are the safest, we wanted to rely on something other than speculation and opinion. Instead, we looked at the hard numbers from the FBI's most recent crime report in Illinois.
Specifically, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, which summarizes the number of property and violent crimes in each city annually. We used two criteria:
For example, there were 1 crimes committed in Campton Hills, with a reported population of 10,802. That means the number of crimes per capita is 0.0001, which translates into a 1 in 10,802 chance of being the victim of a crime.
We only looked at Illinois cities that have populations of more than 5,000. This filter left us with 310 of the biggest cities in Illinois to rank.
We ranked each city for each criterion from 1 to 310 where 1 in any particular category is the safest.
Next, we averaged each place's two criteria to create a Safety Index. We crowned the place with the lowest overall Safety Score, "The Safest Place In Illinois," with any ties going to the bigger city.
The safest city in Illinois, based on our criteria, is Campton Hills. The most dangerous city in Illinois? Danville, where residents had a 1 in 15 chance of being the victim of a crime.
This article has been update for 2024. This report marks our tenth time ranking the safest places to live in Illinois. All the data comes from the FBI's Crime In The USA 2022 report.
Looking at the data, you can tell that Campton Hills is as safe as they come in Illinois, according to science and data.
But as most Illinois residents would agree, almost every place here has its safe and not safe parts. So just make sure you're informed ahead of time.
The safest places in Illinois are .
Here's a look at the most dangerous cities in Illinois according to the data:
Rank | City | Population | Violent Crimes Per 100k | Property Crimes Per 100k | Murders Per 100k | Murders |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Campton Hills, IL | 10,802 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
2 | Spring Grove, IL | 5,698 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0 |
3 | Hawthorn Woods, IL | 8,770 | 11 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
4 | Sandwich, IL | 7,167 | 13 | 69 | 0 | 0 |
5 | Bartlett, IL | 40,577 | 22 | 61 | 0 | 0 |
6 | Benton, IL | 6,826 | 29 | 73 | 0 | 0 |
7 | Cary, IL | 18,036 | 38 | 44 | 0 | 0 |
8 | Lake Bluff, IL | 5,548 | 36 | 90 | 0 | 0 |
9 | Orland Park, IL | 57,993 | 37 | 65 | 0 | 0 |
10 | Clarendon Hills, IL | 8,787 | 34 | 113 | 0 | 0 |
11 | Hinsdale, IL | 17,724 | 22 | 146 | 0 | 0 |
12 | Darien, IL | 21,590 | 37 | 152 | 0 | 0 |
13 | Northbrook, IL | 32,927 | 30 | 200 | 0 | 0 |
14 | Libertyville, IL | 20,434 | 29 | 200 | 0 | 0 |
15 | Wauconda, IL | 13,945 | 28 | 207 | 0 | 0 |
16 | Itasca, IL | 9,944 | 40 | 150 | 0 | 0 |
17 | Island Lake, IL | 8,014 | 62 | 62 | 0 | 0 |
18 | Highwood, IL | 5,199 | 57 | 115 | 0 | 0 |
19 | Pingree Grove, IL | 11,078 | 45 | 171 | 0 | 0 |
20 | Inverness, IL | 7,314 | 27 | 259 | 13 | 1 |
21 | Orland Hills, IL | 7,066 | 14 | 297 | 0 | 0 |
22 | Gilberts, IL | 8,339 | 11 | 323 | 0 | 0 |
23 | Roselle, IL | 22,431 | 62 | 133 | 4 | 1 |
24 | Western Springs, IL | 13,175 | 0 | 371 | 0 | 0 |
25 | Lake Villa, IL | 8,565 | 70 | 93 | 0 | 0 |
26 | Willow Springs, IL | 5,628 | 0 | 426 | 0 | 0 |
27 | Park Ridge, IL | 36,888 | 51 | 208 | 0 | 0 |
28 | Carpentersville, IL | 37,201 | 72 | 94 | 2 | 1 |
29 | La Salle, IL | 9,450 | 63 | 158 | 0 | 0 |
30 | Glen Ellyn, IL | 27,704 | 72 | 133 | 0 | 0 |
31 | Antioch, IL | 14,141 | 77 | 91 | 0 | 0 |
32 | Harrisburg, IL | 8,020 | 74 | 124 | 0 | 0 |
33 | Justice, IL | 12,682 | 31 | 386 | 0 | 0 |
34 | Hampshire, IL | 7,881 | 50 | 279 | 0 | 0 |
35 | Manhattan, IL | 10,569 | 47 | 312 | 0 | 0 |
36 | Winfield, IL | 10,460 | 57 | 258 | 0 | 0 |
37 | Lake In The Hills, IL | 28,961 | 55 | 290 | 0 | 0 |
38 | Coal City, IL | 5,800 | 34 | 465 | 0 | 0 |
39 | Bloomingdale, IL | 21,746 | 82 | 142 | 9 | 2 |
40 | Round Lake, IL | 18,069 | 71 | 199 | 0 | 0 |
41 | Homer Glen, IL | 24,524 | 44 | 375 | 0 | 0 |
42 | Westchester, IL | 16,051 | 49 | 323 | 0 | 0 |
43 | Elburn, IL | 6,368 | 47 | 361 | 0 | 0 |
44 | Crystal Lake, IL | 39,726 | 93 | 98 | 2 | 1 |
45 | Wheaton, IL | 52,706 | 87 | 146 | 0 | 0 |
46 | Lombard, IL | 44,392 | 76 | 175 | 2 | 1 |
47 | Pinckneyville, IL | 5,343 | 93 | 131 | 0 | 0 |
48 | Harwood Heights, IL | 8,302 | 72 | 228 | 0 | 0 |
49 | Lake Forest, IL | 19,201 | 15 | 671 | 0 | 0 |
50 | Burr Ridge, IL | 10,782 | 74 | 222 | 0 | 0 |
51 | Elmhurst, IL | 47,034 | 82 | 197 | 0 | 0 |
52 | Lisle, IL | 23,506 | 38 | 531 | 0 | 0 |
53 | Warrenville, IL | 13,172 | 91 | 174 | 0 | 0 |
54 | Buffalo Grove, IL | 42,468 | 37 | 612 | 9 | 4 |
55 | Lemont, IL | 17,394 | 51 | 477 | 0 | 0 |
56 | Downers Grove, IL | 49,070 | 95 | 169 | 2 | 1 |
57 | Carol Stream, IL | 39,161 | 107 | 130 | 0 | 0 |
58 | Chester, IL | 8,174 | 122 | 48 | 0 | 0 |
59 | Woodridge, IL | 33,478 | 98 | 182 | 0 | 0 |
60 | Lindenhurst, IL | 14,242 | 77 | 308 | 7 | 1 |
61 | Lincolnwood, IL | 12,207 | 73 | 319 | 0 | 0 |
62 | Roscoe, IL | 10,815 | 55 | 545 | 9 | 1 |
63 | Mascoutah, IL | 8,622 | 69 | 394 | 0 | 0 |
64 | Lockport, IL | 26,079 | 53 | 598 | 0 | 0 |
65 | La Grange, IL | 15,699 | 31 | 758 | 0 | 0 |
66 | Lincolnshire, IL | 7,931 | 37 | 718 | 0 | 0 |
67 | Palos Hills, IL | 17,790 | 67 | 460 | 0 | 0 |
68 | Frankfort, IL | 20,666 | 43 | 701 | 0 | 0 |
69 | Wood Dale, IL | 13,588 | 117 | 154 | 0 | 0 |
70 | Hanover Park, IL | 37,350 | 128 | 125 | 5 | 2 |
71 | Genoa, IL | 5,244 | 152 | 57 | 0 | 0 |
72 | Huntley, IL | 28,223 | 60 | 620 | 0 | 0 |
73 | La Grange Park, IL | 12,992 | 46 | 746 | 0 | 0 |
74 | Chatham, IL | 14,420 | 48 | 735 | 0 | 0 |
75 | Glencoe, IL | 8,567 | 35 | 828 | 0 | 0 |
76 | Glendale Heights, IL | 33,539 | 149 | 125 | 2 | 1 |
77 | West Chicago, IL | 26,768 | 134 | 145 | 7 | 2 |
78 | Woodstock, IL | 25,778 | 58 | 698 | 0 | 0 |
79 | Shorewood, IL | 18,326 | 65 | 643 | 0 | 0 |
80 | Barrington, IL | 10,614 | 84 | 508 | 0 | 0 |
81 | Yorkville, IL | 23,635 | 93 | 444 | 0 | 0 |
82 | Mokena, IL | 19,829 | 55 | 781 | 0 | 0 |
83 | Naperville, IL | 148,929 | 52 | 813 | 2 | 3 |
84 | Oswego, IL | 35,932 | 89 | 517 | 0 | 0 |
85 | Deerfield, IL | 18,981 | 36 | 948 | 0 | 0 |
86 | Mchenry, IL | 27,610 | 65 | 731 | 0 | 0 |
87 | Monticello, IL | 5,532 | 126 | 234 | 0 | 0 |
88 | Westmont, IL | 24,416 | 126 | 249 | 0 | 0 |
89 | Winnetka, IL | 12,277 | 65 | 765 | 0 | 0 |
90 | Edwardsville, IL | 25,117 | 63 | 780 | 0 | 0 |
91 | Vandalia, IL | 6,812 | 0 | 1,203 | 0 | 0 |
92 | South Elgin, IL | 23,995 | 100 | 508 | 0 | 0 |
93 | Riverside, IL | 8,529 | 164 | 187 | 0 | 0 |
94 | Northfield, IL | 5,534 | 18 | 1,192 | 0 | 0 |
95 | Geneva, IL | 21,152 | 89 | 628 | 0 | 0 |
96 | Plainfield, IL | 46,004 | 80 | 676 | 2 | 1 |
97 | Algonquin, IL | 30,212 | 49 | 969 | 0 | 0 |
98 | Round Lake Park, IL | 7,779 | 167 | 205 | 0 | 0 |
99 | Mundelein, IL | 31,561 | 60 | 884 | 0 | 0 |
100 | Macomb, IL | 17,215 | 180 | 168 | 0 | 0 |
Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.
He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.
If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.
You can find out more about him on LinkedIn.
We founded HomeSnacks to provide insights your real estate agent would neglect to mention.
By presenting data from presentable sources and utlizing Saturday Night Science, we provide detailed insights into cities and neighborhoods.
Learn more about Nick and Chris.
HomeSnacks is based in Durham, NC.
We aim to deliver bite-sized pieces of infotainment about where you live.
We use data, analytics, and a sense of humor to determine quality of life for places across the nation.