Safety index · Chicago · data through August 2026
Is Jefferson Park safe?
Jefferson Park sits at the safer end of Chicago by reported crime. Its SafeRoute safety index is 80 out of 100 — 23 points above the citywide median of 57, ranking 10th of 77 Chicago community areas — based on 303 incidents reported to the Chicago Police Department within 1 km of the neighborhood center over the 7 months to August 2026.
DATA THROUGH AUGUST 2026 · 7 MONTHS OF DATA
The 0–100 scale is calibrated to Chicago — a typical Chicago neighborhood sits near 57. It ranks Jefferson Park against other neighborhoods here, and cannot be read against a score in another city.
The largest reported category here is violent crime (24% of reports) — worth taking seriously when walking at night; the full mix is broken down below.
Incidents spread across the day here — roughly 29% of severity-weighted reports come in the evening (6 p.m.–midnight) and 20% overnight.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Violent crime | 72 · 24% | |
| Other theft | 77 · 25% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 32 · 11% | |
| Burglary | 24 · 8% | |
| Other | 51 · 17% | |
| Vehicle crime | 20 · 7% |
When it happens
Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from police incident timestamps.
Walking in Jefferson Park at night?
SafeRoute scores every walking route against the same live crime data on this page — and shows how much of each route runs on lit streets. Pick the safer way, share your walk, and check in when you arrive. Free, no account.
Get SafeRoute on the App StoreNearby areas
- Forest Glen95/100 · Low risk
- Portage Park65/100 · Moderate
- Norwood Park84/100 · Low risk
- North Park87/100 · Low risk
- Albany Park54/100 · Moderate
Common questions
Is Jefferson Park safe at night?
Low risk overall (safety index 80/100). About 49% of severity-weighted incidents in Jefferson Park are reported between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Reported crime is low for Chicago, but stick to lit, busier streets late.
What is the most common crime in Jefferson Park?
Violent crime — 72 of 303 incidents (24%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center over the 7 months to August 2026.
How is the Jefferson Park safety index calculated?
SafeRoute weights each incident reported to the Chicago Police Department by severity (violence weighs more than shoplifting), sums the last available period within 1 km of the neighborhood center, and normalizes against citywide crime rates onto a 0–100 scale — higher is safer. It describes reported crime only; it is not a guarantee of safety. The scale is calibrated within Chicago, so scores compare neighborhoods to each other and cannot be read against another city's.