Safety index · Chicago · data through July 2026
Is Near South Side safe?
Near South Side records more reported crime than most Chicago neighborhoods. Its SafeRoute safety index is 45 out of 100 — 7 points below the citywide median of 52, ranking 51st of 77 Chicago community areas — based on 913 incidents reported to the Chicago Police Department within 1 km of the neighborhood center (data through July 2026).
The largest reported category here is violent crime (26% of reports) — worth taking seriously when walking at night; the full mix is broken down below.
Incidents spread across the day here — roughly 28% of severity-weighted reports come in the evening (6 p.m.–midnight) and 19% overnight.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Violent crime | 238 · 26% | |
| Other theft | 270 · 30% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 67 · 7% | |
| Public order | 67 · 7% | |
| Burglary | 55 · 6% | |
| Vehicle crime | 63 · 7% |
When it happens
Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from police incident timestamps.
Walking in Near South Side 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
- Armour Square52/100 · Moderate
- The Loop20/100 · High risk
- Douglas41/100 · Elevated
- Bridgeport55/100 · Moderate
- Oakland51/100 · Moderate
Common questions
Is Near South Side safe at night?
Elevated overall (safety index 45/100). About 47% of severity-weighted incidents in Near South Side are reported between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. At night, prefer lit, busier streets — a block or two of detour often avoids the clusters on the map above.
What is the most common crime in Near South Side?
Violent crime — 238 of 913 incidents (26%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center through July 2026.
How is the Near South Side 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.