Safety index · Chicago · data through October 2026
Is Near West Side safe?
Near West Side records more reported crime than most Chicago neighborhoods. Its SafeRoute safety index is 44 out of 100 — 13 points below the citywide median of 57, ranking 60th of 77 Chicago community areas — based on 1,909 incidents reported to the Chicago Police Department within 1 km of the neighborhood center over the 9 months to October 2026.
DATA THROUGH OCTOBER 2026 · 9 MONTHS OF DATA
The 0–100 scale is calibrated to Chicago — a typical Chicago neighborhood sits near 57. It ranks Near West Side against other neighborhoods here, and cannot be read against a score in another city.
Most of what's reported here is property-related — other theft alone is 25% of reports — rather than violence against strangers, though the full mix below is worth a look.
Incidents spread across the day here — roughly 29% of severity-weighted reports come in the evening (6 p.m.–midnight) and 19% overnight.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Other theft | 474 · 25% | |
| Violent crime | 423 · 22% | |
| Shoplifting | 204 · 11% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 198 · 10% | |
| Vehicle crime | 166 · 9% | |
| Burglary | 159 · 8% |
When it happens
Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from police incident timestamps.
Is Chicago safe at night? See which neighborhoods see the most reported crime after dark →
Walking in Near West Side at night?
SafeRoute scores every walking route against the same official crime data on this page — and shows how much of each route runs on lit streets. Compare the routes and share your walk. Free, no account.
Get SafeRoute on the App StoreNearby areas
- Lower West Side62/100 · Moderate
- West Town43/100 · Elevated
- The Loop23/100 · High risk
- East Garfield Park39/100 · Elevated
- Near North Side25/100 · Elevated
Common questions
Is Near West Side safe at night?
Elevated overall (safety index 44/100). About 48% of severity-weighted incidents in Near West 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 West Side?
Other theft — 474 of 1,909 incidents (25%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center over the 9 months to October 2026.
How is the Near West 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. The scale is calibrated within Chicago, so scores compare neighborhoods to each other and cannot be read against another city's.