Safety index · Chicago · data through July 2026
Is Near West Side safe?
Near West Side records more reported crime than most Chicago neighborhoods. Its SafeRoute safety index is 39 out of 100 — 13 points below the citywide median of 52, ranking 61st of 77 Chicago community areas — based on 1,247 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 (22% 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 18% overnight.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Violent crime | 280 · 22% | |
| Other theft | 318 · 26% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 122 · 10% | |
| Burglary | 97 · 8% | |
| Vehicle crime | 109 · 9% | |
| Public order | 71 · 6% |
When it happens
Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from police incident timestamps.
Walking in Near West 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
- Lower West Side58/100 · Moderate
- West Town38/100 · Elevated
- The Loop20/100 · High risk
- East Garfield Park34/100 · Elevated
- Near North Side22/100 · High risk
Common questions
Is Near West Side safe at night?
Elevated overall (safety index 39/100). About 46% 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?
Violent crime — 280 of 1,247 incidents (22%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center through July 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.