Safety index · Chicago · data through July 2026
Is North Lawndale safe?
North Lawndale records a high level of reported crime for Chicago. Its SafeRoute safety index is 26 out of 100 — 26 points below the citywide median of 52, ranking 74th of 77 Chicago community areas — based on 1,876 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 (34% of reports) — worth taking seriously when walking at night; the full mix is broken down below.
Incidents spread across the day here — roughly 33% of severity-weighted reports come in the evening (6 p.m.–midnight) and 19% overnight.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Violent crime | 641 · 34% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 218 · 12% | |
| Drugs | 217 · 12% | |
| Weapons possession | 119 · 6% | |
| Other theft | 243 · 13% | |
| Vehicle crime | 125 · 7% |
When it happens
Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from police incident timestamps.
Walking in North Lawndale 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
- East Garfield Park34/100 · Elevated
- West Garfield Park29/100 · Elevated
- South Lawndale55/100 · Moderate
- Lower West Side58/100 · Moderate
- Humboldt Park30/100 · Elevated
Common questions
Is North Lawndale safe at night?
Elevated overall (safety index 26/100). About 51% of severity-weighted incidents in North Lawndale 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 North Lawndale?
Violent crime — 641 of 1,876 incidents (34%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center through July 2026.
How is the North Lawndale 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.