Safety index · Chicago · data through August 2026
Is West Lawn safe?
West Lawn sits at the safer end of Chicago by reported crime. Its SafeRoute safety index is 76 out of 100 — 19 points above the citywide median of 57, ranking 14th of 77 Chicago community areas — based on 342 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 West Lawn against other neighborhoods here, and cannot be read against a score in another city.
The largest reported category here is violent crime (25% of reports) — worth taking seriously when walking at night; the full mix is broken down below.
Incidents spread across the day here — roughly 31% of severity-weighted reports come in the evening (6 p.m.–midnight) and 29% overnight.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Violent crime | 86 · 25% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 41 · 12% | |
| Other theft | 66 · 19% | |
| Vehicle crime | 55 · 16% | |
| Burglary | 24 · 7% | |
| Other | 36 · 11% |
When it happens
Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from police incident timestamps.
Walking in West Lawn 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
- West Elsdon65/100 · Moderate
- Chicago Lawn47/100 · Elevated
- Ashburn73/100 · Moderate
- Clearing77/100 · Low risk
- Gage Park57/100 · Moderate
Common questions
Is West Lawn safe at night?
Low risk overall (safety index 76/100). About 60% of severity-weighted incidents in West Lawn 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 West Lawn?
Violent crime — 86 of 342 incidents (25%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center over the 7 months to August 2026.
How is the West Lawn 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.