How do you navigate the most dangerous cities in Illinois when trying to make an informed decision on what city to call home? You look at the FBI crime data.
And that’s precisely what we did for you.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare the FBI crime data for violent and property crimes per capita in cities with a minimum population of 5,000. We’re not saying there aren’t little pockets of goodness in these Illinois cities. For example, Chicago isn’t nearly as bad as certain people would have you believe.
If you live in Illinois’ safest city, Hawthorn Woods, keep enjoying life. If you don’t, grab your deep dish and read on.
1,684 violent crimes /100k · 5,676 property crimes /100k · #1 most violent in Illinois
Located in
Vermilion County, IllinoisWhile Mount Vernon takes the cake for most dangerous city statewide overall, there’s nowhere more violent in Illinois than Danville. Danville averaged a murder each month in 2024, giving the city the 67th highest murder rate in the state. With all that live-action violence going on every day, it’s no wonder that the Vermilion County War Museum is one of Danville’s biggest attractions.
It’s not like Danville doesn’t have its fair share of property crime either — each year, residents face a 1 in 17 chance of having their stuff damaged or stolen.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,345 violent crimes /100k · 4,284 property crimes /100k · #2 most violent in Illinois
Located in
Peoria County, IllinoisComing in as the second most dangerous place in Illinois is Peoria. Peoria is known for having one of the most scenic roads in the country, Grand View Drive, but with 852 car thefts occurring in 2024, we wonder how many people that got to experience it in 2024 were driving cars they actually owned.
Peoria also ranked as the second most violent place in Illinois, with 14 murders taking place and residents facing a 1 in 74 chance of being attacked in 2024.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,005 violent crimes /100k · 3,685 property crimes /100k · #5 most violent in Illinois
Located in
Williamson County, IllinoisCarbondale wasn’t even in the top twenty most dangerous places in Illinois last year, so hopefully, they can get crime back under control and disappear from this list by next year. The city in southern Illinois experienced 792 property crimes in 2024.
Additionally, Carbondale had the highest rate of rape cases in Illinois, with one occurring just about every week, on average. The city also averaged about two aggravated assault cases a week.
So while the statues of mythical creatures at Boo Castle Park might be scary, you have a lot more to fear from the criminal elements of Carbondale.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
901 violent crimes /100k · 4,911 property crimes /100k · #8 most violent in Illinois
Located in
Sangamon County, IllinoisI’m going to go out on a limb here and posit that the Springfield the Simpsons live in isn’t in Illinois, based on the fact that the Simpson’s hometown only has one bumbling criminal at work. I’m also going to guess that Abraham Lincoln would be pretty disappointed with the state of affairs in Springfield these days.
Both violent crime and property crime rates in Springfield are in the top ten statewide, with 5,499 instances of theft, burglary, and vandalism, and 1,009 attacks and murders.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
987 violent crimes /100k · 3,523 property crimes /100k · #6 most violent in Illinois
Located in
Cook County, IllinoisCalumet Park ranked as the fifth most dangerous place to live in Illinois. With a 987/100k rate of violent crime and a 3,523/100k rate of property crime, the risks for residents are evident. The village’s 65 incidents of violent crime, including 0, murders, and the prevalent property crimes totaling 232, underscore the challenges faced by local law enforcement.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,232 violent crimes /100k · 2,732 property crimes /100k · #3 most violent in Illinois
Located in
Cook County, IllinoisIn Chicago Heights, residents face a substantial threat from violence and property crimes, making it one of the more hazardous locations in Illinois. With a violent crime rate of 1,232/100k and a property crime rate of 2,732/100k, safety is a significant concern. The figures speak for themselves; with 318 incidents of violent crime including 5 murders, the city holds the third highest position for the highest violent crime rate in the state.
Located in Cook County, this citys struggle with crime is not to be understated. Being approximately 30 miles south of the bustling Chicago Loop, means that while it shares some challenges with larger urban areas, there is potential for change and a safer environment for its 25,802 residents.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
597 violent crimes /100k · 2,972 property crimes /100k · #15 most violent in Illinois
Located in
Whiteside County, IllinoisData | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
709 violent crimes /100k · 2,857 property crimes /100k · #10 most violent in Illinois
Located in
Cook County, IllinoisData | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
540 violent crimes /100k · 3,472 property crimes /100k · #21 most violent in Illinois
Located in
DuPage County, IllinoisChicago has garnered a reputation as one of the most dangerous cities in Illinois due to its high rates of violent crime, including shootings and homicides. The city’s struggle with gang violence is a significant contributor to the 14,245 incidents of violent crime.
Numerous gangs vie for control of different territories within the city, often resulting in turf wars that escalate into public shootings and retaliatory violence. In particular, the South Side and West Side neighborhoods have been notorious for such activities, where incidents of gun violence are disproportionately high compared to other areas of the city.
Furthermore, socioeconomic factors are critical to the city’s safety issues. Chicago faces substantial economic disparities, with some neighborhoods experiencing high levels of poverty, unemployment, and educational disadvantages.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers | Compare
602 violent crimes /100k · 2,867 property crimes /100k · #14 most violent in Illinois
Located in
Macon County, IllinoisDecatur is located in the center of Illinois. When you hear about the state, your mind might automatically turn to Chicago , the biggest city in the Midwest and the home of infamous criminals like Al Capone.
Well, that’s a long way from here. Decatur sits in the middle of farm country. No wonder it serves as the headquarters of agriculture giant Archer Daniels Midland. But while farms make up much of the surrounding landscape, Decatur suffers from a taste of the Chicago-style crime. While violence is reasonably under wraps, high burglary rates contribute to making this the number 10 most dangerous spot in Illinois.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Illinois’s statewide median.
On the map
Where crime hits hardest in Illinois
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most dangerous cities in Illinois for 2026?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Illinois. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Illinois, followed by a more detailed release at the end of the year.
For our analysis, we focused on the 2024 data, specifically the 2024 Crime In The United States Report for Illinois.
So what criteria did we use? Have a look:
- Violent Crimes Per Capita
- Property Crimes Per Capita
In order to make the analysis as apples to apples as possible, we only considered Illinois cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 284 cities in Illinois.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 284 for the two criteria with a #1 ranking being the most dangerous for the particular criteria.
Next, we averaged the two rankings into one “Dangerous Index”.
Finally, we ranked every city on the “Dangerous Index” with the lowest index being the most dangerous in Illinois — Danville. Any ties went to the smaller city.
This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. It is our eleventh time ranking the most dangerous places to live in Illinois and is updated for 2026.
The full plate
Crime By City In Illinois
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Dangerous Index | Population | Total Crimes Per 100K | Violent Crimes Per 100K | Property Crimes Per 100K | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danville | 2.00 | 27,905 | 7,361 | 1,684 | 5,676 | 1 |
| 2 | Peoria | 4.00 | 109,677 | 5,629 | 1,345 | 4,284 | 14 |
| 3 | Carbondale | 6.00 | 21,494 | 4,690 | 1,005 | 3,685 | 2 |
| 4 | Springfield | 6.50 | 111,965 | 5,813 | 901 | 4,911 | 9 |
| 5 | Calumet Park | 8.00 | 6,586 | 4,510 | 987 | 3,523 | 0 |
| 6 | Chicago Heights | 14.50 | 25,802 | 3,965 | 1,232 | 2,732 | 5 |
| 7 | Rock Falls | 16.00 | 8,545 | 3,569 | 597 | 2,972 | 1 |
| 8 | Riverdale | 16.00 | 10,009 | 3,567 | 709 | 2,857 | 7 |
| 9 | Chicago | 16.00 | 2,638,698 | 4,012 | 540 | 3,472 | 461 |
| 10 | Decatur | 17.00 | 67,934 | 3,470 | 602 | 2,867 | 5 |
| 11 | Alton | 19.00 | 24,809 | 3,632 | 963 | 2,668 | 3 |
| 12 | Peoria Heights | 20.50 | 5,699 | 3,474 | 807 | 2,667 | 0 |
| 13 | Rockford | 20.50 | 145,280 | 3,597 | 1,080 | 2,517 | 19 |
| 14 | Galesburg | 21.00 | 28,864 | 3,478 | 513 | 2,966 | 2 |
| 15 | Centralia | 22.50 | 11,748 | 3,243 | 664 | 2,579 | 0 |
| 16 | Marion | 22.50 | 16,856 | 3,399 | 469 | 2,931 | 0 |
| 17 | Rock Island | 23.00 | 35,841 | 3,259 | 544 | 2,715 | 2 |
| 18 | Hazel Crest | 24.00 | 12,588 | 3,233 | 540 | 2,693 | 0 |
| 19 | Fairview Heights | 25.00 | 15,948 | 3,436 | 408 | 3,029 | 1 |
| 20 | Carlinville | 26.00 | 5,480 | 3,303 | 438 | 2,865 | 0 |
| 21 | Moline | 26.00 | 41,659 | 3,718 | 384 | 3,334 | 5 |
| 22 | Granite City | 26.50 | 26,708 | 3,108 | 618 | 2,490 | 1 |
| 23 | Forest Park | 28.00 | 13,460 | 3,247 | 416 | 2,831 | 4 |
| 24 | Urbana | 28.50 | 38,204 | 3,036 | 544 | 2,492 | 1 |
| 25 | Blue Island | 30.50 | 21,179 | 3,121 | 434 | 2,687 | 3 |
| 26 | Oak Park | 31.00 | 51,306 | 3,931 | 324 | 3,608 | 3 |
| 27 | Murphysboro | 31.50 | 6,924 | 3,466 | 332 | 3,134 | 1 |
| 28 | Champaign | 36.00 | 89,466 | 2,781 | 502 | 2,279 | 5 |
| 29 | Herrin | 36.50 | 12,125 | 2,928 | 388 | 2,540 | 0 |
| 30 | North Riverside | 37.00 | 6,966 | 5,742 | 273 | 5,469 | 0 |
| 31 | DeKalb | 37.00 | 40,208 | 2,907 | 393 | 2,514 | 0 |
| 32 | Alsip | 39.50 | 17,941 | 3,344 | 290 | 3,054 | 0 |
| 33 | Rantoul | 41.50 | 11,835 | 2,324 | 549 | 1,774 | 1 |
| 34 | Country Club Hills | 42.00 | 15,787 | 2,876 | 329 | 2,546 | 3 |
| 35 | Belleville | 42.50 | 40,225 | 2,344 | 532 | 1,812 | 6 |
| 36 | Silvis | 44.50 | 7,865 | 3,865 | 242 | 3,624 | 0 |
| 37 | Bartonville | 48.50 | 5,730 | 2,408 | 384 | 2,024 | 0 |
| 38 | Litchfield | 48.50 | 6,566 | 3,366 | 228 | 3,137 | 0 |
| 39 | Lansing | 49.50 | 27,309 | 2,230 | 392 | 1,838 | 1 |
| 40 | South Holland | 50.00 | 20,192 | 2,451 | 337 | 2,115 | 2 |
| 41 | East Moline | 51.00 | 20,637 | 2,670 | 315 | 2,355 | 1 |
| 42 | Harvey | 51.50 | 19,121 | 2,217 | 706 | 1,511 | 1 |
| 43 | Richton Park | 52.50 | 12,187 | 2,437 | 328 | 2,109 | 1 |
| 44 | Charleston | 54.50 | 16,957 | 2,153 | 360 | 1,793 | 0 |
| 45 | East Alton | 56.00 | 5,596 | 2,055 | 447 | 1,608 | 0 |
| 46 | Paris | 56.00 | 7,967 | 2,033 | 577 | 1,456 | 0 |
| 47 | Waukegan | 56.00 | 87,155 | 2,060 | 445 | 1,614 | 5 |
| 48 | Jacksonville | 57.50 | 17,122 | 2,406 | 304 | 2,103 | 2 |
| 49 | Summit | 58.50 | 10,455 | 1,999 | 469 | 1,530 | 2 |
| 50 | Bradley | 58.50 | 15,224 | 2,608 | 269 | 2,338 | 2 |
| 51 | East Peoria | 59.00 | 21,873 | 2,629 | 265 | 2,364 | 1 |
| 52 | Skokie | 61.00 | 64,047 | 2,890 | 205 | 2,686 | 0 |
| 53 | Steger | 62.00 | 9,190 | 2,078 | 316 | 1,763 | 0 |
| 54 | Melrose Park | 63.50 | 23,327 | 2,075 | 304 | 1,770 | 2 |
| 55 | Posen | 64.50 | 5,258 | 2,472 | 247 | 2,225 | 0 |
| 56 | Chicago Ridge | 64.50 | 13,658 | 2,079 | 286 | 1,794 | 0 |
| 57 | University Park | 67.50 | 6,960 | 2,026 | 302 | 1,724 | 0 |
| 58 | Clinton | 68.00 | 6,876 | 2,123 | 262 | 1,862 | 0 |
| 59 | Hillside | 68.50 | 7,808 | 2,177 | 256 | 1,921 | 0 |
| 60 | Normal | 69.50 | 52,573 | 1,879 | 329 | 1,550 | 2 |
| 61 | Sauk Village | 70.00 | 9,360 | 1,741 | 406 | 1,335 | 2 |
| 62 | Mattoon | 70.50 | 16,464 | 1,731 | 528 | 1,203 | 1 |
| 63 | Freeport | 70.50 | 22,888 | 1,769 | 363 | 1,407 | 3 |
| 64 | Machesney Park | 71.50 | 22,530 | 1,855 | 320 | 1,536 | 0 |
| 65 | Wood River | 72.00 | 10,216 | 1,987 | 274 | 1,713 | 0 |
| 66 | Monmouth | 72.50 | 8,460 | 1,738 | 366 | 1,371 | 0 |
| 67 | Robinson | 73.50 | 6,968 | 1,909 | 301 | 1,607 | 0 |
| 68 | Effingham | 73.50 | 12,246 | 2,197 | 220 | 1,976 | 0 |
| 69 | Evergreen Park | 73.50 | 18,734 | 5,957 | 123 | 5,834 | 0 |
| 70 | Loves Park | 73.50 | 23,312 | 1,737 | 356 | 1,381 | 0 |
| 71 | Morris | 74.50 | 14,608 | 1,828 | 315 | 1,513 | 3 |
| 72 | Pontoon Beach | 76.50 | 5,786 | 1,953 | 259 | 1,694 | 0 |
| 73 | Burbank | 77.50 | 27,784 | 2,163 | 198 | 1,965 | 0 |
| 74 | Evanston | 77.50 | 74,178 | 2,884 | 142 | 2,742 | 0 |
| 75 | Fox Lake | 78.00 | 10,749 | 1,944 | 251 | 1,693 | 0 |
| 76 | Glenwood | 79.00 | 8,150 | 1,975 | 221 | 1,755 | 2 |
| 77 | Joliet | 79.00 | 150,569 | 1,595 | 350 | 1,245 | 0 |
| 78 | Homewood | 79.50 | 18,269 | 2,277 | 186 | 2,091 | 0 |
| 79 | Park Forest | 79.50 | 20,487 | 1,791 | 283 | 1,508 | 3 |
| 80 | Sterling | 80.50 | 14,400 | 1,653 | 319 | 1,333 | 3 |
| 81 | Cicero | 80.50 | 79,748 | 1,581 | 347 | 1,234 | 4 |
| 82 | Salem | 82.50 | 6,988 | 1,531 | 386 | 1,145 | 0 |
| 83 | Gurnee | 82.50 | 30,041 | 2,410 | 166 | 2,244 | 1 |
| 84 | Peru | 83.00 | 9,734 | 1,890 | 226 | 1,664 | 0 |
| 85 | Collinsville | 83.00 | 23,599 | 1,953 | 195 | 1,759 | 0 |
| 86 | Monee | 84.00 | 5,091 | 1,670 | 275 | 1,395 | 0 |
| 87 | Countryside | 85.50 | 6,064 | 2,606 | 148 | 2,457 | 0 |
| 88 | Streator | 85.50 | 12,203 | 1,942 | 188 | 1,754 | 0 |
| 89 | Metropolis | 87.50 | 5,726 | 1,554 | 279 | 1,275 | 0 |
| 90 | Bellwood | 89.00 | 17,623 | 1,504 | 306 | 1,197 | 2 |
| 91 | Zion | 89.00 | 24,068 | 1,446 | 453 | 993 | 3 |
| 92 | Willowbrook | 89.50 | 8,981 | 2,160 | 156 | 2,004 | 0 |
| 93 | Oak Lawn | 90.00 | 54,953 | 1,907 | 180 | 1,727 | 2 |
| 94 | Midlothian | 91.00 | 13,485 | 1,765 | 200 | 1,565 | 0 |
| 95 | Aurora | 91.50 | 176,688 | 1,518 | 266 | 1,252 | 1 |
| 96 | Crestwood | 92.00 | 10,258 | 2,291 | 136 | 2,154 | 0 |
| 97 | Pontiac | 93.00 | 10,958 | 1,597 | 237 | 1,360 | 0 |
| 98 | Lincolnwood | 95.50 | 12,697 | 2,638 | 110 | 2,528 | 0 |
| 99 | Villa Park | 96.50 | 21,570 | 1,748 | 181 | 1,567 | 2 |
| 100 | Ottawa | 98.50 | 18,722 | 1,683 | 187 | 1,496 | 0 |
Source: FBI UCR 2024. 284 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Locking It All Up In Illinois
So what is the most dangerous city in Illinois? After analyzing 284 cities in Illinois, Danville takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Illinois based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2024.
The latest FBI crime data shows that Danville ranks as the most dangerous city in Illinois for 2026.
The most dangerous cities in Illinois are Danville, Peoria, Carbondale, Springfield, Calumet Park, Chicago Heights, Rock Falls, Riverdale, Chicago, and Decatur.
We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Danville and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up. Not sold on Illinois? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Most Dangerous Places To Live In Illinois FAQs
Is Illinois a dangerous state?
No, Illinois is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #24 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in Illinois ranks 18th most dangerous in the United States — 15.17% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Prairie State ranks 38th most dangerous in the United States — 20.21% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.
Is Chicago, IL a dangerous city?
Yes, Chicago is a dangerous city. Chicago ranks as the #116 most dangerous out of 328 major cities over 100,000 people in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. Keep in mind that are always safe and dangerous parts of any city, so even though Chicago might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Edison Park is the safest in Chicago, while West Garfield Park is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Chicago ranks 142nd highest in America — 2.45% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 102nd highest in the United States — 14.81% worse than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022 and that no city in America is ‘dangerous’. Despite the uptick in murders, it’s nothing like you’d see in Tijuana or Caracas where the murder rate is 2x any American city.
