Near West Side Safety Report
COMMUNITY • CHICAGO, ILSummary
Near West Side has a use caution overall safety rating, with notably higher crime than most of the 76 areas analyzed. The area has a median home value of $380K (+44.4% vs area average), median household income of $115K (+58.5% vs area average), population density of 12,245 people per square mile and occupancy rate of 92.23% (+2.5% vs area average).
Crime & Safety Analysis
Safety Overview for Near West Side
Based on comprehensive analysis of 5 distinct safety categories over the past year of data, Near West Side in Chicago, IL receives a use caution overall safety rating. This means crime rates here are notably higher than most comparable areas. This community was compared against 76 similar locations in the region. Each safety category below provides detailed crime statistics, temporal patterns, and comparative rankings to help you understand the specific safety profile of this community in Chicago, IL.
Walking Safety
This area has somewhat higher walking safety related crime rates than average for communitys in the region. This area ranks #59 out of 76 communitys analyzed.
2,691
Total Incidents
224.3
Monthly Average
#59 / 76
Safety Rank
Moderate
Safety Level
Time of Day Pattern
Crime incidents in Near West Side show distinct patterns throughout the day. The peak activity occurs during the afternoon hours, with the highest concentration at 15:00 (165 incidents). Conversely, the safest time of day is during the morning, particularly around 5:00 when incident rates drop to 35. Understanding these hourly crime patterns in Chicago, IL can help residents and visitors make informed decisions about when to travel through the area.
Monthly Trend
Monthly crime data for Near West Side reveals seasonal patterns and trends. The month with the highest incident count was 2025-09 with 266 incidents, while 2025-02 saw the lowest activity at 140 incidents. On average, this community in Chicago experiences approximately 224 incidents per month. The data shows a increasing trend, with incident rates rising by approximately 22% over the analyzed period. These temporal patterns can help residents understand when crime rates in IL neighborhoods like Near West Side tend to fluctuate.
Top Crime Categories
The most common type of crime in Near West Side is Assault | Simple, accounting for 52% of all incidents (1399 cases). This is followed by Assault | Aggravated - Handgun at 5.9% (159 cases). The top three categories combined represent 63% of all crime in this area. Understanding the specific types of crimes that occur most frequently in Chicago, IL helps residents assess relevant safety concerns for their neighborhood.
Demographics & Housing
Population Density
12,244.93
people per sq mi (average)
Ranks #37 of 76 communitys
-9.6% vs area average
Occupancy Rate
92.2%
estimated units occupied
Ranks #31 of 76 communitys
+2.5% vs area average
Median Home Value
$380,233.77
average estimate
Ranks #13 of 76 communitys
+44.4% vs area average
Median Household Income
$115,114.56
average estimate
Ranks #11 of 76 communitys
+58.5% vs area average
Age Distribution
Percentages are population-weighted averages across census tracts within this community. Hover or tap segments for detailed rankings.