We get asked for recommendations on “the safest places to live in Chicago” all the time. By law we are not allowed to answer that question for several reasons:
- It violates Federal Fair Housing standards which are meant to deter agents from steering buyers into or out of certain areas.
- My idea of safe might not be the same as your idea of safe. Ie: Shay grew up in Alaska where they had to worry more about moose and bear than we did other people. “Safe” is subjective.
So, what do you do if you are new to Chicago and don’t know what areas have the highest crime and what areas have the lowest crime?
We recommend checking out the following websites as they provide great crime data and are updated frequently:
- The Chicago Tribune Crime Heat Map
- City of Chicago Police Department website – read the district reports for the district you’re interested in living
- Trulia Crime Map
- National Sex Offender Registry
- Crime Data and the CTA stations
Drive around the area you’re thinking of living both at night and during the day to see what it’s like. Visit the police station and talk to the police offers. They can answer any questions you have and give you their perspective.