Cicero, IL Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Cicero, IL

Is Cicero, IL safe to live in?

Cicero earns an overall crime grade of C+, which places it in a moderate safety tier — not among Illinois's most dangerous communities, but with room for improvement. The town's population density of approximately 5,363 residents per square mile contributes to the mix of urban activity and localized crime pressure. Property crimes, particularly vehicle theft and burglary, tend to account for the largest share of reported incidents. Violent crime does occur but is concentrated in specific corridors rather than spread evenly across all neighborhoods. Residents in quieter western sections near the Berwyn border and areas with active block clubs generally report feeling safer day-to-day. Practicing standard precautions — locking vehicles, using porch lighting, and staying aware of surroundings after dark — goes a long way in a C+ environment.

What is the crime rate in Cicero, IL?

Cicero's overall crime picture is summarized by its C+ grade, reflecting a moderate crime environment relative to Illinois municipalities of similar size. Property crime is the dominant category, consistently outpacing violent crime in total incident volume. Theft-related offenses — including retail theft, motor vehicle theft, and residential burglary — represent the plurality of reported crimes. Assault and battery incidents do appear in the data, with a higher concentration during late-night hours in commercial and transit-adjacent zones. The town's poverty rate of 13.8% and median household income of $53,726 are contextual factors that researchers frequently correlate with property crime prevalence. Community policing initiatives and the Cicero Police Department actively work to address these patterns through targeted patrols and neighborhood engagement programs.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Cicero?

Cicero's safety landscape varies meaningfully by area. Neighborhoods in the southwestern portion of town, closer to the Berwyn and Stickney borders, tend to show lower incident densities on the crime map and benefit from stable, owner-occupied housing stock. The areas surrounding Hawthorne Park and the quieter residential blocks west of Laramie Avenue are frequently cited by long-term residents as feeling more secure. By contrast, corridors along Cicero Avenue and sections adjacent to major rail lines see higher concentrations of property crime and occasional violent incidents, consistent with patterns common to high-traffic commercial strips. Reviewing the interactive crime map with a time filter of 90 days gives the clearest current picture — look for blocks with fewer clustered incident pins and a lower ratio of violent-to-property crime markers.

Is Cicero a good place to live in 2026?

For budget-conscious households, Cicero offers a compelling value proposition backed by real numbers. The median home value is approximately $175,559 — well below the Chicago metro average — and the median rent sits at $951 per month, making it one of the more affordable entry points into the western suburbs. The unemployment rate of 4.7% is close to national norms, suggesting a reasonably active local labor market. The poverty rate of 13.8% does indicate economic stress in portions of the community, which correlates with the C+ crime grade. That said, many of Cicero's 81,471 residents navigate daily life without incident by choosing neighborhoods with lower crime density, participating in community watch programs, and leveraging the town's direct access to Chicago via the CTA Pink Line. Prospective residents should cross-reference the crime map with specific blocks of interest rather than treating the town as uniformly risky — the C+ grade is a town-wide average, and individual neighborhoods can perform noticeably better or worse than that baseline.

How does Cicero's crime compare to nearby suburbs?

With a C+ overall crime grade and a population density of 5,363 per square mile, Cicero sits in the middle of the safety spectrum when compared to its immediate neighbors. Berwyn and Oak Park, which border Cicero to the west and northwest respectively, generally post stronger safety grades driven by higher median incomes and lower poverty rates. Closer-in suburbs to the east and south that share similar density and income profiles tend to land in comparable C to C+ ranges. Cicero's median household income of $53,726 and 13.8% poverty rate are the most predictive socioeconomic variables — communities with similar profiles rarely achieve A-range grades without sustained investment in both economic development and community policing. The crime map's heat-map layer is the most efficient way to visualize how Cicero's hotspots compare geographically to incident clusters in neighboring towns.