Herrin, IL Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Herrin, IL

What overall crime grade does Herrin receive?

Herrin earns an A- overall crime grade, placing it among the safer small cities in Illinois. This grade reflects a crime environment that is meaningfully better than the national average for communities of similar size and density. With a population of roughly 12,806 and a population density of 511 residents per square mile, Herrin's relatively low density helps limit the concentration of incidents that typically drives crime rates higher in more urban settings.

Is Herrin, IL a safe place to live?

By most measurable standards, yes. Herrin's A- crime grade signals that residents face a lower-than-average risk of becoming victims of either property or violent crime. For context, the city's unemployment rate stands at 5.6% and its poverty rate at 15.6% — two socioeconomic indicators that researchers consistently link to crime levels. Despite those figures being somewhat elevated, Herrin's crime outcomes remain strong, suggesting that community cohesion, local policing, and neighborhood-level engagement are offsetting factors. Areas near Herrin City Park and the established residential corridors around West Herrin are frequently cited by residents as particularly quiet and family-friendly.

How does Herrin's crime rate compare to similar Illinois cities?

Herrin's A- grade puts it in the top tier of comparably sized downstate Illinois communities. Cities with similar population counts (roughly 10,000–15,000 residents) and comparable poverty rates often score in the C or D range, making Herrin's performance notably above average. The city's median household income of $45,713 and median home value of $93,774 reflect a working-class but stable economic base, which correlates with the relatively controlled crime environment visible on the Herrin crime map.

What types of crime are most common in Herrin?

Like most small Midwestern cities, Herrin sees property crime — including theft, vehicle break-ins, and occasional burglary — as the most frequently reported category. Violent crime incidents such as assault do occur, particularly with some fluctuation in areas closer to commercial corridors, but they represent a smaller share of total reported incidents. The crime map's heat-map layer shows that incident clusters tend to be limited in geographic scope rather than spread uniformly across all neighborhoods, meaning large portions of Herrin — including residential areas near West Herrin — log very few reports in any given month.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Herrin?

Based on incident distribution visible in the Herrin crime map, the quietest areas tend to be the residential neighborhoods surrounding Herrin City Park and the West Herrin district. These areas benefit from lower traffic volumes, established owner-occupied housing stock (reflected in the city's median home value of $93,774), and active neighborhood familiarity. Prospective residents should cross-reference the interactive crime map with their target block to get the most granular picture, since even within a high-graded city like Herrin, micro-level variation exists.

Does Herrin's poverty rate affect its crime levels?

Herrin's poverty rate of 15.6% is above the national median, and economists consistently identify poverty as a structural driver of property crime in particular. However, Herrin's A- crime grade demonstrates that the city has managed this risk more effectively than many peers. Factors such as median rent of only $694 — keeping housing costs accessible — and active community policing programs appear to blunt the crime impact that higher poverty rates produce elsewhere. The result is a city where economic stress exists but has not translated into the elevated crime scores seen in similarly situated communities.

Is Herrin safe for families and retirees?

Yes. Herrin's A- crime grade, combined with affordable housing (median home value $93,774), low median rent ($694), and a tight-knit small-town character, makes it a practical and relatively secure choice for both families and retirees. The city's population density of just 511 people per square mile means neighborhoods feel spacious and are easier for residents to monitor informally — a dynamic that research links to lower rates of opportunistic property crime. Families gravitating toward the West Herrin area and retirees seeking walkable access to Herrin City Park consistently report high satisfaction with day-to-day safety.

How can I stay updated on crime activity in Herrin?

The most reliable methods are: (1) bookmarking the Herrin Police Department's official website for press releases and incident summaries; (2) using third-party platforms like CrimeMapping.com or SpotCrime, which aggregate local dispatch data and let you filter by crime type and date range; and (3) checking this page's interactive crime map, which is updated regularly and displays incident-level detail including category, date, and general location. Given Herrin's strong A- baseline, most users will find the map reassuring — but staying informed is always worthwhile regardless of a city's overall grade.