Palos Hills, IL Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Palos Hills, IL

Is Palos Hills, IL safe?

By the numbers, Palos Hills earns an overall crime grade of B+ for 2026, placing it well above average for Illinois suburbs of comparable size. With a population of roughly 17,172 and a population density of 1,561 residents per square mile, the city is suburban enough to benefit from natural community oversight without the anonymity that fuels higher crime in denser urban areas. Property crime — particularly vehicle-related theft and opportunistic burglary — accounts for the largest share of reported incidents, while violent crime remains comparatively rare. Neighborhoods near the Palos Hills Golf Course corridor and the residential zones surrounding Palos Hills Community Park consistently show lower incident concentrations on the crime map. The city's 4.9% unemployment rate and median household income of $64,364 also correlate with the kind of economic stability that research links to lower crime prevalence.

What is the crime rate in Palos Hills?

Palos Hills holds a B+ overall crime grade in 2026 — a strong indicator that the city outperforms many Illinois municipalities of similar population. When broken down by category, property crimes make up the overwhelming majority of reported incidents; violent offenses represent a small minority of the total caseload. The city's 12% poverty rate is a factor worth monitoring, as economic stress can correlate with property crime upticks, but the relatively low unemployment rate of 4.9% helps offset that pressure. Compared to statewide averages, Palos Hills residents face a meaningfully lower risk of both property and violent victimization, and the crime map reflects that most of the city's residential grid — including quieter streets near the forest preserve boundaries — records minimal incident density across any given month.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Palos Hills?

While hyper-granular block-level data varies month to month, the crime map consistently highlights a few patterns. Residential areas adjacent to the Palos Hills forest preserve trails and the neighborhoods flanking Palos Hills Community Park tend to show the lightest incident clustering, benefiting from lower through-traffic and strong neighbor familiarity. The areas near the Palos Hills Golf Course also trend toward lower reported incidents, particularly for property crime. In contrast, corridors with higher commercial density can see slightly elevated theft and vandalism reports — a pattern common to virtually every suburb of similar size. The city's overall B+ crime grade means that even its comparatively busier zones still perform respectably against regional benchmarks. Prospective residents should use the interactive crime map to filter by incident type and time range to get the most current neighborhood-level picture.

Is Palos Hills a good place to live?

The data makes a compelling case. Palos Hills combines a B+ overall crime grade with a median home value of $203,137 — well below many comparable Chicago-area suburbs — and a median household income of $64,364, suggesting solid purchasing power relative to local housing costs. The unemployment rate of 4.9% signals a functional local economy, and median rent of $1,073 keeps the city accessible to renters as well as owners. The 12% poverty rate is the one figure that warrants attention, as it slightly exceeds the suburban Cook County average, but community services and school resources help mitigate downstream effects. For families weighing safety alongside affordability, Palos Hills delivers: the combination of a strong crime grade, reasonable cost of living, and proximity to forest preserve recreation makes it one of the more well-rounded options in the southwest suburban corridor. Regularly consulting the Palos Hills crime map ensures you stay ahead of any emerging local trends.

How does Palos Hills' crime grade compare to nearby suburbs?

A B+ overall crime grade positions Palos Hills favorably within the southwest Cook County suburban belt. Many municipalities of similar population density and income profile settle into the B range; Palos Hills' B+ reflects a measurable edge in keeping both property and violent crime rates below what its demographic profile might statistically predict. The city's relatively low population density of 1,561 per square mile — lower than many inner-ring suburbs — limits the kind of foot-traffic anonymity that elevates crime risk elsewhere. Residents comparing Palos Hills against neighboring communities should look beyond raw incident counts and weight grades against population size; on a per-capita basis, Palos Hills consistently performs well, particularly on violent crime metrics.

What types of crime are most common in Palos Hills?

Property crime dominates the incident log in Palos Hills, consistent with its B+ grade and suburban character. Theft — including motor vehicle theft and theft from vehicles — represents the most frequently reported category, followed by residential burglary and vandalism. Violent crimes such as assault and robbery occur at significantly lower rates and tend to be isolated rather than patterned across specific zones. The areas with the highest property crime density on the map correspond to commercial corridors with higher parking lot exposure, while purely residential blocks — especially those near the forest preserve edges — report far fewer incidents of any type. Understanding this breakdown helps residents take targeted precautions: securing vehicles, using motion-sensor lighting, and participating in neighborhood watch programs address the most statistically likely risks in Palos Hills.