Pekin, IL Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Pekin, IL

Is Pekin, IL safe to live in?

Yes — Pekin earns an overall crime grade of A, placing it in the Very Safe category. Every one of the 6 neighborhoods analyzed in the city received an A-range grade, meaning 100% of Pekin neighborhoods qualify as safe. That kind of uniformity across an entire city is rare. Neighborhoods like Country Club Estates, Kriegsman, Suncrest, Sunset Hills, and Pekin Gardens all achieved the highest possible rating of A+, while Normandale rounds out the analysis with a solid A−. For context, Pekin's population of roughly 32,800 residents is spread across a relatively modest density of 805 people per square mile, which contributes to a community-oriented environment where neighbors tend to know one another — a well-documented factor in lower crime rates.

What is the crime rate in Pekin, IL?

Pekin's crime picture is notably positive. The city-wide safety rating is Very Safe (Grade A), and the grade distribution tells a clear story: 100% of analyzed neighborhoods earned an A, with zero neighborhoods receiving a B, C, D, or F. The areas with the highest relative crime activity within the city — Pekin Gardens, Sunset Hills, Suncrest, and Kriegsman — still each hold an A+ grade, meaning even Pekin's most active areas rank among the safest you'll find in Illinois. For additional context, Pekin's median household income sits at $50,552 and the poverty rate is 15.5% — socioeconomic factors that researchers often correlate with crime trends — yet the city's safety grades remain consistently excellent across all neighborhoods.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Pekin, IL?

All six analyzed neighborhoods in Pekin are safe, but five earned the top grade of A+:

• Country Club Estates — Grade A+ | Median income: $109,683 | Population: ~129
• Kriegsman — Grade A+ | Median income: $66,742 | Population: ~546
• Suncrest — Grade A+ | Median income: $62,957 | Population: ~550
• Sunset Hills — Grade A+ | Median income: $82,480 | Population: ~2,566
• Pekin Gardens — Grade A+ | Median income: $52,271 | Population: ~1,361

Normandale holds a Grade A− with a median income of $47,083 and a small population of about 24 residents. Notably, the A+ neighborhoods span a wide income range — from Pekin Gardens at $52,271 up to Country Club Estates at $109,683 — demonstrating that safety in Pekin is not limited to the most affluent areas. Sunset Hills, the most populous A+ neighborhood at over 2,500 residents, is a particularly strong data point given that larger populations can statistically increase crime exposure.

How does Pekin, IL compare to other Illinois cities for safety?

Pekin's Grade A overall safety rating and 100% A-grade neighborhood distribution place it well above average for Illinois cities of comparable size. With a population of 32,796 and a population density of just 805 per square mile, Pekin benefits from the lower density typical of safer communities. The city's unemployment rate of 5.5% and median home value of $104,207 reflect a stable, affordable community — and stability tends to correlate with lower crime. Cities with similar demographics but higher density or greater income inequality often see wider variance in neighborhood safety grades, whereas Pekin's 0% of neighborhoods graded C or below is a meaningful differentiator.

Is Pekin, IL a good place to buy a home or raise a family?

From a safety and affordability standpoint, Pekin scores well on both counts. The median home value of $104,207 and median rent of $671 make it one of the more affordable mid-sized Illinois communities, while the city-wide Grade A safety rating means families are not trading safety for affordability. All five of the city's most populous analyzed neighborhoods — including Sunset Hills (pop. ~2,566) and Pekin Gardens (pop. ~1,361) — earned A+ grades, suggesting that the areas where most residents actually live are among the safest. The poverty rate of 15.5% is worth monitoring as a long-term economic indicator, but current crime data shows no measurable impact on neighborhood safety grades across the city.