Cary, LITH Among Safest Cities In Illinois

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL – Everyone wants to feel safe in the town that they call home. And new rankings of the crime rates in Illinois communities finds several area towns, including Lake in the Hills and Cary, are among the safest in the state, according to the recently released National Council for Home Safety rankings.

The rankings were compiled by reviewing the most recent FBI crime reporting data with population data.

The rankings found Illinois has fewer per capita property crimes than most states but more violent crimes. Its violent crime rate made it the 35th-safest state in the U.S., when adjusted for population, but it has the 18th lowest rate of property crimes.

Here is a look at how area communities compared with the rest of Illinois in the ranking of more than 200 towns:

Cary (#8)

• Population: 17,903
• Violent crimes: 20
• Property crimes: 75
• Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.12
• Property crimes per 1,000: 4.19

Lake in the Hills (#11)

• Population: 29,022
• Violent crimes: 24
• Property crimes: 146
• Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.83
• Property crimes per 1,000: 5.03

Barrington (#18)

• Population: 10,357
• Violent crimes: 3
• Property crimes: 76
• Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.29
• Property crimes per 1,000: 7.34

Huntley (#25)

• Population: 26,345
• Violent crimes: 7
• Property crimes: 213
• Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.27
• Property crimes per 1,000: 8.09

Algonquin (#66)

• Population: 30,673
• Violent crimes: 12
• Property crimes: 381
• Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.39
• Property crimes per 1,000: 12.42

Crystal Lake (#102)

• Population: 40,374
• Violent crimes: 44
• Property crimes: 624
• Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.09
• Property crimes per 1,000: 15.46

McHenry (#104)

• Population: 26,581
• Violent crimes: 40
• Property crimes: 403
• Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.50
• Property crimes per 1,000: 15.16

Woodstock (#109)

• Population: 25,259
• Violent crimes: 34
• Property crimes: 402
• Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.35
• Property crimes per 1,000: 15.92

Carpentersville (#112)

• Population: 38,664
• Violent crimes: 31
• Property crimes: 668
• Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.80
• Property crimes per 1,000: 17.2

Chicago was ranked 195th out of 206 cities listed, with a rate of more than 11 violent crimes and nearly 32 property crimes per 1,000 people.

Rounding out the bottom of the list were: Springfield, Rockford, East St. Louis, Mount Vernon, Lansing and Danville. The five safest towns in Illinois were: Western Springs, Channahon, Campton Hills, Waterloo and Homer Glen.

Cities were ranked based on the number of reported violent crimes, including aggravated assault, murder, rape and robbery, as well as property crimes, like burglary, arson, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft per 1,000 people.

The variables were weighted to give violent crimes 150 percent of the impact of property crimes because of their relative severity, the council explained in its explanation of its methodology.

Cities with populations under 10,000 or that did not submit a complete crime report were eliminated from the list.

Jonah Meadows contributed to this article.