4 Illinois Cities Named To The “25 Safest Places In US” List

Over the years, I've lived in multiple apartments and houses. Some turned out to be in very un-safe areas (which I later learned), and others were in places that the majority of homes didn't even lock their doors at night because they were confident of the safety of the neighborhood or town.

Unsurprisingly, feeling safe where you live is a far better feeling than having the constant worry that soon enough it'll be your time to become a crime victim.

Consider where you live now. Which category do you fall in: feeling safe where you live and work, or constantly worried about the potential dangers that might be right outside your door?

If it's the latter, read on to learn which four Illinois cities rated among the 25 safest places to live in the United States, according to a new study.

It's All About Location, Location, Location

When you hear discussions about buying property, starting a business, and most importantly, where to live, you often hear the same word repeated three times in a row:

Location, location, location.

For most of us, the location that means the most is our home. You want your family to feel safe and secure, not living in fear and looking over their shoulders. That's why one of the first questions potential homebuyers ask about a house they're considering is "how safe is the area?"

Despite what you may have heard about crime in Illinois, there are plenty of places in the state that are fairly close to being crime-free.

While Four Illinois Cities Landed On The Top 25 List Of The Safest Places In The US, You Might Be Wondering What Criteria They Used To Determine The Top 25

US News & World Report used murder and property crime as their guide in their piece "Safest Places to Live in the U.S. in 2025-2026:"

Crime rate can be one of the deciding factors of where families settle down. Based on the city's murder and property crime rates per 100,000 people, determined by FBI crime reports, these are the safest places to live in the United States among the 859 cities analyzed in this year's rankings.

According to the US News & World Report study, the safest place to live in the entire nation is Johns Creek, Georgia, a city of around 80,000 people. Coming in right behind is Centreville, Virginia, with around 70,000 residents. In third place comes Newton, Massachusetts, which is home to around 90,000 people.

Here In The Land Of Lincoln, These Are The Four Safest Places To Live

Let's get started with the Illinois city that came in highest on the US News & World Report list at number-twelve:

Arlington Heights:

About 73,663 people live in Arlington Heights, and the median age here is 43.1.

The median household income in Arlington Heights is $114,653, and the average commute time is about 23.96 minutes. The unemployment rate here is 3.13%.

If you want to buy a house in Arlington Heights, the median home value is $382,333.

And if you're a renter, you can expect the median rent here to be $1,392.

Coming in next in the number-eighteen spot is Buffalo Grove:

About 41,339 people live in Buffalo Grove, and the median age here is 42.3.

The median household income in Buffalo Grove is $133,839, and the average commute time is about 23.91 minutes. The unemployment rate here is 3.74%.

If you want to buy a house in Buffalo Grove, the median home value is $385,003.

And if you're a renter, you can expect the median rent here to be $1,611.

Next, it's Naperville at number-nineteen:

About 148,437 people live in Naperville, and the median age here is 39.8.

The median household income in Naperville is $147,382, and the average commute time is about 25.76 minutes. The unemployment rate here is 5.15%.

If you want to buy a house in Naperville, the median home value is $473,285.

And if you're a renter, you can expect the median rent here to be $1,452.

Lastly, tied with Naperville at #19, it's Palatine:

About 64,712 people live in Palatine, and the median age here is 40.2.

The median household income in Palatine is $96,227, and the average commute time is about 23.99 minutes. The unemployment rate here is 4.17%.

If you want to buy a house in Palatine, the median home value is $337,886.

And if you're a renter, you can expect the median rent here to be $1,226.