The Safest and Most Dangerous Places in Lake Forest, IL: Crime Maps and Statistics

A-

Overall Crime Grade™

Violent Crime Grade	A-
Property Crime Grade	B+
Other Crime Grade	B+

Which crimes are included?

$4.95 million

Cost of Crime™ for Lake Forest, IL

In 2025, crime will cost $695 per household.

More cost data

Crime Grade's crime map highlights the safest areas in Lake Forest in green, the most dangerous in red, and moderately safe areas in yellow. Crime rates on the map are weighted based on both the type and severity of the crime. For more information on how to interpret our crime maps, see the Interpreting the Crime Maps section below.

Is Lake Forest, IL Safe?

The A- grade indicates that the rate of crime is lower than that of the average US city. Lake Forest ranks in the 79th percentile for safety, meaning it is safer than 79% of cities but less safe than 21%. This analysis applies only to Lake Forest's official city boundaries. See the table below for nearby cities.

The crime rate in Lake Forest is 15.54 per 1,000 residents in the typical year. Lake Forest Residents generally consider the west part of the city to be the safest. Your chance of being a victim of crime in Lake Forest varies by neighborhood - ranging from 1 in 47 in the northwest neighborhoods to 1 in 96 in the west.

When looking at total crime counts (rather than per capita rates), the north parts of Lake Forest, IL see the most incidents - about 61 per year. In contrast, the southeast part of the city has the fewest, with approximately 17 crimes annually.

The Cost of Crime™ in Lake Forest, IL

The total projected cost of crime in Lake Forest for 2025 is $4,954,103. This translates to approximately $257 per resident and $695 per household. On average, crime-related costs account for 0.2% of the median household income in Lake Forest. These figures reflect only tangible costs, which include the following:

Criminal justice system costs (law enforcement, courts, and imprisonment): 57.1%
Direct costs to victims (damaged property, medical expenses, and lost wages): 29.4%
Lost economic contribution from offenders (time in prison or repeat offenses): 13.4%

How Much Does Crime Cost in Lake Forest Compared to Other Cities?

Lake Forest, IL:	$257
East St. Louis, IL:	$1106
Germantown Hills, IL:	$156
Illinois:	$420
USA:	$464

The Cost of Crime per resident in Lake Forest is $257 per year, which is $208 less than the national average and $164 less than Illinois's state average. Below we compare cities similar to Lake Forest:

In East St. Louis, IL, crime costs $1,106 per person, which is $849 more than in Lake Forest.
In Germantown Hills, IL, crime costs $156 per person, which is $101 less than in Lake Forest

2025 Projected Cost by Type of Crime

The table below shows the total cost of crime to the residents of Lake Forest for the year 2025 along with the projected cost per resident.

Crime	Cost to Lake Forest	Cost per Lake Forest Resident
Murder	$1.37 million	$71
Rape/Sexual Assault	$825,402	$43
Robbery	$538,653	$28
Assault	$194,710	$10
Kidnapping	$126,676	$7
Vehicle Theft	$380,140	$20
Burglary	$178,575	$9
Theft	$628,507	$33
Arson	$35,687	$2
Vandalism	$396,306	$21
Animal Cruelty	$2,511	$0
Drug Crimes	$180,806	$9
Identity Theft	$96,619	$5
Total Cost of Crime	$4,954,103	$257

The Intangible Cost of Crime in Lake Forest, IL

CrimeGrade primarily focuses on tangible costs, but the true impact of crime extends beyond economic. Pain and suffering for victims and their families are difficult to quantify, but research-based methodologies help estimate these effects. Using these methodologies, we calculate that the intangible cost of crime in Lake Forest totals $13,397,749 ($694 per resident). When added to the tangible costs, this brings the total estimated cost of crime to $18,351,852 ($950 per resident). All Cost of Crime facts are based on scholarly research done on the cost of crime. Read more about our methodology here.

Interpreting the Crime Maps

When interpreting the Lake Forest crime map, keep in mind that crime rates are measured per resident. Areas with high visitor traffic, such as shopping districts, may appear to have higher crime rates simply because more crimes occur where people gather - even if few residents live there. For example, the north part of the city has more retail establishments, which can artificially inflate crime rates in that area. Red areas on the map do not necessarily mean a neighborhood is unsafe for residents.

More issues arise with places like airports, parks, and schools. Major airports always look like high-crime locations due to the large number of people and the low population nearby. Parks and designated recreational areas, of which Lake Forest has 10, have the same problem. Of Lake Forest’s 19,310 residents, few live near recreational areas. Because many people visit, crime rates may appear higher even for safe parks. Crime occurs where people gather, whether they live there or not. Before assuming an area is unsafe, consider both per-capita crime rates and total crime counts, as well as the types of destinations nearby.

To better understand and navigate these intricate crime maps, a high-speed internet connection can be crucial. Fast and seamless online connectivity ensures that map details load efficiently, providing users with clearer, uninterrupted insights. If you're considering enhancing your online experience, check out high speed internet in Lake Forest, IL at ISP Reports.

Lake Forest Crime Breakdown

The tables below show which crimes are used to calculate the Crime Grades above. All crime rates are shown as the number of crimes per 1,000 Lake Forest residents in a standard year.

Violent Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Assault	0.3511
Robbery	0.8868
Rape	0.7050
Murder	0.0377
Total Violent Crime	1.981 (A-)

Property Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Theft	6.285
Vehicle Theft	1.271
Burglary	1.020
Arson	0.0765
Total Property Crime	8.652 (B+)

Other Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Kidnapping	0.1082
Drug Crimes	1.266
Vandalism	2.873
Identity Theft	0.6465
Animal Cruelty	0.0176
Total "Other" Rate	4.911 (B+)

Individual Lake Forest Crime Maps & Stats

Crime Maps and Rates for Nearby Cities

Compared to surrounding cities, the rate of crime in Lake Forest is lower. The table below shows Crime Grades for cities close to Lake Forest.

Nearby City	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
Highwood, IL	C	B	C
Bannockburn, IL	C	C+	B-
Lake Bluff, IL	B+	A-	B+
Mettawa, IL	B-	A-	C
Highland Park, IL	B-	B+	C+
Lincolnshire, IL	B-	A-	C
Great Lakes, IL	A-	A-	A
Deerfield, IL	B-	A-	B-
Riverwoods, IL	B	B	B-
Green Oaks, IL	A-	A	B+

Crime Maps and Rates for City with Similar Populations

Lake Forest is lower versus other cities of the same size for crime. The table below compares crime in cities with comparable overall population in the city‘s boundaries.

Similar City	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
Mill Valley, CA	D+	D+	D+
Mukwonago, WI	A	B+	B+
Mount Pleasant, TX	D	C	C
Mount Joy, PA	A	A+	A+
Morton, IL	A+	A	A
Morris, IL	B+	A	A
Moraga, CA	B	B-	B-
Monticello, MN	B	A-	A-
Monroe, CT	A-	A+	A+
Mineral Wells, TX	D-	D	D

Considering only the crime rate, Lake Forest is safer than the Illinois state average and safer than the national average.

Safety and school performance are separate topics, but both shape moving decisions. Using SchoolGrade data, schools in Lake Forest, IL average SchoolGrade of A-, with 54% actual proficiency versus 58% projected; overall, schools don't meet expectations. See Lake Forest schools on SchoolGrade

About the Data

CrimeGrade.org provides highly detailed and accurate crime data, used by insurance companies, home security firms, and other industries. Our data is available for licensing—learn more about our USA crime data and licensing.

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All maps and statistics above are projections, not certainties, and provided without guarantee free of charge. Verify all info before making any decisions based on the data.