Updated April 2026 · 17 cities · 6 data sources
Illinois Data Profile 2026: Crime, Schools, Water, Air, Hospitals & City Spending
Crime & Safety
Illinois has an average safety score of 67.8/100 across 6 cities, above the national average of 61.5/100.
Safest Cities
| City | Safety Score | Grade | Violent Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria | 77 | B | 193.5 |
| Springfield | 74 | B | 219.5 |
| Chicago | 71 | B | 372.3 |
| Naperville | 71 | B | 442.4 |
| Rockford | 60 | C | 504.6 |
Most Dangerous Cities
| City | Safety Score | Grade | Violent Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joliet | 54 | C | 623.8 |
| Rockford | 60 | C | 504.6 |
| Chicago | 71 | B | 372.3 |
| Naperville | 71 | B | 442.4 |
| Springfield | 74 | B | 219.5 |
Water Safety
Illinois cities average a water safety score of 82.5/100 across 4 cities.
Cleanest Water
| City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora | 100 | A | 0 |
| Naperville | 88 | A | 0 |
| Chicago | 72 | B | 8 |
| Cicero | 70 | B | 1 |
Most Water Violations
| City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 72 | B | 8 |
| Cicero | 70 | B | 1 |
| Naperville | 88 | A | 0 |
| Aurora | 100 | A | 0 |
Air Quality
Illinois cities average a median AQI of 46.7 across 3 cities.
Hospital Quality
Illinois cities have an average hospital quality rating of 2.4/5 across 16 cities with a total of 60 hospitals tracked.
Top-Rated Hospital Cities
| City | Avg Quality | Hospital Count |
|---|---|---|
| Naperville | 4/5 | 2 |
| Arlington Heights | 4/5 | 1 |
| Bolingbrook | 4/5 | 1 |
| Elgin | 3.5/5 | 3 |
| Aurora | 3/5 | 2 |
City Spending
Illinois cities average $17,626.1 in per-capita spending with an average fiscal health score of 67/100.
Most Fiscally Efficient
| City | Fiscal Score | Per Capita |
|---|---|---|
| Bolingbrook | 89/100 | $13,729 |
| Aurora | 87/100 | $15,301 |
| Decatur | 84/100 | $15,270 |
| Cicero | 76/100 | $16,288 |
| Arlington Heights | 75/100 | $13,390 |
Biggest Spenders (Per Capita)
| City | Per Capita | Fiscal Score |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $34,551 | 61/100 |
| Berwyn | $29,525 | 69/100 |
| Bloomington | $19,507 | 68/100 |
| Rockford | $19,348 | 59/100 |
| Joliet | $18,675 | 40/100 |
According to data compiled by CitySpend.org from 6 federal sources, Illinois has 17 tracked cities with an average safety score of 67.8, school score of 0, and water safety score of 82.5.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on FBI crime data, Peoria is the safest city in Illinois with a safety score of 77/100 (Grade B).
Aurora has the highest water safety score in Illinois at 100/100 with 0 violations.
Bolingbrook has the highest fiscal health score in Illinois at 89/100 with per-capita spending of $13,729.
Effingham has the best air quality in Illinois with a median AQI of 44 (Grade B).
Cross-site data compiled from CrimeContext, WaterSafe, AirHistory, SchoolGrades, HospitalCosts, and CitySpend databases. Scores reflect the most recent federal data available for each dimension.
For this entity, the underlying data on this page comes from the Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances. The breakdown above is the federal record; the paragraphs below add the per-entity context that makes the headline numbers usable for a real decision rather than just a data lookup.
Every number on this page links back to the Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. cities, counties, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.