Chicago's Safest ZIP Codes: Crime Scores Compared (2026)

The top safety/crime tier in NeighborScore’s Chicago ZIP comparison is 95/100, and it includes the ZIPs below. The score uses documented public crime inputs, including City of Chicago open data where ZIP-level incident data are available; it is a relative comparison, not a live safety forecast.

• The leading displayed ZIPs are in Chicago’s current top crime-score tier at 95/100.
• The top tier is a shared band, not a claim that one ZIP has zero crime or that tiny differences justify false precision.
• Overall scores differ because schools contribute 47% of the composite and affordability is separate.

Which Chicago ZIP codes are in the top crime-score tier?

The four covered ZIP codes below share the highest current safety/crime score in this Chicago comparison. They are ordered by composite score to make the secondary difference visible, while the crime-score result remains an honest tie.

1. 1. ZIP 60655 — crime score 95; schools 70; overall 83.
2. 2. ZIP 60631 — crime score 95; schools 63; overall 80.
3. 3. ZIP 60659 — crime score 95; schools 59; overall 78.
4. 4. ZIP 60646 — crime score 95; schools 57; overall 77.

All four ZIPs have a safety/crime score of 95. Their overall scores differ because the school pillar differs, which is why a crime-only question should not be answered by an overall ranking alone.

How NeighborScore interprets Chicago crime data

NeighborScore is a relative comparison, not a forecast. Its composite weights the safety/crime pillar at 53% and the school pillar at 47%; affordability is displayed separately and does not affect the composite. Read the full data sources and scoring methodology before treating a ZIP result as one input in a real-world decision.

NeighborScore uses City of Chicago open data where ZIP-level incident data are available and references the FBI Crime Data Explorer for standard crime-data context. It uses the highest-resolution documented source available for each ZIP, not a fabricated point estimate.

The ranking does not convert source counts into a promise about a street, time of day, or individual risk. It compares normalized ZIP-level inputs against peers and shows the source hierarchy so readers can judge how much local precision the score represents.

A shared top band is more reliable than an invented one-point ordering when the available inputs support the same normalized score. Readers who need a current incident-level picture should use the official portal with a clearly defined date range and category.

What to check after identifying a high Chicago crime-score ZIP

Open the ZIP profile and read its source and data-vintage note, then consult the official city portal for the incident type and period that matter to your research. Crime categories, reporting periods, and geographic boundaries affect what any crime number can fairly say.

Then compare the school and overall components. For this top-tier group, the school score ranges from 57 to 70, changing the composite even though the safety/crime score is the same. Housing, commute, and enrollment questions require separate current research.

For more starting points, browse the NeighborScore guides index and return to the ZIP profile links above for the specific component scores and source notes.

Bottom line: Chicago’s top crime-score tier is a tie

The listed ZIPs are part of the 95/100 top tier. Use the shared tier as a data-backed starting point, then compare the separate school and overall results and verify the latest official data.

Frequently asked questions

What does the safety/crime score measure in Chicago?

The safety/crime score is a relative ZIP-level comparison from NeighborScore’s documented public-source model. It is not a prediction, a school assignment, an appraisal, or a personal safety recommendation; it is a transparent starting point for comparing covered ZIPs.

Why should Chicago ZIP data be checked with primary sources?

The model combines datasets with different update schedules and geographic resolution. Check each profile’s data-vintage note and the linked primary sources before making a relocation, housing, or enrollment decision.

Does a higher safety/crime score make one Chicago ZIP right for everyone?

No. A higher score or home-value figure describes the stated metric only. Commute, housing condition, school enrollment rules, accessibility, cost, and individual priorities require additional current local research.

How can I compare another Chicago ZIP?

Open the relevant NeighborScore ZIP profile to see its component data and methodology notes. Compare like-for-like ZIPs, then verify any current local condition through the official source responsible for that information.