Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI 2024 crime data, Galesburg, IL has a Safety Score of 13/100 — higher crime than 87% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,478.4 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,587 of 2,971 US cities and #174 of 184 in Illinois.
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Galesburg, Illinois Safe?
Galesburg, Illinois, a city in Knox County, is known as the birthplace of Carl Sandburg. Situated in west-central Illinois, its population is around 30,000.
Galesburg has a safety score of 13/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data for 2024, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,478.4 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,752.3 per 100,000.
Galesburg ranks #174 out of 184 cities in Illinois and #2587 out of 2971 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 13th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 87% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Galesburg is rape, at 145.5 per 100K — 3.3x the national average. Conversely, robbery is relatively low at just 0.2x the national rate.
Year over year, Galesburg's total crime rate increased by 60.4%, with violent crime rising 80.8%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Galesburg Crime Statistics Breakdown (2024)
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 148 | 512.8 | 473.3 |
| Murder | 2 | 6.9 | 6.2 |
| Rape | 42 | 145.5 | 43.4 |
| Robbery | 6 | 20.8 | 93.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 98 | 339.5 | 330.0 |
| Property Crime | 856 | 2,965.6 | 2,279.1 |
| Burglary | 209 | 724.1 | 287.8 |
| Larceny-Theft | 597 | 2,068.3 | 1,638.9 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 50 | 173.2 | 352.4 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Galesburg vs Illinois Average
How does Galesburg's crime rate compare to the Illinois state average?
| Metric | Galesburg | Illinois Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 512.8 | 356.4 | +43.9% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,965.6 | 2,126.5 | +39.5% |
| Murder Rate | 6.9 | 7.9 | -11.9% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,478.4 | 2,482.9 | +40.1% |
Galesburg Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Galesburg, Illinois.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 28,864 | 3,478.4 | 512.8 | 2,965.6 |
| 2023 | 28,917 | 2,168.3 | 283.6 | 1,884.7 |
| 2020 | 29,985 | 3,942.0 | 480.2 | 3,461.7 |
| 2019 | 30,220 | 4,589.7 | 456.7 | 4,133.0 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Galesburg, Illinois safe?
Galesburg has a safety score of 13/100, meaning it has less crime than about 13% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,478.4 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Galesburg is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Galesburg, Illinois?
According to FBI data for 2024, Galesburg has a violent crime rate of 512.8 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,965.6 per 100,000 residents.
How does Galesburg compare to the national average?
Galesburg's total crime rate of 3,478.4 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 28,864 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Galesburg?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Galesburg include larceny-theft, aggravated assault, and burglary. Property crime is generally more common than violent crime.
Is Galesburg safe to visit?
Like any city, Galesburg has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 13/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.