Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Pontiac, IL has a Safety Score of 53/100 — safer than 53% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 1,597.0 per 100,000 residents, ranking #1,389 of 2,957 US cities and #118 of 183 in Illinois.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Pontiac, IL?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Pontiac, Illinois Safe?
Pontiac, Illinois, the county seat of Livingston County, is a small city on the Vermilion River. It's home to several historic Route 66 attractions and has a population of around 11,000.
Pontiac has a safety score of 53/100 (Near National Average). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 1,597.0 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Pontiac ranks #118 out of 183 cities in Illinois and #1389 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 53rd percentile for safety — safer than 53% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Pontiac is rape, at 109.5 per 100K — 2.5x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.0x the national rate.
Year over year, Pontiac's total crime rate increased by 10.3%, with violent crime declining 41.7%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Pontiac Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 26 | 237.3 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.0 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 12 | 109.5 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0.0 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 14 | 127.8 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 149 | 1,359.7 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 12 | 109.5 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 132 | 1,204.6 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 5 | 45.6 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Pontiac vs Illinois Average
How does Pontiac's crime rate compare to the Illinois state average?
| Metric | Pontiac | Illinois Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 237.3 | 356.9 | -33.5% |
| Property Crime Rate | 1,359.7 | 2,129.2 | -36.1% |
| Murder Rate | 0.0 | 7.9 | -100.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 1,597.0 | 2,486.1 | -35.8% |
Pontiac Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Pontiac, Illinois.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10,958 | 1,597.0 | 237.3 | 1,359.7 |
| 2023 | 11,049 | 1,448.1 | 407.3 | 1,040.8 |
| 2022 | 11,333 | 1,103.0 | 273.5 | 829.4 |
| 2020 | 11,184 | 1,520.0 | 304.0 | 1,216.0 |
| 2019 | 11,211 | 1,569.9 | 249.8 | 1,320.1 |
Pontiac Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Pontiac and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Illinois crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pontiac, Illinois safe?
Pontiac has a safety score of 53/100, meaning it has less crime than about 53% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 1,597.0 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Pontiac is about average for a US city.
What is the crime rate in Pontiac, Illinois?
According to FBI data for 2024, Pontiac has a violent crime rate of 237.3 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 1,359.7 per 100,000 residents.
How does Pontiac compare to the national average?
Pontiac's total crime rate of 1,597.0 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 10,958 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Pontiac?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Pontiac are larceny-theft (132 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (14 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 5.7x in the city.
Is Pontiac safe to visit?
Like any city, Pontiac has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 53/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.