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Chicago, IL vs Lexington, KY Crime Comparison

Side-by-side crime rates, safety scores, and trends based on FBI data.

Full report: Chicago crime rate · Lexington crime rate

Moving from Chicago, IL to Lexington, KY?

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Is Chicago, IL or Lexington, KY Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Lexington, KY is safer than Chicago, IL (Safety Score 28/100 vs 8/100), with a total crime rate of 2,536 per 100,000 versus 4,012 for Chicago, IL — 37% lower. Chicago has higher rates in 0 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in robbery, where Lexington has a 76% lower rate.

Note: Chicago is 8.2x larger by coverage, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.

Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Chicago, IL?

Chicago — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Increasing Property Flat Total

Lexington — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Chicago, IL

Chicago, IL
Safety Score 8/100
Coverage 2,638,698
Total Crime Rate 4,012.2
Category Wins 0/7

Lexington, KY

Safety Score 28/100
Coverage 323,254
Total Crime Rate 2,536.4
Category Wins 7/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Chicago Lexington Difference
Total Crime Rate 4,012.2 2,536.4 +1,475.8
Violent Crime Rate 539.9 262.0 +277.8
Murder Rate 17.5 5.0 +12.5
Rape Rate 58.8 51.7 +7.1
Robbery Rate 335.3 79.5 +255.8
Aggravated Assault Rate 128.3 125.9 +2.4
Property Crime Rate 3,472.4 2,274.4 +1,198.0
Burglary Rate 294.8 264.8 +30.0
Larceny-Theft Rate 2,318.8 1,728.4 +590.4
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 858.9 281.2 +577.7

All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.

Moving from Chicago, IL to Lexington, KY?

An out-of-state move adds new driver's license, plates, voter registration and deadlines that differ by state. The Moving Checklist Planner dates every task from your move-in day — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

Get the planner →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chicago or Lexington safer?

Lexington, KY is safer with a total crime rate of 2,536 per 100K vs 4,012 for Chicago, IL — a 37% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Chicago has a violent crime rate of 539.9 per 100K while Lexington has 262.0. Lexington has lower violent crime.

About Chicago, IL

Chicago, Illinois, a major Midwest hub and birthplace of the skyscraper, sits on Lake Michigan's shores. Its diverse population of over 2.7 million people contributes to its vibrant arts and culture scene. With a safety score of 8/100 and a population coverage of 2,638,698, Chicago has a total crime rate of 4,012.2 per 100,000 residents.

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