Is Fairview Heights Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Fairview Heights, Illinois, is part of the St. Louis Metro East area and is just 14 miles from downtown St. Louis, Missouri.

The city was developed as a farming community and has grown to almost 17,000 people since, but there’s still a farming vibe here with about half of the city being farmland.

I grew up in St. Louis, so I can speak intelligently about this area.

I can also tell you this is going to be a hard story to fill out as there’s not much to do in Fairview Heights.

The nearby O’Fallon is about twice the size and provides more attractions.

You can easily find a hotel here along the I-64 corridor.

When you research this area, it’s important to make sure you’re looking at O’Fallon, Illinois, and not O’Fallon, Missouri.

They are both in the St. Louis metropolitan area yet are 50 miles apart.

Growing up on the Missouri side, I was taught that O’Fallon, Illinois was the first “safe” city after crossing the river, as East St. Louis and Cahokia can have dangerously high crime rates.

If you are traveling back and forth, you should get gas here or on the Missouri side, and don’t stop in between.

One of the main attractions of this area is St. Clair square, the shopping destination for this part of the metro area.

While the traditional American shopping mall is seeing a great decline, and St. Clair Square has felt that impact, it is still open for business.

From just about every point in this region, you are either minutes from the downtown urban area of St. Louis or vast expanses of farmland.

Warnings & Dangers in Fairview Heights

OVERALL RISK: LOW

There's a low overall risk here with just one crime category going off the charts. The violent crime rate is lower than the national average. Even though there's little risk, there's also little to do if you don't do some investigation.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

You can get on the Metrolink train service around the metro St. Louis area, and you can call a taxi or rideshare. There's a low risk in Fairview Heights, but the Metrolink will come with its own risks as you go to different parts of the area. You should always be aware of your surroundings on the train and, when waiting, be sure to stay in front of a surveillance camera, which is monitored around the clock.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM

There's a medium risk here, which is a determination that is greatly erring on the side of caution. The theft risk here is one in 37. Thefts can include pickpocketing, but would also account for shoplifting or car break-ins. Unfortunately, the police department doesn't do a deep dive into the types of theft.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

Fairview Heights is prone to severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and flooding. There is also a chance of an earthquake, as the New Madrid Fault Line is in this region. Winter is going to bring snow and ice, which can, at times, make travel near impossible. Because of all this, there's medium risk.

MUGGING RISK: LOW

There's a low risk here and a shockingly low number of robberies totaling just three in 2021. This risk grows exponentially as you go west in Illinois into the St. Louis downtown area. I cannot stress this enough - do not stop in East St. Louis.

TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM

There's a medium risk because it's part of a larger metro area, and large population centers will always be hard targets. However, there's no risk Fairview Heights itself will be a target.

SCAMS RISK: LOW

The typical scams that impact residents happen here, like fake police officers demanding money, IRS scams, and a rash of COVID-19 scams during the height of the pandemic. Tourists shouldn't worry about getting scammed here.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

There were 10 sexual assaults in 2021, which adds up to a rate that is 60% higher than the national average. However, there's a low risk of it happening if you're practicing basic personal safety. There's no detail in those assault cases about how many were random and how many were domestic situations.

TAP WATER RISK: LOW

American Water provides tap water here and it has been recognized by the EPA for excellence in water quality over the years. There's a low risk and no violations were reported in the testing done in 2021.

Safest Places to Visit in Fairview Heights

St. Clair Square is the central focus of Fairview Heights.

It’s really nothing more than a traditional shopping mall and it’s certainly not the biggest one in the region.

However, it is the retail destination in southern Illinois.

75,000 vehicles come through this area each day even though the city is home to just 17,000 people.

There are several golf courses in this area, including Stonewolf and Fair Oaks.

Pleasant Ridge Park is one of the most popular in town, covering nearly 100 acres and home to a log cabin built in the 1850s.

Cahokia Mounds is a must-see attraction in the Metro East area.

It’s about 11 miles away from Fairview Heights, but worth the drive.

When you first arrive, it doesn’t look like much more than a hill on top of a hill.

I promise you, the history here is fascinating.

Stop by the interpretive center to learn about this prehistoric remnant of a civilization long gone, but still preserved as much as possible.

Centerfield Park is a mini-golf and batting cage attraction that offers a snack bar with all your favorite treats.

There are also bumper boats during certain times of the year.

This business really struggled during the pandemic to stay open, so visiting it would really help a local business.

If you want to see a piece of Americana, head six miles north to Collinsville to see the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle.

It’s really a water tower (and yes, that’s how they spelled Ketchup), but it’s a symbol of the Bird’s Eye Brand “Brooks Catsup”, which is now made in Canada.

It’s 170 feet tall and here’s a height “fun fact” – a roadside attraction is required to have a light on top of it so airplanes can see it if it is taller than 200 feet.

That’s why many roadside attractions like this fall just under 200 feet.

Places to Avoid in Fairview Heights

The biggest danger you’re going to face in Fairview Heights is running into a dead-end road and having a grumpy farmer ask you to leave the property.

There’s no bad neighborhood or dangerous part of town.

However, shopping at the mall is going to get you a wide mix of people from all over, so you should park in busy areas and lock your car doors.

This city is at the crossroads of major highways, and people come from all over Southern Illinois to get their goods here.

When driving back and forth to St. Louis, consider Main Street/Highway 157 the point of safety.

Anywhere west of this road is too dangerous to stop in until you cross into St. Louis (which comes with its own dangers) and anything east of here is safe or at least relatively safe comparatively.

If you’ve read more of my reports on Illinois, you’ve seen this a lot – but it bears repeating if this is the only article you’ll read.

Illinois is pronounced “Ill-in-noy” not “Ill-in-noise.”

Missouri is pronounced “Mizz-ourh-eee” not “Mizz-ouhr-uh.”

Safety Tips for Traveling to Fairview Heights

So... How Safe Is Fairview Heights Really?

The biggest concern in Fairview Heights is the theft rate.

The rate is twice the national average.

While the department doesn’t break down by category of theft, I’m going to take an educated guess that a large portion of that is related to shoplifting since this is such a huge shopping area.

Another concern about the theft is car break-ins.

Just because it feels like you are in safe, small-town Illinois, it doesn’t mean you should do anything less to protect your car from theft.

There were 37 violent crimes, which is a risk rate of one in 451.

Given how many people visit this area for shopping, you can bet the real risk is a lot lower since the aforementioned risk is simple math done by dividing the population by the number of crimes.

If you’re going to stay on the Illinois side of the Metro East part of St. Louis, this is one of the safest communities for you.

How Does Fairview Heights Compare?

Useful Information

Visas

You should start the visa process about four months ahead of time so you can be sure to meet all deadlines. You can't travel to the United States without it. You won't need to show it around the city. It's just used at Customs when you arrive in the country.

Currency

You can only use the U.S. Dollar here. There are a lot of ways to spend money here, so using one credit card is ideal. You can monitor spending and track fraudulent activity. Always take receipts with you and destroy them before throwing them away.

Weather

All four seasons happen in Fairview Heights, and summers are especially humid. You'll want to bring a variety of options for fall and spring since temperatures can fluctuate throughout the day or week. For winter, you'll need warm winter clothing and warm layers, especially if you are spending time outdoors.

Airports

St. Louis Lambert Field International Airport is the largest airport in this region and it's about 30 minutes to an hour away, traffic dependent. There is an airport on the Illinois side, MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, which is 20 minutes east, but there are far fewer flights from there.

Travel Insurance

You should get travel insurance for a trip here to protect against weather delays in the air or on the road.

Fairview Heights Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Average High/Low Temperature

Illinois - Safety by City