Is Glenview Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

When you visit the Chicago area, you have a lot to decide.

Do you want to be near the city?

Near outdoor attractions?

Close to Lake Michigan?

How important is a safe community for your stay?

Glenview, Illinois, checks all those boxes.

This North Shore community has a dense suburban feel mixed with wide swaths of outdoor space.

Commuting is easy and crime rates are low.

A visitor has only six hotels to choose from in Glenview, which might be the most negative thing I can say about it.

If you are looking for the city vibe of Chicago, you won’t find that here.

This is definitely a suburban oasis.

This is a community that plans well.

When the naval air station closed in 1995, the community turned it into a retail and residential focal point of the community known as “The Glen.”

The city has everything from fine dining and upscale shopping to a park so remote you might have trouble getting mobile phone service, and all of this is just 25 miles north of downtown Chicago.

There is fun to be had for the whole family here, with one of the main attractions being the Kohl Children’s Museum.

There are several wildlife viewing areas and prairie parks, but it’s not like a zoo.

This is the real wilderness in a suburban setting.

Warnings & Dangers in Glenview

OVERALL RISK: LOW

There's a low overall risk in Glenview. The city boasts incredibly low crime rates, especially in comparison to some other cities in the region and state. It's more of an affluent community, so be prepared to potentially lose that safe feeling when traveling outside of the North Shore region.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

Glenview is a central transportation point with Pace bus routes and Metra's rail line both serving the community. Taxis and rideshares are readily available and O'Hare International Airport is less than 12 miles away. You can also easily bicycle around this community. All options are at low risk.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW

The theft rate is very low here with a risk of one in 164. While you should always use basic safety precautions when shopping, especially with so many options here, that basic safety will keep a low-risk rating.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW

You are going to deal with threats throughout the year here. While an average day is going to be low-risk, you should know the spring can bring tornadoes spawned from severe thunderstorms and potential street flooding. Winters will bring snow and ice, with potential blizzards each winter. The weather risks here come with plenty of warning if you're paying attention.

MUGGING RISK: LOW

There's a low risk of being mugged with just 10 robberies reported in 2020. That's a one in 4870 chance of being a victim. You still shouldn't let your guard down because good personal safety practices help keep crime rates low.

TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM

There's a medium risk, as there would be for any Chicago-area suburb. The large population is a lure for terrorists and Homeland Security has thwarted several attacks that we know of in the Chicago area, and probably many more we'll never hear about.

SCAMS RISK: LOW

The common scams happen here, whether it's a dating app defrauding or a fake police officer calling a resident demanding money. There's nothing in the scam warning that puts a tourist at anything but a low risk.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Women should feel safe and know this is one of the better options to stay in the Chicago area. The sexual assault rate is low, and there are surveillance and police patrols at the major tourist destinations.

TAP WATER RISK: LOW

I reviewed the 2020 Annual Water Quality Report and no violations were reported. That means there's a low risk and all the water meets or exceeds the required standards.

Safest Places to Visit in Glenview

The Kohl Children’s Museum is a great place to get an interactive experience while having some fun.

There are 15 permanent exhibits and several new traveling exhibits throughout the year.

Kids can experience construction lessons or try their hand at being a pet vet.

There are indoor and outdoor exhibits and a garden to view before entering.

Check the website for a $2 off coupon.

The Glen Town Center is one of the most popular places in town and is the former site of Naval Air Station Glenview.

This refurbished entertainment district has everything you need for a nice afternoon with the family or date night.

There are several spa services available here too, if you want to get some pampering.

The Grove is a national historic landmark and nature preserve saved from development and built as a natural learning environment ripe for exploration and a couple of good history lessons along the way.

This is an area that was preserved by defenders of the site literally standing in front of bulldozers to stop corporate America from taking over the land.

As much as there is to do outdoors here, you can see some homes built on this property in the 1800s that were lived in until the 1970s.

You can also explore nearby Camp Pine Woods along the Des Plaines River.

This follows a trail that goes through nearly a dozen other communities, so feel free to take a short walk or a long hike.

Snowshoeing is perfect here in the winter.

Places to Avoid in Glenview

The highest crime areas are along Golf Road on the south side of the city, but there’s really not a bad neighborhood here with such low crime rates.

You can feel safe traveling to the different attractions or just driving around the neighborhoods and seeing the homes.

If anything, Glenview gets a little bit of a reputation for not being the most upper crust of the North Shore Communities.

That is to say, the poorest of the rich people might choose Glenview.

The entire North Shore area is very well off and while that does bring good safety numbers, it also brings some arrogance.

Avoid traveling outside of the North Shore without reviewing the different cities in the region.

The crime statistics can change as quickly as a stoplight around here.

However, every community is going to have some crime.

Safety Tips for Traveling to Glenview

So... How Safe Is Glenview Really?

In 2020, Glenview had the first homicide since 2004.

To make it worse, the victim was a teenager.

There was also a shooting death in the unincorporated part of Glenview in 2021.

The city has a violent crime rate that is a fraction of the state and national averages.

There’s just one in 4870 risks of being a robbery victim.

There’s a one in 64 risks of being a theft victim.

All of these low rates are great for real estate agents and residents, but it gives a false sense of safety to the greater Chicago area.

Glenview police post lists of the past four weeks of crime on the website.

The data doesn’t go back further than that, as only four weeks are visible at a time.

This helps you see the most recent crimes but doesn’t help a lot with the yearly or quarterly trends.

There really isn’t much else to elaborate on here.

This is just a safe community in a safe region of a large metropolitan area.

You just aren’t seeing the full picture of Chicago when you only see the North Shore area.

How Does Glenview Compare?

Useful Information

Visas

You will need to show your Visa and passport when you arrive in the United States. The Visa process can take up to five months, so plan ahead.

Currency

The U.S. Dollar is the only currency accepted here. You can use credit cards or mobile pay apps for all purchases and carrying cash isn't really necessary.

Weather

There's a wide range of weather throughout the year, so plan for the particular season. Winter will require a warm coat (not a jacket) and gloves, hat, scarf, the works. Summer is going to be humid with the potential for cooler nights or early mornings, so bringing a hoodie or jacket might be a good idea.

Airports

O'Hare International Airport is just 20 minutes away from Glenview. Midway International Airport is 40 miles away, which is going to take about an hour or more to get to.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is a great idea here, especially since Midway is one of the top 10 airports for flight delays.

Glenview Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Average High/Low Temperature

Illinois - Safety by City