Go with a plan.
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Chicago at 35/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than United States's national picture overall (68/100 vs 73/100).
City page · part of United States
The one number a country page can't give you
What people who actually live in Chicago report
Numbeo aggregates thousands of resident-submitted perception surveys into a per-city Crime Index (higher = worse) and its inverse, a Safety Index — the only real city-granularity crime signal feeding this page, alongside United States's national advisory, political, health, and police-trust data.
Crime Index
65.2
Safety Index
34.8
Sub-scores
Same real inputs as United States's national page, with crime swapped for Chicago's own Numbeo number above.
Local know-how
Staying safe in Chicago, specifically
- • As in almost the entire United States, dial 911 to get emergency help. Dial 311 for all non-emergency situations in Chicago.
- • Crime: Despite a big decline in the crime rate from the 1970s and 1980s, Chicago is still a big city with big city problems.
- • Take caution in the Loop at night; after working hours, the Loop gets quiet and dark in a hurry west of State Street, but you'll be fine near hotels and close to Michigan Avenue and the lake.
- • Homelessness is a problem in the city and seeing people ask for help is common downtown.
- • A common scam is for a beggar to come up to you and make remarks about how your shoes need to be cleaned or polished.
Legal status (national law)
Legal in some states since 1962, nationwide since 2003+ UN decl. sign.
Source: Wikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country →Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
A / B · 120V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 911 / ambulance: 911 / fire: 911
Tipping
Tipping is widely practiced in the United States. Standards vary, but gratuities are always given to servers in restaurants and bars, taxi drivers, parking valets, and bellstaff in hotels. When traveling in the U.S., try to keep some $1 and $5 bills in your wallet for small tips.
SIM / Data
The three largest mobile phone networks in the U.S. are AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile. These all have good coverage of practically all urban/suburban and many rural areas of the country, although each network has strong and weak areas. There are many mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) that rebrand service on the major carriers' networks.
Cash vs. Card
The U.S. currency is the United States dollar ($), divided into 100 cents (¢). Foreign currencies are almost never accepted, though some major hotel chains may accept traveller's checks in other currencies. Some establishments close to the Canadian and Mexican borders accept their currencies, though usually at poor exchange rates. Japanese yen is sometimes accepted in Hawaii.
How this compares to United States
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Chicago at 35/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than United States's national picture overall (68/100 vs 73/100).
See the full United States page and all receipts →