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Property Crime Trends in Altamont, Illinois: A Decade of Significant Decline
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
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Crime
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Altamont, located in Illinois, has experienced fluctuating property crime rates over the past decade, with notable changes in various categories. From 2011 to 2022, the total number of property crimes decreased by 63.64%, from 33 to 12 incidents. During this same period, the population decreased by 3.88%, from 4,276 to 4,110 residents.
Burglary trends in the city have shown significant variability. In 2011, there were 5 burglaries, which peaked at 13 in 2018, before dropping to just 1 in 2022. This represents an 80% decrease over the entire period. The burglary rate per 1,000 people decreased from 1.17 in 2011 to 0.24 in 2022. Interestingly, despite the overall decrease, the city's share of state burglaries remained relatively stable, ranging from 0.01% to 0.05% throughout the period, with a notable spike to 0.13% in 2021.
Larceny theft has been the most prevalent form of property crime in the city. The number of incidents decreased from 27 in 2011 to 10 in 2022, a 62.96% reduction. The rate per 1,000 people dropped from 6.31 to 2.43 over this period. The city's contribution to state larceny theft incidents remained low, fluctuating between 0.01% and 0.03%, with a spike to 0.07% in 2021.
Motor vehicle theft has remained relatively low and stable in the city. The number of incidents ranged from 0 to 1 per year, with no clear trend. The rate per 1,000 people has consistently been below 0.25. The city's share of state motor vehicle thefts has been minimal, typically at or below 0.01%.
Arson incidents have been rare in the city, with most years reporting zero cases. However, there were isolated incidents in 2013, 2018, and 2022, each with one reported case. The arson rate per 1,000 people has never exceeded 0.24. Notably, in 2022, the city's single arson case represented 0.15% of state arsons, a significant increase from previous years.
Examining correlations between property crime trends and demographic factors reveals some interesting patterns. The city's population density decreased from 2,782 per square mile in 2011 to 2,674 in 2022, coinciding with the overall decrease in property crimes. Median income showed an upward trend, increasing from $58,087 in 2013 to $63,220 in 2022, which could potentially be linked to the reduction in property crimes. The percentage of owner-occupied housing units increased from 81% in 2013 to 85% in 2022, possibly contributing to the lower crime rates.
Applying predictive models to forecast property crime trends for the next five years (up to 2029) suggests a continued gradual decrease in overall property crime incidents. Burglaries are expected to remain low, potentially stabilizing at 1-3 cases per year. Larceny theft is projected to continue its downward trend, possibly reaching single-digit incidents annually. Motor vehicle theft and arson are likely to remain rare occurrences, with 0-1 incidents per year for each category.
In summary, Altamont has shown a general improvement in property crime rates over the past decade, with significant reductions in burglaries and larceny thefts. The stable low rates of motor vehicle theft and rare instances of arson contribute to an overall positive trend in community safety. These improvements, coupled with increasing median income and home ownership rates, suggest a potentially more stable and secure environment for residents in the coming years.
