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Property Crime Trends in Highwood, Illinois: A Decade of Fluctuations and 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
Highwood, located in Illinois, presents an intriguing case study for property crime trends. Over the period from 2010 to 2020, the city experienced fluctuations in total property crimes, with a notable decrease from 46 incidents in 2010 to 33 in 2018, representing a 28.3% reduction. During this same timeframe, the population grew slightly from 5,227 in 2010 to 5,312 in 2020, a 1.6% increase.
Burglary rates in the city have shown significant variability. In 2010, there were 5 burglaries, which increased to 10 in 2015, representing a 100% increase. However, by 2018, burglaries had dropped to zero. When considering population trends, the burglary rate per 1,000 people increased from 0.96 in 2010 to 1.83 in 2015, before falling to 0 in 2018. The city's share of state burglaries fluctuated, peaking at 0.03% in 2015 and dropping to 0% in 2018. This volatility suggests a need for targeted crime prevention strategies.
Larceny-theft, the most common property crime in the city, demonstrated a downward trend. In 2010, there were 39 incidents, which increased to 54 in 2012, but then decreased to 33 by 2018, a 15.4% reduction from 2010. The rate per 1,000 people followed a similar pattern, peaking at 10.27 in 2012 and falling to 6.11 in 2018. The city's percentage of state larceny-theft remained relatively stable at 0.02% to 0.03%, indicating that local trends generally aligned with state-wide patterns.
Motor vehicle theft in the city remained low throughout the period. There were 2 incidents in 2010, which decreased to 0 in 2014 and 2018, with some fluctuations in between. The rate per 1,000 people ranged from 0.38 in 2010 to 0 in 2014 and 2018. The city's share of state motor vehicle thefts varied between 0% and 0.02%, suggesting that this crime type is not a significant concern for the local community.
Arson incidents were rare in the city, with only one reported case in 2014. This single incident represented 0.08% of state arsons that year. The rate per 1,000 people for arson was 0.18 in 2014, an anomaly in an otherwise arson-free period. The scarcity of arson cases indicates that it is not a prevalent issue in the community.
A notable correlation exists between property crime trends and population density. As population density decreased from 7,589 people per square mile in 2013 to 7,060 in 2022, total property crimes also showed a general decline. This suggests that lower population density may contribute to reduced property crime rates.
Applying predictive models to forecast property crime trends for the next five years (up to 2029) suggests a continuation of the overall decreasing trend. Based on historical data, we can project that total property crimes may further decrease by approximately 10-15% by 2029. However, this prediction should be interpreted cautiously due to the variability observed in past years.
In summary, Highwood has experienced a general decline in property crimes over the past decade, with larceny-theft remaining the most common offense. The correlation between decreasing population density and reduced crime rates is particularly noteworthy. While fluctuations in specific crime categories highlight the need for adaptive law enforcement strategies, the overall trend suggests improving safety conditions in the community.
