Peoria Crime and Safety | NewsBreak Peoria, IL (2025)

FAQs

What is the bad side of Peoria? ›

East Peoria: With a 1 in 13 chance of being the victim of a crime, East Peoria is one of the Peoria area's most dangerous places to live. Situated across the river from the Peoria city center, overall, violent, and property crimes are very high in this community.

The study, based on 2019 data from the FBI, named Peoria the 15th deadliest city in the country with 22.53 murders per 100,000. Peoria Police said killings stalled in 2020, with the pandemic reportedly driving down murders. But, as the state reopens, the crime rate is rebounding with it.

Peoria was made famous by an old vaudeville line—“Will it play in Peoria?”—that suggested the city was a bellwether for “heartland” values of the entire country.

The city is associated with the phrase "Will it play in Peoria?", which may have originated from the vaudeville era and is often spuriously attributed to Groucho Marx.

An egg sulfur smell. “When the wind is just right, it's the smell you get all over Peoria,” said David Cook, the Bradley University student who concocted “Essence of Peoria.” He calls the potion the “finest industrial fragrance” in the Midwest. It reeks of the ethanol plants that permeate this city.

Rockford. Rockford, Illinois, continues to grapple with high crime rates, positioning it as one of the most dangerous cities in the state. In 2023, the city reported a violent crime rate of 14.42 per 1,000 residents, which is significantly higher than both the state and national averages.

Peoria is ranked the No. 1 place to live in Illinois for 2024-2025 by U.S. News and World Report.

In the United States, New Mexico is the most dangerous state, with a higher rate of violent crimes per capita than any other location.

Peoria was once known as the alcohol distilling capital of the world — From 1844 to 1919 there were at least 73 distilleries on the Peoria County tax roll. By 1890, Peoria distilleries accounted for 40% of all alcohol produced in the United States.

What is the ethnicity of Peoria Illinois? ›

White: 57.62% Black or African American: 26.44% Asian: 6.69% Two or more races: 6.61%

It's A River City

Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River, giving its downtown picturesque views that only a riverfront can provide. The Peoria RiverFront district is one of the state's oldest urban areas, and is home to great restaurants, live entertainment, cultural centers and more.

Check out 11 more Illinois town slogans at Reboot Illinois to find out which town is the bagel capital of the world and why Peoria is sometimes called Whiskeytown.

Peoria was named the "Rose Capital of the World" in 1956. Peoria takes its name from Peoria, Illinois. The city was founded by four families from Illinois who moved to Arizona in 1886 and named the new settlement after their home town.

Traditionally, Chicago, East Saint Louis, and the Quad Cities region have tended to vote heavily Democratic, along with the Central Illinois population centers of Peoria, Champaign-Urbana and Decatur.

Peoria is ranked the No. 1 place to live in Illinois for 2024-2025 by U.S. News and World Report.

The chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in East Peoria is 1 in 33. Based on FBI crime data, East Peoria is not one of the safest communities in America.

Peoria is home to Lake Pleasant Regional Park - a true an oasis in the desert. The 23,000 acre park is home to two marinas and is a popular spot for boating, fishing, water skiing, kayaking, camping, and even scuba diving!

Race and Ethnicity

In 2022, there were 6.87 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (123k people) in Peoria, AZ than any other race or ethnicity. There were 17.9k White (Hispanic) and 11.2k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.