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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Aberdeen, SD has a Safety Score of 51/100 — safer than 51% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 1,678.3 per 100,000 residents, ranking #1,460 of 2,957 US cities and #6 of 13 in South Dakota.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Aberdeen, SD?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Aberdeen, South Dakota Safe?
Aberdeen, a city named after its Scottish counterpart, is the county seat of Brown County in northeastern South Dakota. Home to Northern State University, it's a regional hub for commerce and healthcare.
Aberdeen has a safety score of 51/100 (Near National Average). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 1,678.3 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Aberdeen ranks #6 out of 13 cities in South Dakota and #1460 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 51st percentile for safety — safer than 51% of US cities.
Year over year, Aberdeen's total crime rate decreased by 23.4%, with violent crime declining 46.6%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Aberdeen Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 75 | 267.8 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.0 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 14 | 50.0 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0.0 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 61 | 217.8 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 395 | 1,410.5 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 70 | 250.0 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 296 | 1,057.0 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 29 | 103.6 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Aberdeen vs South Dakota Average
How does Aberdeen's crime rate compare to the South Dakota state average?
| Metric | Aberdeen | South Dakota Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 267.8 | 455.0 | -41.1% |
| Property Crime Rate | 1,410.5 | 2,476.1 | -43.0% |
| Murder Rate | 0.0 | 4.8 | -100.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 1,678.3 | 2,931.1 | -42.7% |
Aberdeen Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Aberdeen, South Dakota.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 28,004 | 1,678.3 | 267.8 | 1,410.5 |
| 2023 | 28,100 | 2,192.2 | 501.8 | 1,690.4 |
| 2022 | 28,206 | 1,939.3 | 368.7 | 1,570.6 |
| 2021 | 28,385 | 2,628.2 | 429.8 | 2,198.3 |
| 2020 | 28,494 | 1,961.8 | 529.9 | 1,431.9 |
| 2019 | 28,870 | 2,732.9 | 554.2 | 2,178.7 |
Aberdeen Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Aberdeen and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: South Dakota crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aberdeen, South Dakota safe?
Aberdeen has a safety score of 51/100, meaning it has less crime than about 51% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 1,678.3 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Aberdeen is about average for a US city.
What is the crime rate in Aberdeen, South Dakota?
According to FBI data for 2024, Aberdeen has a violent crime rate of 267.8 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 1,410.5 per 100,000 residents.
How does Aberdeen compare to the national average?
Aberdeen's total crime rate of 1,678.3 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 28,004 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Aberdeen?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Aberdeen are larceny-theft (296 reported incidents) and burglary (70 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 5.3x in the city.
Is Aberdeen safe to visit?
Like any city, Aberdeen has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 51/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.