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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI 2024 crime data, Box Elder, SD has a Safety Score of 55/100 — safer than 55% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 1,542.3 per 100,000 residents, ranking #1,339 of 2,971 US cities and #5 of 13 in South Dakota.
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Box Elder, South Dakota Safe?
Box Elder, South Dakota, a community near Ellsworth Air Force Base, is home to the South Dakota Air and Space Museum. This growing town, part of the Rapid City metropolitan area, is situated in Pennington County.
Box Elder has a safety score of 55/100 (Near National Average). Based on FBI data for 2024, the city reported a total crime rate of 1,542.3 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,752.3 per 100,000.
Box Elder ranks #5 out of 13 cities in South Dakota and #1339 out of 2971 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 55th percentile for safety — safer than 55% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Box Elder is rape, at 68.5 per 100K — 1.6x the national average. Conversely, robbery is relatively low at just 0.1x the national rate.
Year over year, Box Elder's total crime rate decreased by 26.5%, with violent crime declining 20.8%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Box Elder Crime Statistics Breakdown (2024)
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 51 | 349.6 | 473.3 |
| Murder | 1 | 6.9 | 6.2 |
| Rape | 10 | 68.5 | 43.4 |
| Robbery | 1 | 6.9 | 93.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 39 | 267.3 | 330.0 |
| Property Crime | 174 | 1,192.7 | 2,279.1 |
| Burglary | 25 | 171.4 | 287.8 |
| Larceny-Theft | 126 | 863.7 | 1,638.9 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 23 | 157.7 | 352.4 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Box Elder vs South Dakota Average
How does Box Elder's crime rate compare to the South Dakota state average?
| Metric | Box Elder | South Dakota Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 349.6 | 455.0 | -23.2% |
| Property Crime Rate | 1,192.7 | 2,476.1 | -51.8% |
| Murder Rate | 6.9 | 4.8 | +42.7% |
| Total Crime Rate | 1,542.3 | 2,931.1 | -47.4% |
Box Elder Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Box Elder, South Dakota.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 14,589 | 1,542.3 | 349.6 | 1,192.7 |
| 2023 | 12,916 | 2,098.2 | 441.3 | 1,656.9 |
| 2022 | 12,710 | 1,848.9 | 401.3 | 1,447.7 |
| 2021 | 10,876 | 2,703.2 | 579.3 | 2,123.9 |
| 2020 | 10,402 | 3,374.4 | 567.2 | 2,807.2 |
| 2019 | 10,077 | 2,560.3 | 416.8 | 2,143.5 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Box Elder, South Dakota safe?
Box Elder has a safety score of 55/100, meaning it has less crime than about 55% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 1,542.3 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Box Elder is about average for a US city.
What is the crime rate in Box Elder, South Dakota?
According to FBI data for 2024, Box Elder has a violent crime rate of 349.6 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 1,192.7 per 100,000 residents.
How does Box Elder compare to the national average?
Box Elder's total crime rate of 1,542.3 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 14,589 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Box Elder?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Box Elder include larceny-theft, aggravated assault, and burglary. Property crime is generally more common than violent crime.
Is Box Elder safe to visit?
Like any city, Box Elder has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 55/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.