Columbia vs Wilmington Crime Comparison
Is Columbia or Wilmington Safer?
Wilmington is the safer city, with a total crime rate 0% lower than Columbia based on 2024 FBI data. Columbia has higher rates in 2 of 7 crime categories.
The biggest difference is in murder, where Wilmington has a 42% lower rate.
Columbia, SC
Safety Score
27/100
Population
144,559
Total Crime Rate
4,002.5
Category Wins
2/7
Wilmington, NC
Safety Score
27/100
Population
125,101
Total Crime Rate
4,000.0
Category Wins
5/7
Detailed Crime Rate Comparison
| Crime Type | Columbia | Wilmington | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crime Rate | 4,002.5 | 4,000.0 | +2.6 |
| Violent Crime Rate | 769.9 | 485.2 | +284.7 |
| Murder Rate | 9.7 | 5.6 | +4.1 |
| Rape Rate | 61.6 | 45.6 | +16.0 |
| Robbery Rate | 108.6 | 72.7 | +35.9 |
| Aggravated Assault Rate | 590.1 | 358.9 | +231.2 |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,232.6 | 3,514.8 | -282.2 |
| Burglary Rate | 496.7 | 361.3 | +135.4 |
| Larceny-Theft Rate | 2,356.8 | 2,841.7 | -484.9 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft Rate | 379.1 | 311.8 | +67.3 |
All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Columbia or Wilmington safer?
Wilmington is safer with a total crime rate of 4,000 per 100K vs 4,003 for Columbia — a 0% difference.
How do violent crime rates compare?
Columbia has a violent crime rate of 769.9 per 100K while Wilmington has 485.2. Wilmington has lower violent crime.