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Columbia, SC vs Wilmington, NC Crime Comparison

Side-by-side crime rates, safety scores, and trends based on FBI data.

Full report: Columbia crime rate · Wilmington crime rate

Moving from Columbia, SC to Wilmington, NC?

An out-of-state move adds a new driver's license, plates, voter registration and state-specific deadlines. The Moving Checklist Planner dates every task from your move-in day — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

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Is Columbia, SC or Wilmington, NC Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Wilmington, NC is safer than Columbia, SC (Safety Score 9/100 vs 9/100), with a total crime rate of 4,000 per 100,000 versus 4,003 for Columbia, SC — 0% lower. Columbia has higher rates in 2 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where Wilmington has a 42% lower rate.

Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Columbia, SC?

Columbia — 5-Year Trend

Flat Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Wilmington — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Columbia, SC

Columbia, SC
Safety Score 9/100
Coverage 144,559
Total Crime Rate 4,002.5
Category Wins 2/7

Wilmington, NC

Wilmington, NC
Safety Score 9/100
Coverage 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.

Moving from Columbia, SC to Wilmington, NC?

An out-of-state move adds new driver's license, plates, voter registration and deadlines that differ by state. The Moving Checklist Planner dates every task from your move-in day — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

Get the planner →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Columbia or Wilmington safer?

Wilmington, NC is safer with a total crime rate of 4,000 per 100K vs 4,003 for Columbia, SC — 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.

About Columbia, SC

Columbia, South Carolina, the state capital, sits at the confluence of the Broad and Saluda Rivers, forming the Congaree. Home to the University of South Carolina, it's a vibrant city with a significant student population. With a safety score of 9/100 and a population coverage of 144,559, Columbia has a total crime rate of 4,002.5 per 100,000 residents.

About Wilmington, NC

Wilmington, a port city in southeastern North Carolina, is known for its historic downtown Riverwalk and as a major film production hub. Situated along the Cape Fear River, it's the county seat of New Hanover County. With a safety score of 9/100 and a population coverage of 125,101, Wilmington has a total crime rate of 4,000.0 per 100,000 residents.

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