South Carolina Crime Rate & Safety (2024)

FBI-verified crime statistics | Population: 1,555,058 | 0 reporting agencies

Violent Crime Rate

493.6
+4%
per 100K residents

Property Crime Rate

2,669.0
+17%
per 100K residents

Total Crime Rate

3,162.7
#35 of 50
Ranked #35 of 50 states
Source: FBI UCR 2024 Government-Verified Data

South Carolina Crime Overview

In 2024, South Carolina reported a total crime rate of 3,162.7 per 100,000 residents — 15% above the national average of 2,752.3. This ranks South Carolina #35 out of 50 states (safest first).

The most elevated crime category in South Carolina is larceny-theft at 1.3x the national rate.

Compared to the previous year, South Carolina's crime rate decreased by 9.9%, with violent crime down 7.4%.

Within the state, Tega Cay is the safest city (crime rate: 325), while Orangeburg has the highest rate (7,455).

Crime Breakdown

Crime Type Incidents Rate per 100K National Avg
Violent Crime 7,676 493.6 473.3
Murder 125 8.0 6.2
Rape 632 40.6 43.4
Robbery 921 59.2 93.0
Aggravated Assault 5,985 384.9 330.0
Property Crime 41,505 2,669.0 2,279.1
Burglary 4,336 278.8 287.8
Larceny-Theft 33,172 2,133.2 1,638.9
Motor Vehicle Theft 3,997 257.0 352.4
Arson 0 0.0 0.0

Cities in South Carolina by Crime Rate

Cities ranked from safest to most dangerous (population 10,000+).

# City Population Total Crime Rate Violent Crime Rate Safety Score
1 Tega Cay 14,456 325.1 27.7 94/100
2 North Augusta 26,377 443.6 34.1 91/100
3 Fort Mill 37,027 677.9 45.9 87/100
4 Bluffton 37,927 943.9 118.7 82/100
5 Fountain Inn 13,996 1,057.4 78.6 80/100
6 Mount Pleasant 96,608 1,300.1 128.4 76/100
7 Port Royal 16,931 1,352.6 129.9 75/100
8 Mauldin 29,180 1,600.4 219.3 70/100
9 Hanahan 22,205 1,643.8 225.2 70/100
10 Hardeeville 13,740 1,666.7 160.1 69/100
11 Lexington 25,359 1,683.8 118.3 69/100
12 Goose Creek 50,294 1,721.9 256.5 68/100
13 Irmo 12,178 1,806.5 238.1 67/100
14 Summerville 52,148 1,990.5 222.4 63/100
15 Easley 27,617 2,035.0 239.0 63/100
16 Greer 47,690 2,078.0 350.2 62/100
17 Clemson 17,867 2,149.2 162.3 60/100
18 Moncks Corner 17,854 2,358.0 336.1 57/100
19 Charleston 156,898 2,379.3 357.6 56/100
20 Conway 29,015 2,419.4 444.6 56/100
21 Rock Hill 75,975 2,790.4 442.3 49/100
22 Simpsonville 28,952 2,821.9 214.2 48/100
23 Cayce 13,628 3,514.8 733.8 36/100
24 North Myrtle Beach 20,790 3,583.5 360.8 34/100
25 Forest Acres 10,309 3,695.8 291.0 32/100
26 Newberry 10,926 3,706.8 594.9 32/100
27 Greenwood 22,478 3,812.6 489.4 30/100
28 Columbia 144,559 4,002.5 769.9 27/100
29 Greenville 73,405 4,114.2 645.7 25/100
30 Beaufort 13,937 4,276.4 703.2 22/100
31 Gaffney 12,399 4,403.6 225.8 20/100
32 Aiken 33,221 4,527.3 568.9 17/100
33 Florence 40,781 4,725.2 806.8 14/100
34 North Charleston 123,511 4,767.2 811.3 13/100
35 Sumter 42,551 4,803.7 1,097.5 12/100
36 West Columbia 18,591 5,185.3 747.7 5/100
37 Anderson 30,150 6,265.3 560.5 1/100
38 Spartanburg Department 39,186 6,719.2 1,490.3 1/100
39 Myrtle Beach 41,022 6,767.1 1,111.6 1/100
40 Orangeburg 13,320 7,455.0 1,246.3 1/100

South Carolina Crime Rate Trends

Year Population Total Crime Rate Violent Crime Rate Property Crime Rate
2024 1,555,058 3,162.7 493.6 2,669.0
2023 1,424,753 3,509.6 533.1 2,976.5
2022 1,464,904 3,594.8 537.0 3,057.7
2021 1,440,193 3,947.3 602.4 3,344.9
2020 1,411,286 4,347.8 638.6 3,709.2
2019 1,387,523 4,538.6 580.4 3,958.2

South Carolina vs Neighboring States

How does South Carolina's crime rate compare to its neighbors?

State Total Crime Rate Violent Crime Rate Property Crime Rate vs South Carolina
South Carolina 3,162.7 493.6 2,669.0 —
Georgia 2,286.1 345.0 1,941.1 -27.7%
North Carolina 3,508.0 556.7 2,951.3 +10.9%

Among neighboring states, Georgia has the lowest crime rate (2,286 per 100K). North Carolina has the highest (3,508 per 100K).

More South Carolina Crime Data

Safest cities in South Carolina Most dangerous cities in South Carolina All state crime statistics