Columbia, South Carolina Crime Rate
5 years of data (2020–2024) · Population: 144,559
Key Insights
- →Columbia has a safety grade of F with a violent crime rate of 769.9 per 100,000 residents (national avg: 359.1).
- →Violent crime rose 1.7% from the previous year.
- →14 murders recorded in 2024 — a rate of 9.7 per 100K.
- →Crime trajectory: volatile — based on 5 years of data.
- →Safer than 5% of all cities in the OpenCrime database.
- →Violent-to-property crime ratio: 0.24 (near national average).
Violent Crime Rate
769.9
+1.7% YoY
Murder Rate
9.7
14 murders
Property Crime Rate
3232.6
4,673 total
vs National Avg
↑ 114%
National: 359.1
2024 Crime Breakdown
Violent Crime: 1,113
Murder14
Rape89
Robbery157
Aggravated Assault853
Property Crime: 4,673
Burglary718
Larceny-Theft3,407
Motor Vehicle Theft548
Arson28
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Year | Population | Violent Crime | Violent Rate | Murders | Property Crime | Property Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 144,559 | 1,113 | 769.9 | 14 | 4,673 | 3232.6 |
| 2023 | 141,497 | 1,071 | 756.9 | 11 | 4,905 | 3466.5 |
| 2022 | 137,768 | 825 | 598.8 | 13 | 3,934 | 2855.5 |
| 2021 | 132,255 | 965 | 729.7 | 23 | 5,536 | 4185.9 |
| 2020 | 131,777 | 991 | 752.0 | 19 | 5,898 | 4475.7 |
Crime Rate Trends
Murder Rate Trend
F
Safety Grade for Columbia
Based on violent crime rate of 769.9 per 100K (national avg: 359.1)
Safety Percentile
Safer than 5% of cities
Similar Cities
Cities with similar population and crime profile (in different states):
National Arrest Demographics
The FBI does not publish per-city arrest demographic breakdowns. At the national level, arrest data shows significant racial disparities influenced by policing patterns, poverty concentration, and systemic factors.
Related Analysis
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, Table 8 — Offenses Known to Law Enforcement by State by City. Rates per 100,000 residents.