Safest Cities in South Dakota (2024)
Ranked by violent crime rate per 100,000 residents from 2024 FBI data. South Dakota has 58 cities reporting crime data, with a statewide violent crime rate of 362.3 per 100K.
58
Cities Tracked
73.2
Safest City Rate
181.7
Median City Rate
718.9
Highest Rate
Top 25 Safest Cities in South Dakota
| # | City | Population | Violent Rate | Murder Rate | Property Rate | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandon | 10,935 | 73.2 | 0.0 | 374.9 | B |
| 2 | Brookings | 24,638 | 85.2 | 0.0 | 1177.0 | B |
| 3 | Tea | 8,055 | 136.6 | 12.4 | 1142.1 | C+ |
| 4 | Madison | 6,069 | 148.3 | 0.0 | 790.9 | C |
| 5 | Belle Fourche | 5,955 | 151.1 | 0.0 | 2300.6 | C |
| 6 | Vermillion | 12,110 | 181.7 | 0.0 | 1164.3 | C |
| 7 | Sturgis | 7,056 | 226.8 | 0.0 | 1757.4 | D+ |
| 8 | Mitchell | 15,607 | 262.7 | 6.4 | 1967.1 | D+ |
| 9 | Spearfish | 13,657 | 263.6 | 0.0 | 1823.2 | D+ |
| 10 | Aberdeen | 28,004 | 267.8 | 0.0 | 1410.5 | D |
| 11 | Yankton | 15,698 | 273.9 | 6.4 | 1968.4 | D |
| 12 | Huron | 14,740 | 291.7 | 6.8 | 1512.9 | D |
| 13 | Watertown | 23,417 | 303.2 | 0.0 | 1024.9 | D |
| 14 | Box Elder | 14,589 | 349.6 | 6.8 | 1192.7 | D |
| 15 | Pierre | 13,822 | 506.4 | 0.0 | 1989.6 | F |
| 16 | Sioux Falls | 210,926 | 526.7 | 6.6 | 2915.2 | F |
| 17 | Rapid City | 80,957 | 718.9 | 6.2 | 3792.1 | F |
Most Dangerous Cities in South Dakota
| # | City | Population | Violent Rate | Murder Rate | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rapid City | 80,957 | 718.9 | 6.2 | F |
| 2 | Sioux Falls | 210,926 | 526.7 | 6.6 | F |
| 3 | Pierre | 13,822 | 506.4 | 0.0 | F |
| 4 | Box Elder | 14,589 | 349.6 | 6.8 | D |
| 5 | Watertown | 23,417 | 303.2 | 0.0 | D |
| 6 | Huron | 14,740 | 291.7 | 6.8 | D |
| 7 | Yankton | 15,698 | 273.9 | 6.4 | D |
| 8 | Aberdeen | 28,004 | 267.8 | 0.0 | D |
| 9 | Spearfish | 13,657 | 263.6 | 0.0 | D+ |
| 10 | Mitchell | 15,607 | 262.7 | 6.4 | D+ |
| 11 | Sturgis | 7,056 | 226.8 | 0.0 | D+ |
| 12 | Vermillion | 12,110 | 181.7 | 0.0 | C |
| 13 | Belle Fourche | 5,955 | 151.1 | 0.0 | C |
| 14 | Madison | 6,069 | 148.3 | 0.0 | C |
| 15 | Tea | 8,055 | 136.6 | 12.4 | C+ |
All 58 Cities in South Dakota
Complete list ranked from safest to most dangerous.
Show all 58 cities
| # | City | Pop. | Violent Rate | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springfield | 1,915 | 0.0 | A |
| 2 | Groton | 1,477 | 0.0 | A |
| 3 | Eagle Butte | 1,349 | 0.0 | A |
| 4 | Miller | 1,319 | 0.0 | A |
| 5 | Tyndall | 1,017 | 0.0 | A |
| 6 | Philip | 764 | 0.0 | A |
| 7 | Kimball | 670 | 0.0 | A |
| 8 | Tripp | 621 | 0.0 | A |
| 9 | Menno | 615 | 0.0 | A |
| 10 | Avon | 590 | 0.0 | A |
| 11 | Jefferson | 440 | 0.0 | A |
| 12 | Rosholt | 430 | 0.0 | A |
| 13 | Hermosa | 428 | 0.0 | A |
| 14 | Faith | 410 | 0.0 | A |
| 15 | Elk Point | 2,054 | 48.7 | B+ |
| 16 | Parkston | 1,539 | 65.0 | B+ |
| 17 | Summerset | 3,008 | 66.5 | B+ |
| 18 | Brandon | 10,935 | 73.2 | B |
| 19 | Platte | 1,261 | 79.3 | B |
| 20 | Lennox | 2,518 | 79.4 | B |
| 21 | Brookings | 24,638 | 85.2 | B |
| 22 | Scotland | 785 | 127.4 | C+ |
| 23 | Tea | 8,055 | 136.6 | C+ |
| 24 | Winner | 2,914 | 137.3 | C+ |
| 25 | Madison | 6,069 | 148.3 | C |
| 26 | Belle Fourche | 5,955 | 151.1 | C |
| 27 | Lead | 3,054 | 163.7 | C |
| 28 | Flandreau | 2,353 | 170.0 | C |
| 29 | Burke | 577 | 173.3 | C |
| 30 | Vermillion | 12,110 | 181.7 | C |
| 31 | Gettysburg | 1,070 | 186.9 | C |
| 32 | Hot Springs | 3,686 | 189.9 | C |
| 33 | Beresford | 2,079 | 192.4 | C |
| 34 | North Sioux City | 3,049 | 196.8 | D+ |
| 35 | Whitewood | 962 | 207.9 | D+ |
| 36 | Sisseton | 2,401 | 208.2 | D+ |
| 37 | Sturgis | 7,056 | 226.8 | D+ |
| 38 | Canton | 3,059 | 261.5 | D+ |
| 39 | Mitchell | 15,607 | 262.7 | D+ |
| 40 | Spearfish | 13,657 | 263.6 | D+ |
| 41 | Alcester | 750 | 266.7 | D |
| 42 | Aberdeen | 28,004 | 267.8 | D |
| 43 | Yankton | 15,698 | 273.9 | D |
| 44 | Mobridge | 3,217 | 279.8 | D |
| 45 | Huron | 14,740 | 291.7 | D |
| 46 | Watertown | 23,417 | 303.2 | D |
| 47 | Clark | 1,162 | 344.2 | D |
| 48 | Box Elder | 14,589 | 349.6 | D |
| 49 | Freeman | 1,272 | 393.1 | F |
| 50 | Chamberlain | 2,497 | 440.5 | F |
| 51 | Pierre | 13,822 | 506.4 | F |
| 52 | Centerville | 968 | 516.5 | F |
| 53 | Sioux Falls | 210,926 | 526.7 | F |
| 54 | Wagner | 1,407 | 639.7 | F |
| 55 | Rapid City | 80,957 | 718.9 | F |
| 56 | Deadwood | 1,413 | 990.8 | F |
| 57 | Martin | 936 | 1388.9 | F |
| 58 | Murdo | 432 | 2314.8 | F |
Crime Composition in South Dakota
How violent crime breaks down across cities reporting data in South Dakota.
State violent crime rate: 362.3/100K vs national average: 359.1/100K (1% above national average)
About This Data
Crime rates are from the FBI's 2024 Uniform Crime Report, the most recent data available. Rates are per 100,000 residents. Safety grades are based on national percentile ranking — an "A" means the city is safer than 80%+ of all US cities in our database.
Not all cities report to the FBI. Small agencies may have incomplete data. Always consider multiple years of data before drawing conclusions about a city's safety.
National demographic context: Crime and safety vary across racial and ethnic groups. Per-city demographic data is not published by the FBI, but national patterns show significant disparities. Full demographics | Racial disparities