South Carolina Crime Statistics
46 years of data (1979–2024)
Key Insights
- →South Carolina ranks #11 out of 51 states for violent crime rate (436.7 per 100K).
- →Violent crime decreased 8.5% from 2023 to 2024.
- →173 cities report crime data. Safest: Tega Cay (27.7/100K). Most dangerous: Spartanburg (1480.1/100K).
- →409 murders in 2024 — a rate of 7.5 per 100K residents.
- →Since 1979, South Carolina's violent crime rate has changed by -36%.
Violent Crime Rate
436.7
-8.5% YoY
Murder Rate
7.5
409 total
Property Crime Rate
1965.8
107,701 total
Population
5,478,831
2024
2024 Crime Breakdown
Violent Crime: 23,927
Murder409
Rape2,033
Robbery1,922
Aggravated Assault19,563
Property Crime: 107,701
Burglary15,474
Larceny-Theft80,440
Motor Vehicle Theft11,787
Violent Crime Rate Trend
Homicide Rate Trend
Violent Crime Breakdown (2024)
Most Dangerous Cities
| City | Violent Rate | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg | 1480.1 | 39,186 |
| Orangeburg | 1246.2 | 13,320 |
| Myrtle Beach | 1111.6 | 41,022 |
| Sumter | 1097.5 | 42,551 |
| North Charleston | 810.5 | 123,511 |
| Florence | 806.7 | 40,781 |
| Columbia | 769.9 | 144,559 |
| West Columbia | 747.7 | 18,591 |
| Cayce | 733.8 | 13,628 |
| Beaufort | 696.0 | 13,937 |
Safest Cities
| City | Violent Rate | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Tega Cay | 27.7 | 14,456 |
| North Augusta | 34.1 | 26,377 |
| Fort Mill | 45.9 | 37,027 |
| Fountain Inn | 78.6 | 13,996 |
| Lexington | 118.3 | 25,359 |
| Bluffton | 118.6 | 37,927 |
| Mount Pleasant | 128.4 | 96,608 |
| Port Royal | 129.9 | 16,931 |
| Hardeeville | 160.1 | 13,740 |
| Clemson | 162.3 | 17,867 |
Crime Velocity — Which Cities Are Changing Fastest
Fastest Improving
Fastest Worsening
Velocity scores measure the direction and speed of crime changes. Negative = improving, positive = worsening. Full methodology →
Hate Crimes in South Carolina
138 incidents reported
Top bias motivations: Sexual Orientation (13)
Explore full hate crime data →All StatesSafest Cities in South CarolinaMost Dangerous in South CarolinaCompare CitiesArrest DataHate Crimes
Arrest Demographics (National)
The FBI publishes state-level total arrest counts but does not break down arrest demographics by race at the state level in the same detail as national data. For national arrest demographic patterns, see our dedicated pages:
Related Analysis
More for South Carolina
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer. Rates per 100,000 residents. City data from Table 8.