Highest Crime in South Carolina

Top 60 cities ranked by highest crime

Highest Crime - South Carolina

1 Dillon 2,372/100K
2 Hartsville 1,746/100K
3 Chester 1,554/100K
4 Spartanburg 1,478/100K
5 Clinton 1,291/100K
6 Orangeburg 1,254/100K
7 Cheraw 1,184/100K
8 Darlington 1,131/100K
9 Myrtle Beach 1,121/100K
10 Sumter 1,093/100K
11 Lancaster 1,064/100K
12 Bennettsville 995/100K
13 Walterboro 988/100K
14 Union 975/100K
15 Georgetown 975/100K
16 Camden 948/100K
17 Laurens 939/100K
18 Marion 882/100K
19 Florence 819/100K
20 North Charleston 815/100K
21 Columbia 770/100K
22 West Columbia 748/100K
23 Cayce 741/100K
24 York 726/100K
25 Beaufort 696/100K
26 Greenville 650/100K
27 Seneca 626/100K
28 Newberry 595/100K
29 Anderson 584/100K
30 Aiken 572/100K
31 Greenwood 507/100K
32 Rock Hill 446/100K
33 Conway 445/100K
34 North Myrtle Beach 366/100K
35 Charleston 359/100K
36 Greer 348/100K
37 Moncks Corner 342/100K
38 Irmo 296/100K
39 Forest Acres 291/100K
40 Summerville 274/100K
41 Travelers Rest 264/100K
42 Goose Creek 249/100K
43 Easley 235/100K
44 Gaffney 234/100K
45 Hanahan 230/100K
46 Mauldin 226/100K
47 Simpsonville 221/100K
48 Lyman 203/100K
49 Clemson 162/100K
50 Hardeeville 160/100K
51 Clover 144/100K
52 Port Royal 136/100K
53 Mount Pleasant 129/100K
54 Bluffton 124/100K
55 Lexington 118/100K
56 Fountain Inn 79/100K
57 Central 56/100K
58 Fort Mill 46/100K
59 North Augusta 45/100K
60 Tega Cay 28/100K

Cities with the highest crime rates in South Carolina face public safety challenges that affect residents' quality of life and economic development. Dillon has 2,371.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents.

High crime rates are often linked to economic factors including poverty, unemployment, income inequality, and limited access to education and social services. Addressing crime effectively requires tackling these underlying root causes alongside traditional law enforcement approaches.

Many cities on this list are actively implementing comprehensive safety strategies including community policing, violence intervention programs, youth mentorship, and economic development initiatives aimed at reducing the conditions that contribute to criminal activity.

Did You Know?

  • 1. The violent crime rate in Dillon is 592.9x the national average.
  • 2. Crime rates have been declining nationally for decades - even cities on this list have generally seen improvements over time.
  • 3. Violent crime is heavily concentrated in specific neighborhoods - most areas within these cities are considerably safer than the citywide statistics suggest.

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