Highest Crime in South Dakota

Top 19 cities ranked by highest crime

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All Countries · United States · South Dakota

Highest Crime — South Dakota

1 Rapid City 707.3 per 1K

2 Yankton 583.8 per 1K

3 Aberdeen 554.2 per 1K

4 Sioux Falls 483.2 per 1K

5 Pierre 463.7 per 1K

6 Harrisburg 442.2 per 1K

7 Huron 419.1 per 1K

8 Box Elder 416.8 per 1K

9 Mitchell 375.0 per 1K

10 Watertown 301.4 per 1K

11 Rapid Valley 286.3 per 1K

12 Madison 224.9 per 1K

13 Brookings 217.5 per 1K

14 Sturgis 200.5 per 1K

15 Belle Fourche 196.4 per 1K

16 Spearfish 194.2 per 1K

17 Vermillion 193.9 per 1K

18 Tea 135.6 per 1K

19 Brandon 68.3 per 1K

Cities with the highest crime rates in South Dakota face public safety challenges that affect residents' quality of life and economic development. Rapid City has 707.3 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 Rapid City is 176.8x 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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