crimebycounty

South Dakota Crime & Safety

Crime rates and safety scores for all 66 counties.

Avg Violent Crime Rate

132.0

per 100K

Avg Property Crime Rate

657.0

per 100K

Avg Safety Score

99/100

State Overview

Crime & Safety in South Dakota

National Context

South Dakota maintains a low-crime profile

South Dakota's average total crime rate of 788.1 per 100,000 residents sits far below the national average of 2,385.5. This makes the state one of the most statistically safe regions in the country.

Violent vs. Property Crime

Property crimes represent the majority of reports

Property crime dominates the landscape at 656.5 incidents per 100,000, while the violent crime rate remains low at 131.6. Both figures are significantly lower than national benchmarks of 2,015.7 and 369.8, respectively.

Safest Counties

Pristine safety records in rural counties

Buffalo, Douglas, and Grant Counties all report a total crime rate of 0.0 per 100,000 residents. These areas stand out for their lack of reported criminal activity across both violent and property categories.

Crime Hotspots

Concentrated activity in populated hubs

Lincoln County shows a high total crime rate of 11,779.5 per 100,000, largely driven by property offenses. Pennington and Davison Counties also report rates above the state average, reflecting the complexities of urbanized or high-traffic corridors.

The Takeaway

A secure choice with localized variations

With a total crime rate roughly one-third the national average, South Dakota remains a safe haven for most residents. While specific areas like Lincoln County see more frequent activity, the state's overall safety profile is exceptional.

All South Dakota Counties

CountySafety Score
Buffalo County100/100
Douglas County100/100
Grant County100/100
Haakon County100/100
Hanson County100/100
Harding County100/100
Hyde County100/100
Jackson County100/100
Mellette County100/100
Oglala Lakota County100/100
Todd County100/100
Ziebach County100/100
Bon Homme County100/100
Dewey County100/100
Edmunds County100/100
Hutchinson County100/100
Sully County100/100
Campbell County100/100
Faulk County100/100
Hand County100/100
Potter County100/100
Clark County100/100
Jerauld County100/100
Miner County100/100
Minnehaha County100/100
Perkins County100/100
Roberts County100/100
Sanborn County100/100
Fall River County100/100
Marshall County100/100
Aurora County100/100
Gregory County100/100
Kingsbury County100/100
Day County99/100
Spink County99/100
Stanley County99/100
Turner County99/100
Charles Mix County99/100
Deuel County99/100
Hamlin County99/100
McCook County99/100
Walworth County99/100
Tripp County99/100
Lyman County99/100
Lake County99/100
McPherson County99/100
Corson County99/100
Jones County99/100
Moody County99/100
Union County99/100
Butte County99/100
Beadle County98/100
Brookings County98/100
Custer County98/100
Codington County98/100
Brown County98/100
Bennett County97/100
Lawrence County97/100
Clay County97/100
Hughes County97/100
Brule County97/100
Meade County97/100
Yankton County96/100
Davison County96/100
Pennington County95/100
Lincoln County81/100

Crime rates per 100K population. — = data pending.

Concerned about home security?

SimpliSafe offers 24/7 professional monitoring with no contracts required.

Get Protected →

Sponsored

Data Sources

Crime data sourced from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (UCR) and County Health Rankings. Safety scores are derived composite metrics.

Data is informational only. Not legal or security advice. Coverage varies by county and reporting year.

← Back to All States

Explore more data for South Dakota

Property TaxCost of LivingComing SoonIncomeComing SoonHealthSchoolsRiskWaterWeatherCounty Score