The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In South Dakota

Source: Wikipedia User tochichi | CC BY-SA 2.0

719 violent crimes /100k · 3,792 property crimes /100k · #1 most violent in South Dakota

Located in Pennington County, South Dakota

Rapid City represents one of the population centers in South Dakota. With 80,957 inhabitants, it comes in at number 2.0 in terms of most people in the state. Rapid City is well situated as a home base for some of the area’s biggest attractions, with places likeMount Rushmore and Deadwood located relatively nearby.

While it might serve as a tourist spot, travelers to Rapid City should stay cautious during their trip. The city ranks as the most dangerous place to live in the state. It reported 582 violent crimes during a year, including 110 rapes and 5 murders. Put into context, that gives Rapid City the highest violent crime rate for South Dakota.

The community also saw a significant number of non-violent crimes. With 3,070 property crimes, Rapid City had South Dakota’shighest pace in that category. This included 346 burglaries and 306 cars stolen.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Wikipedia User Jonathunder |

527 violent crimes /100k · 2,915 property crimes /100k · #2 most violent in South Dakota

Located in Minnehaha County, South Dakota

Sioux Falls stands as the number 1.0 most populous city in South Dakota. With 210,926 inhabitants, the city might seem miniscule compared to places like Los Angeles, Houston, or New York City. (After all, Sioux Falls’ tallest building, the CenturyLink Tower, is only 11 stories.) But the area still counts as a massive metropolis for South Dakota.

As with any large city, Sioux Falls (located near the state’s eastern border) has its share of crime. It suffered 1,111 violent crimes during a year, including 14 murders and 59 rapes. In terms of raw numbers, those are high for South Dakota. But on a per-capita basis, Sioux Falls only ranks as the second most violent spot in the state.

For property crime, Sioux Falls sees the second highest rate in South Dakota. This comes with 4,587 larcenies, 639 burglaries, and 923 stolen cars reported in 2024.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Wikipedia User Alanscottwalker | CC BY-SA 3.0

506 violent crimes /100k · 1,990 property crimes /100k · #3 most violent in South Dakota

Located in Hughes County, South Dakota

Ask your average fifth grader to name a city in South Dakota. If they come up with anything, they’ll probably say Pierre. That’s because the city serves as the state’s capital, making it one of South Dakota’s most high-profile communities.

With a population of 13,822, Pierre ranks as one of the smallest centers of government in the U.S. (By comparison, Phoenix, the state capital of Arizona, has more than 1.5 million people.) Even with its tiny size, Pierre has its share of crime. The city had 275 property crimes and 70 violent crimes during the year.

In terms of crime rate, Pierre had the fourth highest pace of property crime in South Dakota. Meanwhile, for violent crime, the city’s rate ranked third highest.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Chamberlain, South Dakota, is a small community with a big history. It hosts the South Dakota Hall of Fame (with inductees like broadcaster Tom Brokaw and Native American warriors like Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull). But the small town has also attracted a darker kind of fame: it ranks as the number 4 most dangerous place in the state.

Over the course of the reporting year 2024, Chamberlain suffered 11 violent crimes. This included 2 rapes. Compared to its population of just 2,497, this equals a per-capita violent-crime rate of 441/100k. That ranks it fourth highest in the state for that category.

Property crime is also a problem. The 39 such violations during the year gives it the ninth highest pace in South Dakota.

Data

Source: Public domain

274 violent crimes /100k · 1,968 property crimes /100k · #9 most violent in South Dakota

Located in Yankton County, South Dakota

Yankton has great historical significance for South Dakota. Located along the Missouri River, in the southeastern part of the state, it represented an early jumping-off point for settlement of the region.

In modern times, Yankton sports a population of 15,698, putting it number 6.0 in the state. With this figure comes a noticeable crime problem, with the community suffering the fifth highest crime rate in South Dakota.

That unfortunate ranking comes about in large part as a result of the 43 violent crimes reported during 2024 — the reporting year. That includes 13 rapes. In addition, Yankton had 309 property crimes over a 12-month period. Putting those figures in terms of population, the city had the ninth highest pace of violent crimes and the fifth highest rate of property violations.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Public domain

292 violent crimes /100k · 1,513 property crimes /100k · #7 most violent in South Dakota

Located in Beadle County, South Dakota

Centrally located in South Dakota, Huron once vied for the position of state’s capital and currently hosts the South Dakota State Fair. It also boasts “The World’s Largest Pheasant” – a 28-foot-tall statue along Highway 14, meant to advertise the area’s ample pheasant hunting.

Gamebirds aren’t the only thing in danger in the area, however. For a relatively small town, Huron has its share of crime trouble. The community suffered 43 violent crimes during a year, including 7 rapes. That puts the city seventh highest in the state in terms of highest violent crime rate.

Property crime is an issue as well. Huron had 203 larcenies and 10 burglaries during the year. That gives the town the tenth highest pace of property crime in South Dakota.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Wikipedia User JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD | CC BY-SA 3.0

264 violent crimes /100k · 1,823 property crimes /100k · #11 most violent in South Dakota

Located in Lawrence County, South Dakota

Spearfish was built on gold. No, not built out of gold. But the community grew out of a gold rush that took place in the region during the late 19th century. If you’ve ever seen the TV show Deadwood, Spearfish gets a shoutout there every so often.

Is Spearfish still a golden spot to live? It has its charms, especially if you want to explore the nearby Black Hills National Forest. But it also its share of crime, maybe an outgrowth of its Wild West history. Whatever the case, the town suffers high rates of violations like robbery and arson.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Wikipedia User Jeffrey Beall | CC BY 4.0

350 violent crimes /100k · 1,193 property crimes /100k · #5 most violent in South Dakota

Located in Pennington County, South Dakota

Located near the western border of South Dakota, Box Elder is home to the Ellsworth Air Force Base. Maybe the presence of all those airmen and airwomen provide a tempting target for criminals. Whatever the reason, the relatively low-population community (just 14,589 inhabitants) counts as the number 8 most dangerous spots in the state.

Box Elder (named for the local Boxelder Creek) reported 51 violent crimes during a year, with 39 aggravated assaults. Those numbers might seem pretty small. But put them in terms of population and the community has fifth highest rate of violent crimes in the state.

The town also reported 174 property crimes during the year. This gave Box Elder South Dakota’s 13th highest pace for the category.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Wikipedia User TCN7JM | CC BY-SA 3.0

263 violent crimes /100k · 1,967 property crimes /100k · #12 most violent in South Dakota

Located in Davison County, South Dakota

Mitchell is one of the most well-known spots in South Dakota. The town acts as a secondary tourist destination for the state. It might not live up to the level of top attractions, like Mount Rushmore, but the Corn Palace brings in its share of curious guests.

The influx of visitors creates an unfortunate temptation for thieves, however. Mitchell ranks sixth highest in the state for property crime. It had 307 such violations in a year, with 249 larcenies and 32 car thefts.

For violent crime, Mitchell is better off. In a city of 15,607 people, it reported 41 violent crimes. That puts it 12th highest in South Dakota in that category.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Wikipedia User Cumulus Clouds | GFDL

227 violent crimes /100k · 1,757 property crimes /100k · #13 most violent in South Dakota

Located in Meade County, South Dakota

Sturgis, a city in Meade County, South Dakota, ranks as the tenth most dangerous place to live in the state. While Sturgis may be known for its annual motorcycle rally, the city faces significant challenges in terms of safety and crime. According to recent crime statistics, Sturgis has reported a total of 16 violent crimes, including 0 murder cases, 3 rapes, 0 robberies, and 13 aggravated assaults.

With a violent crime rate of 227/100k and a property crime rate of 1,757/100k, it is evident that the city faces significant challenges in maintaining a secure environment. It is important to note that with focused efforts from local law enforcement and community initiatives, Sturgis has the potential to improve its safety rankings and create a safer living environment for its residents.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers