Most Dangerous Cities in South Dakota

Top 13 cities (≥10,000 pop) by highest FBI UCR violent crime rate per 100,000 · 2024. Lead: Rapid City at 718.9/100K.

FBI UCR Highest-Crime Snapshot: South Dakota

South Dakota lists 13 cities with 10,000+ population for 2024, spanning Rapid City at 718.9/100K violent down to Brandon at 73.2/100K on this highest-crime cut. That is a 645.7/100K spread inside the elevated cohort alone, not a single statewide rate. Cohort average: 315.7 violent offenses per 100,000 residents.

Rapid City reported 582 violent and 3,070 property offenses on a 80,957 reporting population in 2024. Property rate 3792.1/100K sits beside the 718.9/100K violent rate. Top five on the table: Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Pierre, Box Elder, Watertown.

Rapid City offense desk

Rapid City's 2024 violent book concentrates in aggravated assault (66% of 582 Part I violent offenses; mix index 4,897).

Rapid City's violent rate fell 3.1% vs 2023 (742.1 → 718.9 per 100K) while staying #1 on this South Dakota highest-crime list.

Rapid City violent offense mix (2024)

Mix index is HHI × 10,000 on Part I violent shares for the #1 city only, distinct from the per-100K ranking table.

# Grade City Population Violent Crime Rate Property Crime Rate
1 F Rapid City 80,957 718.9/100K 3792.1/100K
2 F Sioux Falls 210,926 526.7/100K 2915.2/100K
3 D Pierre 13,822 506.4/100K 1989.6/100K
4 C Box Elder 14,589 349.6/100K 1192.7/100K
5 B Watertown 23,417 303.2/100K 1024.9/100K
6 C Huron 14,740 291.7/100K 1512.9/100K
7 C Yankton 15,698 273.9/100K 1968.4/100K
8 B Aberdeen 28,004 267.8/100K 1410.5/100K
9 C Spearfish 13,657 263.6/100K 1823.2/100K
10 C Mitchell 15,607 262.7/100K 1967.1/100K
11 B Vermillion 12,110 181.7/100K 1164.3/100K
12 A Brookings 24,638 85.2/100K 1177/100K
13 A Brandon 10,935 73.2/100K 374.9/100K

South Dakota overview · Safest cities · National most dangerous cities · Methodology - FBI UCR Part I rates; cities ≥10,000 pop; 2024.