South Dakota Crime Trends

FBI UCR Trends Snapshot: South Dakota

South Dakota reported 2,959 violent crimes and 14,198 property crimes in 2024, drawing 11 years of history (2014–2024) from FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program submissions. Over that window the statewide violent crime rate moved from 316.3 per 100,000 residents in 2014 to 320 per 100,000 in 2024, a rise of 1.2%. The property crime rate shifted from 1827.4/100K to 1535.5/100K over the same period, down 16%.

Within the latest year's violent crime total, aggravated assault (0), robbery (0), murder and non-negligent manslaughter (0), and rape (0) make up the four Part I offense categories tracked by the FBI. Property crime in 2024 splits across larceny-theft (0), burglary (0), motor vehicle theft (0), and arson (0). Against the US national average of 352/100K for 2024, South Dakota's violent crime rate runs 9% below the national benchmark.

Over the same 11-year span, the US national violent crime rate moved down 3.1% (363.3/100K in 2014 to 352/100K in 2024), providing a direct comparison against South Dakota's +1.2% move. UCR figures reflect offenses reported to and submitted by local law enforcement; agency participation is voluntary, so year-to-year completeness can shift, and the FBI periodically restates prior-year figures as late submissions arrive. The full year-by-year table below shows population, violent and property crime counts, rates, and a sub-breakdown for murder, robbery, and burglary, enabling granular inspection of South Dakota's multi-year crime trajectory.

Reading a multi-year crime trend is more reliable than reacting to any single year, but it still calls for context. Year-to-year swings often reflect changes in which agencies reported, definitional updates, or the 2021 national shift to the NIBRS reporting system rather than real movement on the ground. A short run of data can exaggerate a rise or fall that longer history would smooth out, and a small population magnifies the effect of a handful of incidents. When you study the direction below, weigh the size of the change against the size of the place, look for a consistent multi-year pattern rather than a one-year spike, and remember that reported offenses are a floor: unreported crime never enters these federal figures at all.