SafeWise is happy to release our fifth annual Safest Cities report. Here are the 20 Safest Cities in South Carolina for 2019. See if your city made the list.
South Carolina’s safest cities blow away the state’s overall violent crime rate of 6.14 (compared to 4.49 nationally). Each of the cities that made our list boasts a violent crime rate of fewer than 3.5 incidents per 1,000 people.
These cities also get high marks for property crime, with 60% limiting incidents to fewer than 24 per 1,000 people. That beats both the state and national property crime rates of 42.06 and 27.11, respectively.
Find out if your South Carolina city landed on the list this year.
Interesting Findings
- 70% of the cities made the list for the second time—with the top two (Isle of Palms and Tega Cay) holding onto their spots for the second consecutive year
- Isle of Palms reported zero violent crimes for the second year in a row.
- 85% of the cities had fewer than 75 total violent crimes, and only four reported any counts of murder—which is impressive given that populations range from around 4,000 to more than 135,000 residents.
- Statewide, property crime is the top safety concern, with 14% of participants in our State of Safety survey experiencing a property crime in the past year.
- Break-ins are the biggest property crime concern, but burglary makes up just 12% of the property crimes committed among our safest cities. Larceny-theft was the most-reported property crime, contributing 81% of the total property crimes reported.
The 20 Safest Cities in South Carolina
#1
Isle of Palms
+0
#2
Tega Cay
+0
#3
Clemson
+4
#4
Ridgeland
New
#5
Edgefield
-1
#6
Central
New
#7
Travelers Rest
+5
#8
Walhalla
New
#9
Mount Pleasant
-3
#10
Bluffton
-5
#11
Surfside Beach
-11
#12
North Augusta
+2
#13
Mauldin
+0
#14
Fort Mill
+1
#15
Charleston
+5
#16
Summerville
New
#17
Hanahan
-6
#18
Lexington
New
#19
Simpsonville
New
#20
Fountain Inn
-10
How We Determined the Safest Cities
Learn how we identified the safest cities on our methodology page.
Beyond Safest Cities: What Are the Biggest Safety Concerns in Your State?
Crime statistics are one thing, but do they line up with what people are really worried about when it comes to safety? To find out, SafeWise conducted a nationwide survey. See what the biggest safety concern is in your state—and learn more about what your neighbors are nervous about—in our State of Safety report.
If you would like to contact a SafeWise Safest Cities Analyst, please email info@safewise.com.
Didn’t Find Your City in the Top 20?
See how the remaining cities ranked in the list below.
| Rank | City | Population | Violent Crime (per 1,000) | Property Crime (per 1,000) |
| 21 | Port Royal | 13,161 | 3.65 | 23.02 |
| 22 | Goose Creek | 43,006 | 3.77 | 22.93 |
| 23 | Belton | 4,426 | 3.84 | 54.68 |
| 24 | Seneca | 8,389 | 4.05 | 23.13 |
| 25 | Clover | 6,098 | 4.1 | 28.86 |
| 26 | Greer | 29,585 | 4.16 | 35.76 |
| 27 | North Myrtle Beach | 16,422 | 4.38 | 77.82 |
| 28 | Saluda | 3,626 | 4.41 | 16.27 |
| 29 | Moncks Corner | 10,818 | 4.44 | 50.47 |
| 30 | Irmo | 12,353 | 4.45 | 36.19 |
| 31 | Honea Path | 3,779 | 4.5 | 64.04 |
| 32 | Woodruff | 4,209 | 4.75 | 21.86 |
| 33 | Forest Acres | 10,563 | 5.59 | 60.12 |
| 34 | Hardeeville | 6,328 | 5.85 | 31.29 |
| 35 | Easley | 21,107 | 5.92 | 61.97 |
| 36 | Conway | 23,806 | 5.96 | 39.32 |
| 37 | Lyman | 3,513 | 5.98 | 27.04 |
| 38 | Greenville | 68,922 | 6.02 | 41.08 |
| 39 | Williamston | 4,229 | 6.15 | 29.79 |
| 40 | Rock Hill | 74,053 | 6.33 | 40.61 |
| 41 | Barnwell | 4,508 | 6.43 | 45.92 |
| 42 | Anderson | 27,728 | 6.53 | 60.08 |
| 43 | Newberry | 10,373 | 6.56 | 41.94 |
| 44 | Beaufort | 13,612 | 6.76 | 49 |
| 45 | Marion | 6,677 | 7.04 | 90.46 |
| 46 | Gaffney | 12,982 | 7.16 | 34.66 |
| 47 | Columbia | 134,957 | 7.34 | 52.86 |
| 48 | Batesburg-Leesville | 5,462 | 7.87 | 48.7 |
| 49 | Chester | 5,452 | 7.89 | 42.92 |
| 50 | Cayce | 14,434 | 7.9 | 51.2 |
| 51 | Sumter | 40,747 | 8.17 | 45.13 |
| 52 | Bennettsville | 8,127 | 8.24 | 39.74 |
| 53 | York | 8,108 | 8.76 | 47.73 |
| 54 | North Charleston | 111,305 | 9.22 | 56.52 |
| 55 | Orangeburg | 13,076 | 9.48 | 66.61 |
| 56 | Manning | 4,031 | 9.68 | 92.04 |
| 57 | Walterboro | 5,275 | 10.24 | 75.83 |
| 58 | Clinton | 8,473 | 10.39 | 37.65 |
| 59 | Union | 7,940 | 10.45 | 61.46 |
| 60 | West Columbia | 16,426 | 10.78 | 67.7 |
| 61 | Darlington | 6,090 | 10.84 | 82.27 |
| 62 | Laurens | 9,089 | 11.99 | 49.62 |
| 63 | Cheraw | 5,770 | 12.13 | 72.1 |
| 64 | Florence | 38,449 | 12.67 | 70.95 |
| 65 | Greenwood | 23,329 | 13.55 | 72.96 |
| 66 | Mullins | 4,502 | 13.77 | 52.64 |
| 67 | Georgetown | 9,003 | 14.22 | 58.2 |
| 68 | Camden | 7,173 | 15.61 | 71.8 |
| 69 | Myrtle Beach | 33,167 | 15.77 | 130.58 |
| 70 | Lake City | 6,774 | 16.09 | 64.51 |
| 71 | Hartsville | 7,769 | 17.25 | 111.34 |
| 72 | Dillon | 6,568 | 23.6 | 96.22 |
Find the Safest Cities in Each State
How to Make a Safe Home Anywhere
Wherever you live, feeling safe in your home can bring greater peace of mind and happiness. Whether your city made our list or not, we recommend adding extra security to your home with monitored security services provided by the nation’s leading home security providers.
To learn more about the home security options, check out SafeWise’s picks for Best Home Security Systems of 2019.
Sources:
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, “2017 Crime in the United States”
SafeWise’s, “2019 State of Safety”
US Census Bureau, “2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates“
Written by Rebecca Edwards
Rebecca has honed her safety and security skills as both a single mom and a college director. Being responsible for the well-being of others helped her learn how to minimize risk and create safe environments. Learn more
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