TownTapestry
Sign inJoin
SDSouth Dakota rankings

Safest towns in South Dakota

Ranked by crime reported to police per 1,000 residents, averaged over 2023–2025, with violent crimes counted four times as heavily as property crimes. Lower is safer. 23 towns with 2,500+ residents whose police reported every year.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Hot Springs 1 Hot Springs 5.9 Violent 1.2 per 1,000 Elk Point 2 Elk Point 8.7 Violent 1.0 per 1,000 Lead 3 Lead 11.2 Violent 1.5 per 1,000
#TownWeighted crime rateViolentProperty
1 Hot Springs Hot Springs3,548 people 5.9 1.2 per 1,000 1.2 per 1,000
2 Elk Point Elk Point2,537 people 8.7 1.0 per 1,000 4.8 per 1,000
3 Lead Lead3,006 people 11.2 1.5 per 1,000 5.0 per 1,000
4 Map of Summerset Summerset3,022 people 11.4 0.9 per 1,000 7.9 per 1,000
5 Map of Winner Winner2,905 people 12.2 1.4 per 1,000 6.7 per 1,000
6 Madison Madison6,094 people 13.5 1.4 per 1,000 8.0 per 1,000
7 Brookings23,948 people 14.7 1.0 per 1,000 10.7 per 1,000
8 Map of Tea Tea6,786 people 15.9 1.4 per 1,000 10.3 per 1,000
9 Sisseton Sisseton2,670 people 18.5 2.6 per 1,000 7.9 per 1,000
10 Vermillion Vermillion11,878 people 20.3 1.9 per 1,000 12.7 per 1,000
11 Watertown Watertown23,044 people 21.7 2.6 per 1,000 11.4 per 1,000
12 Belle Fourche Belle Fourche5,804 people 23.0 2.2 per 1,000 14.3 per 1,000
13 Map of North Sioux City North Sioux City3,045 people 25.1 2.2 per 1,000 16.3 per 1,000
14 Map of Huron Huron14,385 people 26.6 2.5 per 1,000 16.5 per 1,000
15 Spearfish Spearfish12,930 people 28.2 2.3 per 1,000 19.1 per 1,000
16 Box Elder Box Elder12,902 people 28.6 3.7 per 1,000 14.0 per 1,000
17 Yankton Yankton15,540 people 30.3 2.7 per 1,000 19.4 per 1,000
18 Map of Aberdeen Aberdeen28,189 people 30.7 4.0 per 1,000 14.7 per 1,000
19 Map of Mitchell Mitchell15,649 people 30.7 2.9 per 1,000 19.2 per 1,000
20 Sturgis Sturgis7,086 people 34.1 3.2 per 1,000 21.5 per 1,000
21 Pierre Pierre13,948 people 40.7 5.1 per 1,000 20.4 per 1,000
22 Map of Sioux Falls Sioux Falls201,469 people 42.8 4.4 per 1,000 25.1 per 1,000
23 Rapid City Rapid City77,946 people 67.5 7.4 per 1,000 37.8 per 1,000

How this ranking works

For each town we add up the violent and property crimes its police reported to the FBI over 2023–2025 and divide by the population they served, giving a rate per 1,000 residents. Violent crimes (homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) count four times as much as property crimes (burglary, theft, vehicle theft and arson), because they weigh more on how safe a place feels. The lowest weighted rate ranks #1.

These are crimes reported to police, not convictions, and towns with a campus, highway, beach or shopping center also count incidents involving visitors. A town is ranked only if its police department reported a full year in every one of these years; towns patrolled by a county sheriff or state police don't have their own figures. There is no “most dangerous” list, on purpose.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, offenses known to law enforcement by city. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NH NJ NM NY NC OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY All of the U.S.