No state is perfect, and even in a place as wonderful as the Palmetto State, there are disheartening facts and stats that can’t be ignored, such as the following list of the most dangerous cities in South Carolina.

But we’re going to say now and it bears repeating: as far as we’re concerned, South Carolina is a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. But it’s always good to keep a vigilant eye on the crimes reported in and around where you live and play. The most recent stats from the FBI reveal the 10 most dangerous places in the state are listed below. Numbers aside, every one of these cities and towns has its wonderful side, too. So keep that in mind and use the information below as a simple reminder to remain aware if you live in, or are visiting, one of the top 10 worst cities in South Carolina. Read on to see if your city or town found its way onto this list of the most dangerous cities in South Carolina…

1. North Charleston

North Charleston, SC, USA
Wikimedia/Thomson200
With a population of 112,840, this city with a gruesome history, North Charleston, tops the list of the state’s most dangerous cities, boasting higher-than-average rates of both property and violent crime, including some of the most violent crimes in South Carolina.

Get a closer look at North Charleston:

2. Columbia

Columbia, SC, USA
D SMith/Google
In recent years, Columbia's violent crimes have skyrocketed in Columbia, South Carolina, with both violent and property crime rates (including aggravated assault and larceny) on the rise.

Get a closer look at North Charleston:

3. Charleston

Charleston, SC, USA
Wikipedia/ProfReader
One of the most historic and beautiful places in South Carolina is, unfortunately, afflicted with high crime rates. The violent crimes in Charleston are much higher than average, with nearly half of all instances classified as aggravated assault. Murder, rape, and larceny rates in Charleston are unfortunately quite high, too.

4. Greenwood

Greenwood, SC, USA
Wikipedia/change-of-venue
In the much smaller City of Greenwood (population 23,265), the city saw 392 violent crimes committed in 2018. Of those, 329 were aggravated assaults, 31 were robberies, 30 rapes were reported, and two murders occurred. Greenwood's property crimes, however, numbered 1,594 with 1,245 of them classified as larceny theft.

5. Greenville

Greenville, SC, USA
Wikipedia/Antony-22
Within the City of Greenville, which falls in the middle of the Top 10, 368 violent crimes occurred in 2018. Of them, 258 were aggravated assaults and 74 were robberies. Greenville had 34 reported rapes and two murders in that same year. Property crimes soared to 2,810, with the majority (2,177) of them being larceny-theft. Of note is the large number of motor vehicle thefts in Greenville in 2018: 230. The population was reported in the FBI stats as 69,608.

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6. Sumter

Sumter, SC, USA
Wikimedia/Charlesinsumter
Over in Sumter County, the county seat of Sumter (population 39,898) saw 366 violent crimes in 2018 — averaging slightly more than one per day. Of those, 297 were aggravated assaults; 53 were robberies, 12 were rapes, and there were four murders. Property crimes far outnumbered violent crimes with a total of 1,873. A large number of them (1,411) were classified as larceny-theft; however, 86 motor vehicle thefts are on record as well as one case of arson.

7. Florence

Florence, SC, USA
Google Maps [streetview]
The City of Florence falls in line very closely behind Sumter. With a similar population (37,819), Florence saw 362 violent crimes in 2018, according to FBI statistics. The majority of them were aggravated assaults but there were 18 cases of rape, 72 robberies, and eight murders. Property crimes far outnumbered violent crimes, though. With 2,462 reported, 1,935 were classified as larceny-theft, nine were arson, 375 robberies are on record, and a large number of motor vehicle thefts occurred: 152.

Take a driving tour through downtown Florence:

8. West Columbia

West Columbia, SC 29169, USA
Dr. Blazer/Wikimedia Commons
With neighboring Columbia ranked at number two based on the FBI's statistics, West Columbia (population 17,368) falls into the ranking at number eight on the list. In 2018, West Columbia saw 181 violent crimes, of which 113 were aggravated assaults and 35 were robberies. Additionally, there were three murders in the year as well as 30 reported cases of rape. At the same time, 1,292 cases of property crime were recorded including 1,063 larceny thefts, 122 motor vehicle thefts, 107 robberies, and five cases of arson.

9. Summerville

Summerville, SC, USA
Lee Keadle/Wikimedia Commons
South Carolina's friendly Flowertown ranks number nine on the list with 140 cases of violent crime on record for 2018. Of those, 94 were aggravated assaults and 19 were robberies. A total of 25 rapes were reported and two murders took place. Within that same year, property crimes in Summerville reached 1,873. Of them, 1,411 were larceny-theft, 376 were robberies, 86 were motor vehicle thefts, and there were eight cases of arson.

10. Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant, Mt Pleasant, SC, USA
Flickr/Wally Gobetz
Mount Pleasant, population 89,733, saw no murders in 2018, so that's great news. But the town still encountered 138 violent crimes including 113 aggravated assaults, 10 reported rapes, and 15 robberies. Property crimes were high, though, at a total of 1,221. Of them, 1,002 were larceny thefts, while 126 were robberies. The town saw a large number of motor vehicle thefts, at 93 for the year. A lone case of arson is on record in Mount Pleasant for 2018.

 

Are you surprised by any of the cities or towns that made the list of the most dangerous cities in South Carolina? What cities did you think would be the most dangerous places in South Carolina? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Now, for some good news: while the above list of places with the worst crime rates in South Carolina is certainly disheartening, the Palmetto State is, by and large, a safe and wonderful place to live! Need proof? Hit the road and drive to 10 of the best and safest cities to live in South Carolina. And for more state pride, these are just some of the many reasons we love South Carolina and think everyone should live here!

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What are some other dangerous places in South Carolina?

Some other dangerous places in South Carolina include:

  • The intersection of Broad St and I-10 in Columbia.
  • Highway 17
  • South Carolina beaches

 

In addition to the cities with the highest crime rates listed above, there are some other dangerous places in South Carolina you definitely want to be aware of. These aren't places with the worst crime rates, highest murder rates, and instances with the most violent crimes in South Carolina; rather, many of the state's most dangerous places are its roads! Take, for example, the Intersection of Broad Street and I-20 in Columbia. This intersection is the most dangerous in the state, according to the South Carolina State Highway Office. In the span of one year alone, 39 accidents occurred in the intersection, leaving 11 people injured. If this is an intersection you must cross on a regular basis, take extra care. Another dangerous road in the Palmetto State, Highway 17 has been listed as one of the most dangerous roads in the country. The highway has some absolutely gorgeous stretches, but sharp curves and the presence of wildlife, such as deer (who, as we know, can jump out in front of your car from out of nowhere!) cause multiple accidents.

Lastly, our beaches, while beautiful, can be quite hazardous. According to the website Shark Attack Data, there were seven shark attacks in South Carolina in 2015. All were non-fatal but occurred while beachgoers were standing or playing in the water. One attack occurred on Myrtle Beach (pictured). While shark attacks are still rare overall, it pays to be vigilant while playing in South Carolina's beautiful coastal waters. As with anything, arm yourself with information and knowledge when venturing out to these notoriously dangerous places in South Carolina.

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