Crime in Rapid City, South Dakota

Property crime

The vast majority of crimes in America are property crimes, accounting for 85% of total crimes in 2019. In Rapid City, however, property crimes account for only about 82% of all offenses.

Despite accounting for a smaller than average share of total offenses, property crime is more prevalent in Rapid City than it is nationwide. There were 2,454 property crimes in Rapid City in 2019, or 3,214 for every 100,000 residents. Meanwhile, the national property crime rate is 2,110 incidents per 100,000 people.

Larceny

Larceny is by far the most common type of property crime in the U.S. It is also the most commonly committed type of property crime in Rapid City. There were 1,646 larcenies reported in Rapid City in 2019, or 2,156 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the larceny rate is 1,550 per 100,000.

Burglary

There were 488 break-ins reported in Rapid City in 2019, or 639 for every 100,000 residents. For reference, there were 341 reported burglaries for every 100,000 people nationwide in 2019.

Motor Vehicle Theft

Across the United States, the annual motor vehicle theft rate is 220 for every 100,000 people. In Rapid City, meanwhile, there were 320 motor vehicle thefts in 2019, or 419 for every 100,000 people.

Violent crime

Violent crime accounts for a relatively small share of crimes nationwide. These offenses, which are generally more egregious than property crimes, account for about 15% of the nearly 8.2 million offenses reported across the U.S. in 2019. In Rapid City, however, violent offenses account for a larger 18% share of all reported crime.

At 707 incidents for every 100,000 people, the violent crime rate in Rapid City is well above the national violent crime rate of 379 offenses per 100,000 people. Law enforcement in Rapid City reported a total of 540 violent crimes in 2019.

Aggravated Assault

Aggravated assault is by far the most common type of violent crime reported in the U.S. It is also the most commonly reported violent offense in Rapid City. There were 358 aggravated assaults reported in Rapid City in 2019, or 469 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the rate is far lower, standing at 250 aggravated assaults per 100,000 people.

Robbery

Robbery is the second most common type of violent crime in America. There were 64 robberies reported in Rapid City in 2019, a rate of 84 robberies for every 100,000 residents. For comparison, the national robbery rate was 82 per 100,000 in 2019.

Rape

There were 114 rapes reported in Rapid City in 2019, or 149 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, there were 139,815 rapes in 2019, a rate of 43 per 100,000 people.

Murder

There were 4 homicides committed in the city in 2019. Adjusted for population, the murder rate in Rapid City is 5.2 murders for every 100,000 people, similar to the national murder rate of 5 per 100,000 people.