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C

Is Spearfish, South Dakota Safe?

Population 14,154 · Safer than 31% of US cities

Stable· 2023 FBI UCR data

Spearfish is a smaller community of 14,154 people with a C safety grade. Crime runs close to the national average for violent offenses, and the overall rate sits at 224 per 1,000. Property crime makes up the majority of offenses, with theft at 1,393 per 100K.

Spearfish Crime Rates vs State and National Averages

MetricSpearfishSouth Dakota AvgNational Avg
Violent Crime Rate357.3325.9363.8
Property Crime Rate1882.62020.61,832.3
Murder Rate5.0--5.7
Assault Rate237.0--268.2
Theft Rate1393.0--1,401.5
Vehicle Theft Rate223.0--318.3

All rates per 100,000 residents. 2024 FBI Uniform Crime Report + Census Bureau population estimates.

Overall SafetyC

224 crimes per 1,000 residents

Violent CrimeC-

357/100K (national avg: 364)

Property CrimeC

1883/100K (national avg: 1,832)

Key Crime Statistics for Spearfish

Violent crime in Spearfish is close to the national average. The rate of 357.3 per 100K falls below the national 363.8.

Property crime is close to the national average at 1882.6 per 100K vs. the national 1,832.3.

Theft is the most reported crime at 1,393 per 100K. The national average is 1,401.5.

Spearfish Crime Breakdown by Category

Murder5
088% of avgAvg: 5.7
Assault237
088% of avgAvg: 268.2
Robbery61
096% of avgAvg: 63.3
Burglary301
01.1x national avgAvg: 269.8
Theft1,393
099% of avgAvg: 1,401.5
Vehicle Theft223
070% of avgAvg: 318.3

Rates per 100,000 residents. Vertical marker = national average.

How Spearfish Compares

Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)

Spearfish
357.3
State
325.9
National
363.8

Property Crime Rate (per 100K)

Spearfish
1882.6
State
2020.6
National
1832.3

Rates per 100,000 residents. National averages from 2023 FBI UCR data.

Frequently Asked Questions About Spearfish Safety

Is Spearfish safe?
Not especially. Spearfish earns a C with a crime rate of 224 per 1,000 residents, and violent crime runs close to the national average. Standard precautions apply, especially at night.
What is the crime rate in Spearfish?
224 per 1,000 residents. That breaks down to a violent crime rate of 357.3 per 100,000 (the national average is 363.8) and property crime at 1882.6 per 100,000 (national average: 1832.3).
Is Spearfish safe for tourists?
Exercise extra caution. Spearfish's C grade reflects real risk, particularly for property crime. Theft (1,393 per 100K) is the biggest concern for visitors. Stay in well-lit, busy areas at night.
What are the safest neighborhoods in Spearfish?
Neighborhood-level data varies, but suburban residential areas in Spearfish generally report lower crime than downtown or commercial districts. For block-level detail, check the Spearfish police department's crime map.
Is crime increasing in Spearfish?
Crime rates have held steady in Spearfish, without significant movement in either direction. The city maintains its C grade.
How does Spearfish compare to other cities in South Dakota?
Below average for the state. Spearfish ranks behind about 72% of South Dakota cities on safety, with property crime being the bigger issue at 1.0x the national rate.
How safe is Spearfish to live in?
Worth factoring into your decision. Violent crime is close to the national average, which is encouraging. Rates have been stable.
How bad is crime in Spearfish?
Bad. A C grade and 224 per-thousand rate put Spearfish below 69% of US cities. Violent crime at 357 per 100K is the core problem.
What is the violent crime rate in Spearfish?
357.3 per 100,000, which is 2% below the national average of 363.8. That includes assault (237), robbery (61), and murder (5.0) per 100,000.

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View all South Dakota city safety grades

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2024 FBI Uniform Crime Report data and Census Bureau population estimates. Safety grades calculated using national and state-level crime rate distributions. Not a substitute for local law enforcement guidance.

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