Charleston, SC has safety grade D, a population of about 137,041, an overall crime rate near 1,260 per 100k as of 2026. For real estate investors, safety is only half the picture: pair these crime statistics with rental demand and returns to judge whether Charleston, SC is a sound place to buy. See the investment overview for Charleston, SC for median prices, rental yield and Pulse Score, or run the numbers in the ROI analyzer.
Charleston, SC crime snapshot: safety grade D, violent crime rate 5.00 per 1,000 residents, property crime rate 6.00 per 1,000 residents. Compare nearby zip codes, hotspots, and safety recommendations below.
High Risk
per 1000 residents
The area has very low safety standards with a D rating. Residents should be aware of their surroundings and take appropriate precautions.
With property crimes being more prevalent (51.4% of total incidents), residents should secure their homes and vehicles, install security systems, and maintain good lighting around their properties.
The high crime volume of 1,727 incidents indicates this is an active urban area. The most common crime type is property crime.
Crime rates in Charleston align with national averages, suggesting typical urban safety patterns.
Based on the provided crime data for the area represented by GEOID 16000US4513330, a detailed analysis reveals several key trends. The total count of reported incidents is 1727. Property crime constitutes the largest category with 887 incidents, indicating a significant concern for residents and businesses. Within property crime, larceny/theft offenses are the most prevalent (471 incidents), followed by destruction/damage/vandalism of property (151 incidents) and stolen property offenses (120 incidents). Burglary/breaking & entering accounts for 89 incidents, while motor vehicle theft is comparatively lower at 56 incidents. Assault is the second most frequent crime category, with 682 incidents, suggesting a notable level of interpersonal violence. Robbery, while less frequent than assault and property crime, still accounts for 47 incidents. The "others" category, encompassing fraud offenses (52 incidents), arson (4 incidents), counterfeiting/forgery (4 incidents), and embezzlement (10 incidents), represents a smaller but still relevant portion of the overall crime landscape. Sex offenses, including kidnapping/abduction (12 incidents) and sex offenses (18 incidents), are present, albeit at a lower frequency than other categories. Homicide, the most severe crime, accounts for 11 incidents, all classified as homicide offenses. Further analysis, incorporating demographic and socioeconomic data, would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to these crime patterns. For instance, knowing the population size would allow for the calculation of crime rates per 100,000 residents, enabling comparisons with other areas. Median income data could reveal potential correlations between economic conditions and crime rates, particularly property crimes. The distribution of crime across different zip codes within the area could highlight specific hotspots requiring targeted interventions.
Explore related real estate, safety, and education data for Charleston, SC.
Browse data for nearby cities and zip codes.
Crime rates are normalized per 1,000 residents based on reported incidents in FBI UCR and local agency feeds. We split incidents into violent, property, and other categories so you can see where the risk concentrates.
The “Safest Zip Codes” section above ranks nearby zip codes by safety score, while the “High Crime Zip Codes” section highlights areas with elevated reported crime in Charleston, SC.
Crime data is refreshed on a rolling basis as updated reports are published by the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer and partnering agencies.
Combine this crime report with the market overview for Charleston, SC and the school report linked in the “Related analysis” section to assess both safety and investment fundamentals.
PulseReal’s analysis is built on top of these public, authoritative datasets.
Official UCR crime statistics by state and agency from the FBI.
Population, demographics, housing, and income data from the US Census Bureau.
Encyclopedic overview of the city, history, and notable landmarks.
Housing affordability, fair-market rents, and market reports from HUD.
Local unemployment and employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Bureau of Justice Statistics publications on US crime victimization.
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Green markers indicate safer areas, red markers indicate high crime areas. Blue markers show the currently selected zip code.
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