Charleston, South Carolina was founded in the year 1670 and is often remembered by visitors for its bustling, cobblestone streets, waterfront views, and historic buildings. The city was home to more than 130,000 residents in 2013, and it’s a popular location for students who want to attend great programs at Charleston Southern University and the College of Charleston.
While it may have many perks, Charleston, SC certainly has had its fair share of problems with crime in the past. Since 2012, there have been quite a few drastic changes to the crime rates experienced in the area, which begs the question of whether or not this city has turned itself around for good or not.
To learn more, consider the information provided about Charleston, SC patterns in local property crime.
Charleston Property Crime Patterns
Charleston, SC went through quite a rough patch, in terms of crime, more than a decade ago. In 2002, it was reported that there were more than 6,000 property crime incidents in Charleston per 100,000 inhabitants, and that the violent crime index was a little over 800 in the same year.
Since 2001, property crime rates have been decreasing yearly, with one small blip in 2008 when rates rose for the year. In comparison, violent crimes began to increase after 2002, with 2004 being the worst year for violent crime before things started slowing down again.
In 2002, the property crime rate was lower in Charleston than the national average, by 4.58%, and the violent crime rate was also lower by a whopping 38.32%. Overall, from the year 2004-2013, Charleston had been experiencing a decrease in both property and violent crime acts. It is believed that the crime rate in 2017 will be lower than it was in 2012 when it sat at just over 200 crimes per 1,000 people.
The Best and Worst Places in Charleston, SC
Based on the size of Charleston, the city sits in the middle of the pack in comparison to the crime rates of other cities of the same size. In more recent reports about the safety of Charleston, SC, it is explained that the rate of property crime is 26 per 1,000 people, which means that the likelihood of being a part of property crime happens to 1 in every 38 residents.
However, Charleston was ranked 13th in a list of the 30 safest places to live in South Carolina in 2015. This was based on a violent crime rate that was less than half the national average, as well as Charleston’s safety record and improved public safety.
Some of the safest neighborhoods in Charleston include Harbor View Road/Clearview Drive, Parrot Point/Oceanview, and the City Center. These areas are likely safer areas because they are more geared toward tourists and are often very busy and filled with people. These areas are also some of the more well-off areas in Charleston, so these areas are cleaner, more well-kept, and less prone to violent and property crime like the surrounding areas.
Some of the least safe areas in Charleston include Ashley Hall Road/Sandcroft Drive, Dupont Station/Pinecrest, and Race Street/King Street.