Crime & Safety in West Columbia, SC
Violent and property crime rates, clearance data, and trends — 2024 Data
Crime Overview
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)Violent Crime Rate
7.48
per 1,000 residents
+67% vs national
Property Crime Rate
44.38
per 1,000 residents
+104% vs national
Total Crimes
964
2024
Violent Clearance
61%
cases solved
+44% vs national
Property Clearance
25%
cases solved
vs Similar Cities
+186%
vs 10K-25K avg
+186% vs 10K-25K
YoY Change
+15.1%
violent crime rate
worsening vs 2023
How West Columbia Compares
Source: FBI (2024)West Columbia vs Similar Cities
Source: FBI (2024)Compared to cities with 10,000 - 25,000 residents. West Columbia is highlighted in green.
Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)
Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)
Murder Rate (per 1,000)
Violent Crime Clearance Rate
Crime Rate Trends
Source: FBICrime Composition
Source: FBI (2024)Violent Crime Breakdown
Property Crime Breakdown
Crime Clearance (Solve) Rates
Source: FBI (2024)West Columbia police solve 86% of robbery cases but only 0% of rape cases. The national violent crime clearance rate is 42%.
Weapon Used in Violent Crime
Source: FBI (2024)Crime Breakdown
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)| Crime Type | Category | Count | Rate per 1K | Clearance % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murder | Violent | 3 | 0.16 | 0.0% |
| Rape | Violent | 9 | 0.48 | 0.0% |
| Robbery | Violent | 14 | 0.75 | 85.7% |
| Aggravated Assault | Violent | 113 | 6.08 | 64.6% |
| Burglary | Property | 69 | 3.71 | 20.3% |
| Larceny/Theft | Property | 690 | 37.11 | 27.1% |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | Property | 66 | 3.55 | 7.6% |
West Columbia, SC reported 139 violent crimes and 825 property crimes in 2024. The violent crime rate of 7.48 per 1,000 residents is 66.8% above the national average of 4.48 per 1,000. Law enforcement cleared 61% of violent crimes. Larceny/theft accounts for 690 of the property crime reports. Firearms were involved in 57.5% of aggravated assaults. Compared to similarly sized cities (10,000 - 25,000 population), West Columbia's violent crime rate is 186% higher. Violent crime has been trending upward.
Crime History
Source: FBI| Year | Violent | Property | Violent Rate | Property Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 139 | 825 | 7.48 | 44.38 |
| 2023 | 115 | 798 | 6.49 | 45.07 |
| 2022 | 129 | 975 | 7.34 | 55.46 |
| 2021 | 133 | 997 | 7.28 | 54.61 |
| 2020 | 142 | 1,457 | 7.83 | 80.31 |
| 2019 | 127 | 1,199 | 7.06 | 66.66 |
| 2018 | 182 | 1,291 | 10.48 | 74.33 |
| 2017 | 177 | 1,117 | 10.78 | 68.00 |
| 2016 | 125 | 714 | 7.72 | 44.09 |
| 2015 | 186 | 839 | 11.59 | 52.27 |