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Denmark, South Carolina: Property Crime Trends Amidst Population Decline
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
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Crime
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Denmark, located in South Carolina, has experienced significant changes in property crime rates and population over the past decade. From 2010 to 2021, the total number of property crimes decreased by 60.95%, from 169 to 66 incidents. During this same period, the population declined by 21.37%, from 6,187 to 4,865 residents.
Burglary trends in the city show a notable decline over time. In 2010, there were 66 burglaries, which decreased to 22 by 2021, representing a 66.67% reduction. When considering population trends, the burglary rate per 1,000 people decreased from 10.67 in 2010 to 4.52 in 2021. However, the city's share of state burglaries fluctuated, peaking at 0.83% in 2015 before dropping to 0.34% in 2021. This suggests that while burglaries have decreased overall, the city's contribution to state burglary figures has varied significantly.
Larceny theft also showed a downward trend. In 2010, there were 92 incidents, which decreased to 41 by 2021, a 55.43% reduction. The larceny theft rate per 1,000 people declined from 14.87 in 2010 to 8.43 in 2021. The city's share of state larceny thefts remained relatively low, hovering around 0.1-0.2% throughout the period, with a slight decrease from 0.16% in 2010 to 0.1% in 2021. This indicates that larceny theft in the city has been consistently decreasing both in absolute numbers and relative to the state figures.
Motor vehicle theft incidents fluctuated but ultimately decreased. From 11 incidents in 2010, the number dropped to 3 in 2021, a 72.73% reduction. The rate per 1,000 people decreased from 1.78 in 2010 to 0.62 in 2021. The city's share of state motor vehicle thefts varied, peaking at 0.29% in 2013 before falling to 0.06% in 2021. This suggests that while motor vehicle thefts have generally decreased, there have been periods of higher incidence relative to state figures.
Arson cases in the city were sporadic and low in number. There were no reported arsons in most years, with occasional incidents in 2012 (1 case), 2013 (2 cases), 2016 (1 case), and 2021 (1 case). Due to the low numbers, meaningful trends or rates per 1,000 people are difficult to establish. The city's share of state arsons ranged from 0% in most years to a high of 0.88% in 2013, indicating that when arsons did occur, they represented a significant portion of the state's total.
Examining correlations, there appears to be a relationship between property crime trends and population density. As the population density decreased from 1,584 people per square mile in 2010 to 1,245 in 2021, total property crimes also declined. Additionally, there seems to be a correlation with median income, which increased from $29,173 in 2013 to $50,803 in 2021, coinciding with the overall decrease in property crimes.
Applying predictive models to forecast property crime trends, it's estimated that by 2029, total property crimes could decrease further to approximately 40-50 incidents per year if current trends continue. This projection assumes continued population decline and economic improvement.
In summary, Denmark has experienced a significant reduction in property crimes across all categories over the past decade, with burglary and larceny theft showing the most consistent declines. These improvements coincide with population decreases and rising median incomes, suggesting a complex interplay of demographic and economic factors influencing crime rates. The city's contribution to state crime figures has generally decreased, indicating that local crime reduction efforts may be outpacing those at the state level.
