The Safest and Most Dangerous Places in Mellette, SD: Crime Maps and Statistics

Overall Crime Grade™

Violent Crime Grade	C
Property Crime Grade	B+
Other Crime Grade	D

Which crimes are included?

$136,385

Cost of Crime™ for Mellette, SD

In 2025, crime will cost $1,212 per household.

More cost data

Crime Grade's crime map highlights the safest areas in Mellette in green, the most dangerous in red, and moderately safe areas in yellow. Crime rates on the map are weighted based on both the type and severity of the crime. For more information on how to interpret our crime maps, see the Interpreting the Crime Maps section below.

Is Mellette, SD Safe?

The C grade indicates that the rate of crime is slightly higher than that of the average US city. Mellette ranks in the 43rd percentile for safety, meaning it is safer than 43% of cities but less safe than 57%. This analysis applies only to Mellette's official city boundaries. See the table below for nearby cities.

The crime rate in Mellette is 26.37 per 1,000 residents in the typical year. Mellette Residents generally consider the northeast part of the city to be the safest. Your chance of being a victim of crime in Mellette varies by neighborhood - ranging from 1 in 37 in the southwest neighborhoods to 1 in 38 in the northeast.

When looking at total crime counts (rather than per capita rates), the west parts of Mellette, SD see the most incidents - about 3 per year. In contrast, the northwest part of the city has the fewest, with approximately 0 crimes annually.

The Cost of Crime™ in Mellette, SD

The total projected cost of crime in Mellette for 2025 is $136,385. This translates to approximately $475 per resident and $1,212 per household. On average, crime-related costs account for 1.2% of the median household income in Mellette. These figures reflect only tangible costs, which include the following:

Criminal justice system costs (law enforcement, courts, and imprisonment): 55.6%
Direct costs to victims (damaged property, medical expenses, and lost wages): 31.1%
Lost economic contribution from offenders (time in prison or repeat offenses): 13.3%

How Much Does Crime Cost in Mellette Compared to Other Cities?

Mellette, SD:	$475
Pine Ridge, SD:	$1414
Hartford, SD:	$223
South Dakota:	$484
USA:	$464

The Cost of Crime per resident in Mellette is $475 per year, which is $11 more than the national average and $9 less than South Dakota's state average. Below we compare cities similar to Mellette:

In Pine Ridge, SD, crime costs $1,414 per person, which is $939 more than in Mellette.
In Hartford, SD, crime costs $223 per person, which is $252 less than in Mellette

2025 Projected Cost by Type of Crime

The table below shows the total cost of crime to the residents of Mellette for the year 2025 along with the projected cost per resident.

Crime	Cost to Mellette	Cost per Mellette Resident
Murder	$49,570	$173
Rape/Sexual Assault	$19,441	$68
Robbery	$2,512	$9
Assault	$15,743	$55
Kidnapping	$2,960	$10
Vehicle Theft	$318	$1
Burglary	$7,142	$25
Theft	$9,084	$32
Arson	$506	$2
Vandalism	$6,534	$23
Animal Cruelty	$116	$0
Drug Crimes	$21,706	$76
Identity Theft	$753	$3
Total Cost of Crime	$136,385	$475

The Intangible Cost of Crime in Mellette, SD

CrimeGrade primarily focuses on tangible costs, but the true impact of crime extends beyond economic. Pain and suffering for victims and their families are difficult to quantify, but research-based methodologies help estimate these effects. Using these methodologies, we calculate that the intangible cost of crime in Mellette totals $426,343 ($1,486 per resident). When added to the tangible costs, this brings the total estimated cost of crime to $562,728 ($1,961 per resident). All Cost of Crime facts are based on scholarly research done on the cost of crime. Read more about our methodology here.

Interpreting the Crime Maps

When interpreting the Mellette crime map, keep in mind that crime rates are measured per resident. Areas with high visitor traffic, such as shopping districts, may appear to have higher crime rates simply because more crimes occur where people gather - even if few residents live there. For example, the city has few retail establishments, which can artificially inflate crime rates in that area. Red areas on the map do not necessarily mean a neighborhood is unsafe for residents.

More issues arise with places like airports, parks, and schools. Major airports always look like high-crime locations due to the large number of people and the low population nearby. Parks and designated recreational areas have the same problem. Of Mellette’s 287 residents, few live near recreational areas. Because many people visit, crime rates may appear higher even for safe parks. Crime occurs where people gather, whether they live there or not. Before assuming an area is unsafe, consider both per-capita crime rates and total crime counts, as well as the types of destinations nearby.

To better understand and navigate these intricate crime maps, a high-speed internet connection can be crucial. Fast and seamless online connectivity ensures that map details load efficiently, providing users with clearer, uninterrupted insights. If you're considering enhancing your online experience, check out high speed internet in Mellette, SD at ISP Reports.

Mellette Crime Breakdown

The tables below show which crimes are used to calculate the Crime Grades above. All crime rates are shown as the number of crimes per 1,000 Mellette residents in a standard year.

Violent Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Assault	1.910
Robbery	0.2783
Rape	1.117
Murder	0.0919
Total Violent Crime	3.397 (C)

Property Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Theft	6.112
Vehicle Theft	0.0716
Burglary	2.744
Arson	0.0730
Total Property Crime	9.000 (B+)

Other Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Kidnapping	0.1701
Drug Crimes	10.22
Vandalism	3.187
Identity Theft	0.3389
Animal Cruelty	0.0545
Total "Other" Rate	13.97 (D)

Individual Mellette Crime Maps & Stats

Crime Maps and Rates for Nearby Cities

Compared to surrounding cities, the rate of crime in Mellette is lower. The table below shows Crime Grades for cities close to Mellette.

Nearby City	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
Northville, SD	C-	C-	B-
Brentford, SD	C	B+	B
Mansfield, SD	C-	C-	C
Ashton, SD	C	C	B
Athol, SD	C	C	B
Warner, SD	D+	C-	D+
Stratford, SD	D+	C	C
Conde, SD	C	B	B
Turton, SD	C	B+	B
Redfield, SD	D	C	D

Crime Maps and Rates for City with Similar Populations

Mellette is similar versus other cities of the same size for crime. The table below compares crime in cities with comparable overall population in the city‘s boundaries.

Similar City	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
Pershing, OK	C+	C+	C+
Pikeville, AL	D	D+	D+
Pierpont, SD	D-	D+	D+
Phlox, IN	A+	A+	A+
Philomath, IN	A	A-	A-
Pettigrew, AR	C-	D-	D-
Petteway, TX	D+	B-	B-
Peters Creek, IL	B-	C-	C-
Peru, MO	C-	D+	D+
Pine Tree Corners, DE	D-	C-	C-

Considering only the crime rate, Mellette is safer than the South Dakota state average and safer than the national average.

Safety and school performance are separate topics, but both shape moving decisions. Using SchoolGrade data, schools in Mellette, SD average SchoolGrade of C+, with 38% actual proficiency versus 44% projected; overall, schools underperform expectations. See Mellette schools on SchoolGrade

About the Data

CrimeGrade.org provides highly detailed and accurate crime data, used by insurance companies, home security firms, and other industries. Our data is available for licensing—learn more about our USA crime data and licensing.

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A crime occurs on average every 34 days 22 hours in Mellette. Want to protect your home?

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All maps and statistics above are projections, not certainties, and provided without guarantee free of charge. Verify all info before making any decisions based on the data.