Mount Pleasant hugs the eastern edge of Charleston Harbor, stretching from the marshes of Shem Creek up toward the breezy beaches of the Isle of Palms connector.
Folks talk about living in Mount Pleasant as a blend of Lowcountry charm with its shrimp boats, sweetgrass baskets, seafood shacks, and big-city convenience, thanks to quick bridge hops into downtown Charleston.
All that appeal shows up in the price tag: the cost of living index sits roughly 25 percent higher than the South Carolina average and about 12 percent above the national benchmark.
Even so, buyers hunting for homes in Mount Pleasant often point to newer schools, well-kept parks, and miles of marsh-front trails as part of the value proposition.
Mount Pleasant, SC Crime Breakdown
Crime questions pop up the minute someone thinks about a move to Mount Pleasant. Let’s dig into the numbers so you can decide whether this coastal town feels like a safe place to live.
Property Crime
Recent crime data show a property crime rate of 13 incidents per 1,000 residents, covering burglary, larceny, arson, and vehicle theft.
Your chance of being a victim of one of those offenses is about 1 in 76, lower than many cities in South Carolina but still something locals insure against with driveway cameras and neighborly watch groups.
Violent Crime
On the violent side, numbers stay remarkably low: roughly 1 violent crime in Mount Pleasant per 1,000 residents. That works out to a 1-in-685 risk, significantly calmer than the South Carolina violent crime average of 4.7 per 1,000.
Most years pass without a single homicide, and aggravated assaults remain sporadic headline events, not daily realities.
Other Crime
“Other” offenses such as disorderly conduct or simple drug possession, tend to surface near nightlife strips like Coleman Boulevard.
They rarely spill into quieter parts of Mount Pleasant such as Rivertowne or Carolina Park, but they do pad the number of crimes tallied in annual reports.
Trends in Mount Pleasant Crime Rates
So, are things getting better or worse? Overall, crime in Mount Pleasant has trended down over the past several years. FBI data shows violent crime around 58 per 100,000 residents and property crime about 88 per 100,000, both close to 45 percent below the national average.
The Mount Pleasant Police Department’s annual reports echo the same story: gradual declines, with some small year-to-year bumps.
SafeWise recently ranked Mount Pleasant among the top 10 safest cities in South Carolina, noting violent crime creeping slightly upward from 2023, while property crime dipped again in 2025.
Locals chalk the steadiness up to better lighting, neighborhood apps, and plenty of security cameras. In short, it’s not a perfect record, but the trend line points in the right direction.
Comparing Crime Rates Near Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Stack Mount Pleasant against broader SC crime rates and a few neighbors and the picture sharpens.
Statewide, South Carolina logs 26.6 total crimes per 1,000 residents, almost double Mount Pleasant’s 15.
Charleston posts about 24.6 crimes per 1,000, driven by downtown nightlife and a denser tourist core.
Summerville, a growing suburb up the interstate, lands at 35.1 per 1,000, with higher burglary counts in older subdivisions.
North Charleston tops the local charts near 56.9 per 1,000, thanks to busy industrial corridors and a bigger transient workforce.
Those comparisons underline why many newcomers say Mount Pleasant is safer compared to the national average of roughly 27 crimes per 1,000 and far calmer than several peers in the Charleston area.
Safety Measures and Resources
Local HOAs enforce porch-light rules, and most new builds come pre-wired for smart security.
The town funds extra school resource officers, while neighborhood Facebook groups flag package thieves in real time. Private marine patrols cruise the Wando and Shem Creek docks, deterring late-night boat break-ins.
These everyday guardrails help keep the rate of crime in Mount trending below the curve.
Role of the Mount Pleasant Police Department
With roughly two officers per 1,000 Mount Pleasant residents, the department runs community sub-stations in Park West, Belle Hall, and the Old Village.
Officers routinely share the Mount Pleasant crime map at quarterly coffee-with-a-cop meetups, encouraging homeowners to spot patterns in burglary or catalytic-converter theft before they spike.
Body-worn cameras and license-plate readers funnel fresh intel into regional crime-analysis hubs, creating a county-wide net across Charleston County.
Community Safety Initiatives
Grass-roots groups like Mt. Pleasant Neighbors United rally volunteers for creek-bank cleanups and porch-pirate stings, proving civic pride can blunt “higher crime” fears.
School PTAs run “Safe Routes” walking trains, and church-led re-entry programs aim to cut recidivism.
That commitment to safety often shows up in detailed crime rates inching downward year over year.
Living in Mount Pleasant: Is it a Safe Place to Live?
So, is Mount Pleasant safe?
Compared with state averages, nearby towns, and other U.S. locales of similar population, Mount Pleasant’s numbers look encouraging.
A total crime rate of 15 per 1,000, a violent crime in Mount Pleasant rate of just 1 per 1,000, and property odds of 1-in-76 place the town in a comfort zone many buyers can live with.
Keep porch lights bright, lock trucks against late-night vehicle theft, and you’ll likely enjoy the same peace longtime locals swear by.
Barring unexpected demographic jolts, most analysts predict the town’s stats will stay lower than the average for the state and inch even lower than the national average as tech-forward policing expands.
Mount Pleasant Safety FAQs
How does the crime rate in Mount Pleasant compare with the national average?
Mount Pleasant posts roughly 15 crimes per 1,000 residents, versus about 27 per 1,000 nationwide, according to the latest snapshot from NeighborhoodScout.
In short, the crime rate in Mount Pleasant is lower than the national average, giving buyers some breathing room on safety.
Which parts of Mount Pleasant see higher crime activity?
The interactive Mount Pleasant crime map paints the southwest commercial stretch near Highway 17 a caution-yellow, thanks to heavier foot traffic and shoplifting calls. By contrast, northeast pockets like Carolina Park shade green, and residents there peg their chance of being a victim closer to 1 in 581.
So geography matters: some parts of Mount Pleasant carry higher crime while others post crime per capita figures among the region’s safest.
Is violent crime in Mount Pleasant going up or down?
Over the five-year window from 2019–2024, FBI-fed numbers logged 2,878 violent crimes, yet the annual rate stayed under 60 per 100,000 residents and nudged downward each year.
Local analysts credit expanded patrol beats, better street lighting, and a flood of doorbell cameras for keeping violent crime in Mount Pleasant on a gentle downward slope.
What are the odds I’ll be a victim of property crime?
Your chance of being a victim is roughly 1 in 76, considerably lower than the 1 in 46 state average. Burglary and vehicle theft remain well below statewide norms, though porch piracy still pops near busy retail hubs.
Most locals cut that risk further with driveway cameras and simple porch-light routines.
What safety resources does Mount Pleasant offer residents?
The town’s Police Department annual report lists Neighborhood Watch programs, marine patrols on Shem Creek, and a Citizen Police Academy that teaches crime-prevention basics.
Add in real-time crime alerts on social apps, and it’s clear Mount Pleasant’s commitment to safety goes beyond patrol cars to community-wide engagement.
