South Carolina

State

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2024 Population
5.3M
US Senator
Lindsey Graham
Republican Party
US Senator
Tim Scott
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
40.2
0.249% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
14.1%
0.818% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$69,324
3.75% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$259,000
9.42% 1-year growth
2023 Employed Population
2.3M
2.78% 1-year growth

About

8.37% of the households in South Carolina reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.8% of the residents in South Carolina are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in South Carolina are University of South Carolina-Columbia (10,467 degrees awarded in 2023), Clemson University (7,790 degrees), and Greenville Technical College (3,516 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in South Carolina was $259,000, and the homeownership rate was 71.9%.

Most people in South Carolina drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.6 minutes. The average car ownership in South Carolina was 2 cars per household.

South Carolina borders Georgia and North Carolina.

About the photo: Sunset on Hilton Head Island
Photo by Lee Coursey
United States

Population & Diversity

South Carolina is home to a population of 5.3M people, from which 96.8% are citizens. As of 2024, 5.74% of South Carolina residents were born outside of the country (304k people).

In 2024, there were 2.52 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (3.28M people) in South Carolina than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.3M Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 162k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common non-English languages spoken as the primary language in households in South Carolina are Spanish (262,999 households), German (12,948 households), and French (Incl. Cajun) (11,364 households).

Population & Diversity

Population by Location

Sex *(USED)
RACE/ETHNICITY
The 3 PUMAS with the highest resident population
  1. Aiken County--Aiken & North Augusta Cities PUMA, SC
    172,935
  2. Horry (Central and South) County--Myrtle Beach City PUMA, SC
    170,742
  3. Dorchester County PUMA, SC
    165,078

In 2023 there were 5,212,774 residents in South Carolina.

The Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMA) with the highest resident population were Aiken County--Aiken & North Augusta Cities PUMA, SC (172,935 people), Horry (Central and South) County--Myrtle Beach City PUMA, SC (170,742 people), and Dorchester County PUMA, SC (165,078 people).

The following map shows all of the states in South Carolina colored by the resident population.

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Residents by Gender and Age

RACE/ETHNICITY
2,675,587
Women
51.3%
2,537,187
Men
48.7%

The resident population of United States in 2023 was 5,212,774 inhabitants, with 48.7% men, and 51.3% women.

The visualization shows the distribution of the residents by gender and age in South Carolina.

With the upper buttons you can add a filter by race.

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Citizenship

96.8%
2024 Citizenship
96.9%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96.8% of South Carolina residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in South Carolina was 96.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in South Carolina compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in South Carolina
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    3.28M ± 2.74k
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    1.3M ± 4.01k
  3. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    162k ± 4.72k
7.37%
Hispanic Population
390k people

In 2024, there were 2.52 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (3.28M people) in South Carolina than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.3M Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 162k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

7.37% of the people in South Carolina are hispanic (390k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in South Carolina as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    63,986 ± 6,172 people
  2. India
    20,779 ± 3,532 people
  3. Honduras
    17,281 ± 3,222 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 63,986 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 20,779 and Honduras with 17,281.

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Foreign-Born Population

5.74%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
304k people
5.61%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
292k people

As of 2024, 5.74% of South Carolina residents (304k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in South Carolina was 5.61%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in South Carolina compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Non-English Households

Most Common Non-English Languages
  1. Spanish
    262,999 households (5.25%)
  2. German
    12,948 households (0.259%)
  3. French (Incl. Cajun)
    11,364 households (0.227%)

8.37% of the households in South Carolina reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language, which is lower than the national average of 22.3%. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

In 2024, the most common non-English language spoken in households in South Carolina was Spanish. 5.25% of the households in South Carolina reported speaking Spanish at home as the primary shared language between all members living in the household.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    104,780 ± 2,412
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    93,891 ± 2,967
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    59,285 ± 2,116

South Carolina has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.12 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in South Carolina.

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Economy

The economy of South Carolina employs 2.3M people. In 2023, the largest industries in South Carolina were Restaurants & Food Services (154,879 people), Construction (145,048 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (144,866 people), and the highest paying industries were Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($134,712), Drugs, sundries, & chemical & allied products merchant wholesalers ($123,019), and Farm product raw material merchant wholesalers ($120,150).

Males in South Carolina have an average income that is 1.38 times higher than the average income of females, which is $55,393. The income inequality in South Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.464, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Workforce Diversity

Measure
RACE/ETHNICITY
1,113,731
Women
48.5%
1,182,969
Men
51.5%

The workforce of South Carolina in 2023 was 2,296,700 people, with 48.5% woman, and 51.5% men.

The visualization shows the distribution of the workforce by gender and age in South Carolina.

With the upper buttons you can see the distribution of the average salary and add a filter by race.

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Workforce and Wage by Location

Measure
RACE/ETHNICITY

In 2023 there were 2,296,700 people working in South Carolina. The Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMA) that concentrated the largest workforce were Charleston (North) County--North Charleston City PUMA, SC (78,589 people), Dorchester County PUMA, SC (77,249 people), and Lexington (North and East) County--Irmo (West) & West Columbia Cities PUMA, SC (73,257 people).

The following map shows all of the PUMAs in South Carolina colored by workforce or average wage.

With the upper buttons you can see the yearly change and add a filter by race.

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Occupations

2.3M
2023 Value
2.78%
1 Year growth
± 2.78%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in South Carolina grew at a rate of 2.78%, from 2.23M employees to 2.3M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in South Carolina, are Other managers (57,497 people), Registered nurses (56,223 people), and Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (54,800 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of South Carolina.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

2.3M
2023 Value
2.78%
1 Year growth
± 2.78%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in South Carolina grew at a rate of 2.78%, from 2.23M employees to 2.3M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in South Carolina, are Restaurants & Food Services (154,879 people), Construction (145,048 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (144,866 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of South Carolina, though some of these residents may live in South Carolina and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$51,608
Median earning men ± $380
$38,289
Median earning women ± $397

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($78,879), Wholesale Trade ($63,756), and Information ($63,534).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,545), Public Administration ($48,639), and Wholesale Trade ($47,965).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.
Y-Axis
2.54%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.26M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 2.54% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Carolina.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 8,609
    Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  2. 8,011
    Other Services (except Public Administration)
  3. 7,990
    Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $16.3M
    Manufacturing
  2. $14.6M
    Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
  3. $13.9M
    Health Care and Social Assistance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from South Carolina to other states, or from other states to South Carolina.
Top Domestic Production in Dollars
  1. Motorized vehicles
    $41B
  2. Plastics/rubber
    $30.7B
  3. Machinery
    $27.5B

In 2024, the top outbound South Carolina product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $41B, followed by Plastics/rubber ($30.7B) and Machinery ($27.5B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound South Carolina products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for South Carolina.
$284B
2024 Value in South Carolina
$613B
Projected 2050 Value in South Carolina
115% growth

In 2024, total outbound South Carolina trade was $284B. This is expected to increase 115% to $613B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound South Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from South Carolina to other states, or from other states to South Carolina.
Most Common Trade Partners
  1. North Carolina
    $29.8B
  2. Georgia
    $24.4B
  3. Texas
    $12.7B

In 2024, the top outbound South Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was North Carolina with $29.8B, followed by Georgia with $24.4B and Texas and $12.7B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that South Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Education

In 2023, universities in South Carolina awarded 65,540 degrees. The student population of South Carolina in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 99,448 male students and 153,469 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in South Carolina are White (42,028 and 65.7%), Black or African American (12,465 and 19.5%), Hispanic or Latino (3,755 and 5.87%), and Two or More Races (2,369 and 3.7%).

The largest universities in South Carolina by number of degrees awarded are University of South Carolina-Columbia (10,467 and 16%), Clemson University (7,790 and 11.9%), and Greenville Technical College (3,516 and 5.36%).

The most popular majors in South Carolina are Liberal Arts & Sciences (8,150 and 12.4%), General Business Administration & Management (3,955 and 6.03%), and Registered Nursing (2,783 and 4.25%).

The median tuition costs in South Carolina are $24,500 for private four year colleges, and $10,954 and $25,870 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in South Carolina, the percentage of applicants admitted was 62.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 19.4%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 252,917 (39.3% men and 60.7% women).

The map shows the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

The line chart below shows the annual evolution of the indicator by gender.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 252,917 students enrolled in South Carolina, 39.3% men and 60.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 148,820 records, of which 59.3% were women and 40.7% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. General Biological Sciences
    1,624 degrees awarded
  2. Registered Nursing
    1,609 degrees awarded
  3. General Business Administration & Management
    2,249 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in South Carolina was General Biological Sciences with 1,624 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in South Carolina according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. University of South Carolina-Columbia
    10,467 degrees awarded
  2. Clemson University
    7,790 degrees awarded
  3. Greenville Technical College
    3,516 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of South Carolina-Columbia with 10,467 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 25,674 men were awarded degrees from institutions in South Carolina, which is 0.644 times less than the 39,866 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 42,028 degrees mean that there were 3.37 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 12,465 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($24,500) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,100) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,500) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Measure

In 2023, 0.922% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.743% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

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Educational Attainment

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population of South Carolina in 2023 were High School or Equivalent (1.19M), Some college (897k), and Bachelors Degree (746k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in South Carolina was $259,000 in 2024, which is 0.778 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $236,700 to $259,000, a 9.42% increase. The homeownership rate in South Carolina is 71.9%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in South Carolina have an average commute time of 25.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in South Carolina is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 14.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in South Carolina. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.22%.

Housing

Property

$259,000
Median Property Value 2024
±$1,421
$1.52M
Median Property Taxes
±$9,947

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In South Carolina the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in South Carolina compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

71.9%
Homeownership
2024
68.6%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 71.9% of the housing units in South Carolina were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 71.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in South Carolina compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$69,324
Median Household Income
± $570
2.12M
Number of Households
± 13,076

In 2024, the median household income of the 2.12M households in South Carolina grew to $69,324 from the previous year's value of $66,818.

The following chart displays the households in South Carolina distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Wage Distribution

0.464
2023 Wage GINI in South Carolina
0.464
2022 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2023, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.464 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.102% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in South Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (76.3%)
  2. Worked At Home (11.5%)
  3. Carpooled (8.54%)

In 2024, 76.3% of workers in South Carolina drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.5%) and those who carpooled to work (8.54%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

25.6 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in South Carolina have a shorter commute time (25.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.3% of the workforce in South Carolina have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in South Carolina compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in South Carolina distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in South Carolina have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 14.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in South Carolina. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.22%.

The map show the severe housing problems rate in the counties of California. The graph underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

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Poverty & Diversity

14.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in South Carolina (726k out of 5.16M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in South Carolina is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Children in Poverty

In 2025, 18.8% of the children was living in poverty in South Carolina. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 8%.

The map show the children in poverty rate in the counties of California. The graph underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the percentage of children in poverty.

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Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 500 in South Carolina. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 115 per 100,000 population.

The following map shows the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

The graph underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the indicator in South Carolina.

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Health

90.4% of the population of South Carolina has health coverage, with 42.8% on employee plans, 16% on Medicaid, 13.8% on Medicare, 15.4% on non-group plans, and 2.38% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in South Carolina see 1,485 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,485 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1682 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 437 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.2% were men and 51.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,485 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in South Carolina

Primary care physicians in South Carolina see an average of 1,485 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,485 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in South Carolina in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.2% under 18 years, 20.1% between 18 and 34 years, 37.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.2% were men and 51.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

9.64%
Uninsured
42.8%
Employer Coverage
16%
Medicaid
13.8%
Medicare
15.4%
Non-Group
2.38%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in South Carolina declined by 3.51% from 9.99% to 9.64%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in South Carolina changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 66.9 in South Carolina.

The  map shows the distribution of the indicator in the counties of South Carolina and the graphic underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the indicator in South Carolina.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 35.5% in South Carolina.

The  map shows the distribution of the indicator in the counties of South Carolina and the graphic underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the indicator in South Carolina.

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 11% in South Carolina.

The  map shows the distribution of the indicator in the counties of South Carolina and the graphic underneath the paragraph shows the trend of the indicator in South Carolina.

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