South Carolina

State

Add Comparison

2023 Population

5.21M

1.36% 1-year growth

US Senator

Lindsey Graham

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Scott

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

40.1

0.25% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

14.2%

1.12% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$66,818

5.02% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$236,700

9.48% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

2.23M

0.748% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, South Carolina had a population of 5.21M people with a median age of 40.1 and a median household income of $66,818. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of South Carolina grew from 5.14M to 5.21M, a 1.36% increase and its median household income grew from $63,623 to $66,818, a 5.02% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in South Carolina are White (Non-Hispanic) (62.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (25.1%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.24%), Two+ (Hispanic) (2.54%), and Other (Hispanic) (2.3%).

8.17% 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.

96.9% of the residents in South Carolina are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in South Carolina are University of South Carolina-Columbia (10,045 degrees awarded in 2022), Clemson University (7,469 degrees), and Trident Technical College (2,581 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in South Carolina was $236,700, and the homeownership rate was 71.4%.

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 5.21M people, from which 96.9% are citizens. As of 2023, 5.61% of South Carolina residents were born outside of the country (292k people).

In 2023, there were 2.48 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (3.24M people) in South Carolina than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.31M Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 169k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common non-English languages spoken as the primary langauge in households in South Carolina are Spanish (254,999 households), German (13,013 households), and Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) (10,598 households).

Population & Diversity

Population by Location

Sex

RACE/ETHNICITY

The 3 PUMAS with the highest resident population

Aiken County--Aiken & North Augusta Cities PUMA, SC
164,406
Horry (Central and North) County--North Myrtle Beach City PUMA, SC
151,352
Dorchester County PUMA, SC
150,477

In 2022 there were 5,092,592 residents in South Carolina.

The Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMA) with the highest resident population were Aiken County--Aiken & North Augusta Cities PUMA, SC (164,406 people), Horry (Central and North) County--North Myrtle Beach City PUMA, SC (151,352 people), and Dorchester County PUMA, SC (150,477 people).

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

Residents by Gender and Age

RACE/ETHNICITY

2,607,125

Women

51.2%

2,485,467

Men

48.8%

The resident population of United States in 2022 was 5,092,592 inhabitants, with 48.8% men, and 51.2% women.

The visualization shows the distribution of the residents by gender and age in the United States.

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

Citizenship

96.9%

2023 Citizenship

97.1%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 96.9% of South Carolina residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in South Carolina was 97.1%, 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.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in South Carolina

White (Non-Hispanic)
3.24M ± 2.75k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
1.31M ± 3.81k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
169k ± 4.22k

7.08%

Hispanic Population

369k people

7.08% of the people in South Carolina are hispanic (369k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in South Carolina as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

Mexico
58,419 ± 5,900 people
India
18,341 ± 3,319 people
Honduras
13,844 ± 2,885 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 58,419 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 18,341 and Honduras with 13,844.

Foreign-Born Population

5.61%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

292k people

5.24%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

269k people

As of 2023, 5.61% of South Carolina residents (292k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in South Carolina was 5.24%, 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.

Non-English Households

Most Common Non-English Languages

Spanish
254,999 households (5.18%)
German
13,013 households (0.264%)
Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese)
10,598 households (0.215%)

8.17% 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%. 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 2023, the most common non-English language spoken in households in South Carolina was Spanish. 5.18% of the households in South Carolina reported speaking Spanish at home as the primary shared language between all members living in the household.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
108,668 ± 2,123
Gulf War (2001-)
86,310 ± 2,563
Gulf War (1990s)
61,444 ± 2,212

South Carolina has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.26 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of South Carolina employs 2.23M people. The largest industries in South Carolina are Restaurants & Food Services (155,981 people), Elementary & secondary schools (141,062 people), and Construction (136,774 people), and the highest paying industries are Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals ($159,275), Aerospace products & parts manufacturing ($132,769), and Not specified metal industries ($117,292).

Males in South Carolina have an average income that is 1.37 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,636. 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

1,085,069

Women

48.8%

1,137,741

Men

51.2%

The workforce of South Carolina in 2020 was 2,222,810 people, with 48.8% woman, and 51.2% 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.

Workforce and Wage by Location

Measure

RACE/ETHNICITY

In 2022 there were 2,234,525 people working in South Carolina. The Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMA) that concentrated the largest workforce were Charleston (West) County--Kiawah Island & Charleston Cities PUMA, SC (73,275 people), Charleston (North) County--North Charleston City PUMA, SC (72,903 people), and Dorchester County PUMA, SC (71,502 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.

Occupations

2.23M

2022 Value

0.748%

1 Year growth

± 0.748%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in South Carolina grew at a rate of 0.748%, from 2.22M employees to 2.23M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in South Carolina, are Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (55,318 people), Registered nurses (55,022 people), and Other managers (53,347 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of South Carolina.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

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

2.23M

2022 Value

0.748%

1 Year growth

± 0.748%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in South Carolina grew at a rate of 0.748%, from 2.22M employees to 2.23M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in South Carolina, are Restaurants & Food Services (155,981 people), Elementary & secondary schools (141,062 people), and Construction (136,774 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.

Median Earnings by Industry

$50,187

Median earning men ± $369

$36,705

Median earning women ± $219

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($75,550), Information ($67,612), and Wholesale Trade ($60,477).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($49,777), Wholesale Trade ($46,752), and Public Administration ($46,750).

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.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

8,609
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
8,011
Other Services (except Public Administration)
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.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$16.3M
Manufacturing
$14.6M
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
$13.9M
Health Care and Social Assistance

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

Education

In 2022, universities in South Carolina awarded 61,158 degrees. The student population of South Carolina in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 97,300 male students and 148,589 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in South Carolina are White (39,370 and 65.8%), followed by Black or African American (11,735 and 19.6%), Hispanic or Latino (3,208 and 5.36%), and Two or More Races (1,976 and 3.3%).

The largest universities in South Carolina by number of degrees awarded are University of South Carolina-Columbia (10,045 and 16.4%), Clemson University (7,469 and 12.2%), and Trident Technical College (2,581 and 4.22%).

The most popular majors in South Carolina are Liberal Arts & Sciences (5,426 and 8.87%), General Business Administration & Management (3,750 and 6.13%), and Registered Nursing (2,878 and 4.71%).

The median tuition costs in South Carolina are $23,590 for private four year colleges, and $10,954 and $25,447 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in South Carolina, the percentage of applicants admitted was 64.6%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 19.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 245,889 (39.6% men and 60.4% 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.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 245,889 students enrolled in South Carolina, 39.6% men and 60.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 146,674 records, of which 58.9% were women and 41.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Biological Sciences
1,627 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
2,220 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
1,631 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in South Carolina was General Biological Sciences with 1,627 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of South Carolina-Columbia
10,045 degrees awarded
Clemson University
7,469 degrees awarded
Trident Technical College
2,581 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of South Carolina-Columbia with 10,045 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 24,104 men were awarded degrees from institutions in South Carolina, which is 0.651 times less than the 37,054 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 39,370 degrees mean that there were 3.35 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 11,735 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($23,590) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private for-profit, 2-year ($1,800) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

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.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Measure

In 2022, 0.83% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.688% of women were in the same situation.

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

Educational Attainment

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population of South Carolina in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.18M), Some college (892k), and Bachelors Degree (705k).

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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in South Carolina was $236,700 in 2023, which is 0.78 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $216,200 to $236,700, a 9.48% increase. The homeownership rate in South Carolina is 71.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

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.

Median household income in South Carolina is $66,818. In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income in South Carolina was Beaufort County, SC with a value of $84,819, followed by Charleston County, SC and York County, SC, with respective values of $84,320 and $83,060.

In 2023, 14.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in South Carolina. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.23%.

Housing

Property

$236,700

Median Property Value 2023

±$1,344

$1.48M

Median Property Taxes

±$10,108

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.

Rent vs Own

71.4%

Homeownership

2023

68.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 71.4% of the housing units in South Carolina were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 70.9%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in South Carolina was Beaufort County, SC with a value of $84,819, followed by Charleston County, SC and York County, SC, with respective values of $84,320 and $83,060.

The following map shows all of the counties in South Carolina colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$66,818

Median Household Income

± $504

2.07M

Number of Households

± 13,174

In 2023, the median household income of the 2.07M households in South Carolina grew to $66,818 from the previous year's value of $63,623.

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.

Wage Distribution

0.464

2022 Wage GINI in South Carolina

0.463

2021 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.464 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.334% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (77.9%)
Worked At Home (9.97%)
Carpooled (8.39%)

In 2023, 77.9% of workers in South Carolina drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.97%) and those who carpooled to work (8.39%).

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.

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 (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.28% 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.

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.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 14.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in South Carolina. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.23%.

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.

Poverty & Diversity

14.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in South Carolina (720k out of 5.07M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. 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.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 19.7% of the children was living in poverty in South Carolina. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 7.1%.

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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

90% of the population of South Carolina has health coverage, with 43% on employee plans, 16% on Medicaid, 13.5% on Medicare, 15% on non-group plans, and 2.43% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in South Carolina see 1481 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.269% decrease from the previous year (1485 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1696 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 488 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,481 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in South Carolina

Primary care physicians in South Carolina see an average of 1,481 patients per year. This represents a 0.269% decrease 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.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.4% under 18 years, 20.1% between 18 and 34 years, 38% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.5% were men and 52.5% were women.

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

Uninsured People

9.99%

Uninsured

43%

Employer Coverage

16%

Medicaid

13.5%

Medicare

15%

Non-Group

2.43%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in South Carolina declined by 1.76% from 10.2% to 9.99%.

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.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 59 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.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, 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 36.7% 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.

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 12.8% 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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