Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Carolina instead of Alabama, you would:
Health
live 1.6 years longer
In Alabama, the average life expectancy is 73 years (72 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In South Carolina, that number is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 10.6% less likely to be obese
In Alabama, 39.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In South Carolina, that number is 35.4% of people as of 2022.
be 14.1% less likely to have diabetes
In Alabama, 12.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Carolina, that number is 11.0% as of 2022.
Economy
be 12.8% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Alabama, 14.8% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Carolina, however, that number is 12.9% as of 2023.
be 2.1 times more likely to be unemployed
In Alabama, 2.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Carolina, that number is 4.9% as of 2025.
Safety
be 14.3% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Alabama has a violent crime rate of 397 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 454 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 26.6% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Alabama has a property crime rate of 1,671 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 2,116 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 21.3% more for a home
The median home value in Alabama is $195,100 as of 2023, compared to $236,700 in South Carolina as of 2023.
pay 16.9% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Alabama is $963 as of 2023, while in South Carolina, it is $1,126 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 11.8% less likely to be physically inactive
In Alabama, 27.9% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In South Carolina, that number is 24.6% as of 2022.
be 10.9% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Alabama, 18.4% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 20.4% as of 2023.
be 31.8% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Alabama, 2.2% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 2.9% as of 2023.
be 35.4% less likely to be food insecure
In Alabama, 14.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Carolina, that number is 9.3% as of 2021.
live in an area that is 77.6% more densely populated
Alabama has a population density of 38.9 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
