Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Carolina instead of Florida, you would:
Health
live 2.7 years less
In Florida, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 years for men, 82 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.
Economy
make 13.4% less money
Florida has a GDP per capita of $57,636 as of 2024, while in South Carolina, the GDP per capita is $49,914 as of 2024.
be 11.4% more likely to be unemployed
In Florida, 4.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Carolina, that number is 4.9% as of 2025.
be 12.2% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Florida, 11.5% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Carolina, however, that number is 12.9% as of 2023.
Safety
be 62.5% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Florida has a violent crime rate of 280 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 454 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 44.8% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Florida has a property crime rate of 1,461 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 2,116 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 27.2% less for a home
The median home value in Florida is $325,000 as of 2023, compared to $236,700 in South Carolina as of 2023.
pay 28.0% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Florida is $1,564 as of 2023, while in South Carolina, it is $1,126 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 2.4 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Florida takes 28.0 minutes as of 2023. In South Carolina, it takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 16.4% less likely to be uninsured
In Florida, 11.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 9.2% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 57.9% less densely populated
Florida has a population density of 164.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023.
live among residents who are 2.5 years older on average
The median age in Florida is 42.6 years as of 2023. In South Carolina, the median age is 40.1 years as of 2023.
be 65.5% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Florida, 8.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 2.9% as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
