Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Carolina instead of Kentucky, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years longer
In Kentucky, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 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.
Economy
be 16.2% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Kentucky, 15.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Carolina, however, that number is 12.9% as of 2023.
be 40.0% more likely to be unemployed
In Kentucky, 3.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Carolina, that number is 4.9% as of 2025.
Safety
be 2.1 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Kentucky has a violent crime rate of 220 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 454 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 38.7% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Kentucky has a property crime rate of 1,525 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 2,116 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 23.1% more for a home
The median home value in Kentucky is $192,300 as of 2023, compared to $236,700 in South Carolina as of 2023.
pay 20.7% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Kentucky is $933 as of 2023, while in South Carolina, it is $1,126 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 16.0% less likely to smoke
In Kentucky, 18.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Carolina, that number is 15.7% as of 2022.
be 13.3% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Kentucky, 18.0% 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 16.0% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Kentucky, 2.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 2.9% as of 2023.
be 26.2% less likely to be food insecure
In Kentucky, 12.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Carolina, that number is 9.3% as of 2021.
commute 1.6 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Kentucky takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023. In South Carolina, it takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 61.4% more likely to be uninsured
In Kentucky, 5.7% 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 56.3% more densely populated
Kentucky has a population density of 44.2 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.
