Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Carolina instead of Montana, you would:
Health
live 2.0 years less
In Montana, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 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 11.3% more likely to be obese
In Montana, 31.8% of adults are obese as of 2022. In South Carolina, that number is 35.4% of people as of 2022.
be 39.2% more likely to have diabetes
In Montana, 7.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Carolina, that number is 11.0% as of 2022.
Economy
be 32.4% more likely to be unemployed
In Montana, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Carolina, that number is 4.9% as of 2025.
be 13.2% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Montana, 11.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Carolina, however, that number is 12.9% as of 2023.
Safety
be 16.6% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Montana has a property crime rate of 1,815 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 2,116 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 30.0% less for a home
The median home value in Montana is $338,100 as of 2023, compared to $236,700 in South Carolina as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 2.9 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Montana, 1.0% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 2.9% as of 2023.
commute 6.4 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Montana takes 19.2 minutes as of 2023. In South Carolina, it takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 15.0% more likely to be uninsured
In Montana, 8.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 9.2% as of 2023.
be 18.8% more likely to be physically inactive
In Montana, 20.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In South Carolina, that number is 24.6% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 23.0 times more densely populated
Montana has a population density of 3.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 12.1% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Montana, 23.2% 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 13.4% more likely to be food insecure
In Montana, 8.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Carolina, that number is 9.3% as of 2021.
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.
