Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Carolina instead of North Carolina, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years less
In North Carolina, the average life expectancy is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 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 15.8% less money
North Carolina has a GDP per capita of $59,308 as of 2024, while in South Carolina, the GDP per capita is $49,914 as of 2024.
be 44.1% more likely to be unemployed
In North Carolina, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Carolina, that number is 4.9% as of 2025.
Safety
be 20.0% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
North Carolina has a violent crime rate of 379 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 454 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live in an area that is 19.8% less densely populated
North Carolina has a population density of 86.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 17.0% less likely to be food insecure
In North Carolina, 11.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Carolina, that number is 9.3% as of 2021.
be 10.8% more likely to be physically inactive
In North Carolina, 22.2% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In South Carolina, that number is 24.6% as of 2022.
be 39.6% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In North Carolina, 4.8% 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: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
