Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Carolina instead of North Dakota, you would:
Health
live 2.1 years less
In North Dakota, the average life expectancy is 77 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.
be 22.2% more likely to have diabetes
In North Dakota, 9.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Carolina, that number is 11.0% as of 2022.
Economy
make 37.0% less money
North Dakota has a GDP per capita of $79,272 as of 2024, while in South Carolina, the GDP per capita is $49,914 as of 2024.
be 96.0% more likely to be unemployed
In North Dakota, 2.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Carolina, that number is 4.9% as of 2025.
be 29.0% more likely to live below the poverty line
In North Dakota, 10.0% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Carolina, however, that number is 12.9% as of 2023.
Safety
be 73.3% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
North Dakota has a violent crime rate of 262 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 454 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 11.1% more likely to be a victim of property crime
North Dakota has a property crime rate of 1,904 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 2,116 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
be 12.6% more likely to own your home
In North Dakota, 63.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 71.4% as of 2023.
earn 12.0% less money
The median household income in North Dakota is $75,949 as of 2023, while in South Carolina, it is $66,818 as of 2023.
pay 20.6% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in North Dakota is $934 as of 2023, while in South Carolina, it is $1,126 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live among residents who are 4.4 years older on average
The median age in North Dakota is 35.7 years as of 2023. In South Carolina, the median age is 40.1 years as of 2023.
be 16.0% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In North Dakota, 2.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 2.9% as of 2023.
commute 7.6 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in North Dakota takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023. In South Carolina, it takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 43.7% more likely to be uninsured
In North Dakota, 6.4% 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 15.7 times more densely populated
North Dakota has a population density of 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 75.5% more likely to be food insecure
In North Dakota, 5.3% 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), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
