Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Florida instead of South Carolina, you would:
Health
live 2.7 years longer
In South Carolina, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Florida, that number is 78 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 15.5% more money
South Carolina has a GDP per capita of $49,914 as of 2024, while in Florida, the GDP per capita is $57,636 as of 2024.
be 10.2% less likely to be unemployed
In South Carolina, 4.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Florida, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
be 10.9% less likely to live below the poverty line
In South Carolina, 12.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Florida, however, that number is 11.5% as of 2023.
Safety
be 38.4% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
South Carolina has a violent crime rate of 454 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Florida, that number is 280 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 30.9% less likely to be a victim of property crime
South Carolina has a property crime rate of 2,116 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Florida, that number is 1,461 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 37.3% more for a home
The median home value in South Carolina is $236,700 as of 2023, compared to $325,000 in Florida as of 2023.
pay 38.9% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Carolina is $1,126 as of 2023, while in Florida, it is $1,564 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live among residents who are 2.5 years older on average
The median age in South Carolina is 40.1 years as of 2023. In Florida, the median age is 42.6 years as of 2023.
be 2.9 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In South Carolina, 2.9% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Florida, that number is 8.4% as of 2023.
commute 2.4 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Carolina takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023. In Florida, it takes 28.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 19.6% more likely to be uninsured
In South Carolina, 9.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Florida, that number is 11.0% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 2.4 times more densely populated
South Carolina has a population density of 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023. In Florida, that number is 164.0 people per sq km 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.
