Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Illinois instead of South Carolina, you would:
Health
live 2.0 years longer
In South Carolina, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Illinois, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 82 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 41.6% more money
South Carolina has a GDP per capita of $49,914 as of 2024, while in Illinois, the GDP per capita is $70,691 as of 2024.
be 11.6% less likely to live below the poverty line
In South Carolina, 12.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Illinois, however, that number is 11.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 32.7% 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 Illinois, that number is 306 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 19.8% 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 Illinois, that number is 1,697 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 22.3% more money
The median household income in South Carolina is $66,818 as of 2023, while in Illinois, it is $81,702 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 26.1% less likely to be uninsured
In South Carolina, 9.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
be 12.1% less likely to smoke
In South Carolina, 15.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Illinois, that number is 13.8% as of 2022.
be 10.6% less likely to be physically inactive
In South Carolina, 24.6% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Illinois, that number is 22.0% as of 2022.
be 25.0% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In South Carolina, 20.4% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 25.5% as of 2023.
be 2.3 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 Illinois, that number is 6.8% as of 2023.
commute 2.5 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Carolina takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023. In Illinois, it takes 28.1 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 27.1% more densely populated
South Carolina has a population density of 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023. In Illinois, that number is 87.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
