Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Kentucky instead of South Carolina, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years less
In South Carolina, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Kentucky, that number is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
be 28.6% less likely to be unemployed
In South Carolina, 4.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Kentucky, that number is 3.5% as of 2025.
be 19.4% more likely to live below the poverty line
In South Carolina, 12.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Kentucky, however, that number is 15.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 51.5% 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 Kentucky, that number is 220 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 27.9% 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 Kentucky, that number is 1,525 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 18.8% less for a home
The median home value in South Carolina is $236,700 as of 2023, compared to $192,300 in Kentucky as of 2023.
pay 17.1% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Carolina is $1,126 as of 2023, while in Kentucky, it is $933 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 1.6 minutes less
The average one-way commute in South Carolina takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023. In Kentucky, it takes 24.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 38.0% less likely to be uninsured
In South Carolina, 9.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 5.7% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 36.0% less densely populated
South Carolina has a population density of 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 44.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 19.1% more likely to smoke
In South Carolina, 15.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Kentucky, that number is 18.7% as of 2022.
be 11.8% less 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 Kentucky, that number is 18.0% as of 2023.
be 13.8% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In South Carolina, 2.9% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Kentucky, that number is 2.5% as of 2023.
be 35.5% more likely to be food insecure
In South Carolina, 9.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Kentucky, that number is 12.6% 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.
