Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Louisiana instead of South Carolina, you would:
Health
live 1.7 years less
In South Carolina, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Louisiana, that number is 73 years (73 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2020.
be 14.7% more likely to be obese
In South Carolina, 35.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Louisiana, that number is 40.6% of people as of 2022.
be 20.9% more likely to have diabetes
In South Carolina, 11.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Louisiana, that number is 13.3% as of 2022.
Economy
make 11.5% more money
South Carolina has a GDP per capita of $49,914 as of 2024, while in Louisiana, the GDP per capita is $55,662 as of 2024.
be 20.4% less likely to be unemployed
In South Carolina, 4.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Louisiana, that number is 3.9% as of 2025.
be 42.6% more likely to live below the poverty line
In South Carolina, 12.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Louisiana, however, that number is 18.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 19.4% more 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 Louisiana, that number is 543 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 23.1% more 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 Louisiana, that number is 2,605 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 11.8% less for a home
The median home value in South Carolina is $236,700 as of 2023, compared to $208,700 in Louisiana as of 2023.
earn 10.2% less money
The median household income in South Carolina is $66,818 as of 2023, while in Louisiana, it is $60,023 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 14.1% less likely to be uninsured
In South Carolina, 9.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Louisiana, that number is 7.9% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 41.1% less densely populated
South Carolina has a population density of 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023. In Louisiana, that number is 40.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 22.3% more likely to smoke
In South Carolina, 15.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Louisiana, that number is 19.2% as of 2022.
be 19.9% more likely to be physically inactive
In South Carolina, 24.6% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Louisiana, that number is 29.5% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 2.3 years older on average
The median age in South Carolina is 40.1 years as of 2023. In Louisiana, the median age is 37.8 years as of 2023.
be 12.3% 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 Louisiana, that number is 17.9% as of 2023.
be 59.1% more likely to be food insecure
In South Carolina, 9.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Louisiana, that number is 14.8% 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.
