Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Massachusetts instead of South Carolina, you would:
Health
live 4.2 years longer
In South Carolina, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Massachusetts, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 18.6% less likely to be obese
In South Carolina, 35.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 28.8% of people as of 2022.
be 20.0% less likely to have diabetes
In South Carolina, 11.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 8.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 76.1% more money
South Carolina has a GDP per capita of $49,914 as of 2024, while in Massachusetts, the GDP per capita is $87,892 as of 2024.
be 26.4% less likely to live below the poverty line
In South Carolina, 12.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Massachusetts, however, that number is 9.5% as of 2023.
Safety
be 32.3% 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 Massachusetts, that number is 308 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 49.1% 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 Massachusetts, that number is 1,077 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 51.7% more money
The median household income in South Carolina is $66,818 as of 2023, while in Massachusetts, it is $101,341 as of 2023.
pay 2.2 times more for a home
The median home value in South Carolina is $236,700 as of 2023, compared to $525,800 in Massachusetts as of 2023.
pay 49.8% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Carolina is $1,126 as of 2023, while in Massachusetts, it is $1,687 as of 2023.
be 12.3% less likely to own your home
In South Carolina, 71.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 62.6% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 71.7% less likely to be uninsured
In South Carolina, 9.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 2.6% as of 2023.
be 22.3% less likely to smoke
In South Carolina, 15.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 12.2% as of 2022.
be 13.4% less likely to be physically inactive
In South Carolina, 24.6% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 21.3% as of 2022.
be 57.8% 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 Massachusetts, that number is 32.2% as of 2023.
be 2.7 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 Massachusetts, that number is 7.9% as of 2023.
be 15.1% less likely to be food insecure
In South Carolina, 9.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Massachusetts, that number is 7.9% as of 2021.
commute 3.7 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Carolina takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023. In Massachusetts, it takes 29.3 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 5.0 times more densely populated
South Carolina has a population density of 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 348.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
