Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Mississippi instead of South Carolina, you would:
Health
live 2.9 years less
In South Carolina, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Mississippi, that number is 72 years (71 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
be 18.4% more likely to be obese
In South Carolina, 35.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 41.9% of people as of 2022.
be 23.6% more likely to have diabetes
In South Carolina, 11.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 13.6% as of 2022.
Economy
be 36.7% less likely to be unemployed
In South Carolina, 4.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Mississippi, that number is 3.1% as of 2025.
make 16.3% less money
South Carolina has a GDP per capita of $49,914 as of 2024, while in Mississippi, the GDP per capita is $41,778 as of 2024.
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 Mississippi, however, that number is 18.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 55.6% 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 Mississippi, that number is 202 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 25.3% 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 Mississippi, that number is 1,579 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 31.8% less for a home
The median home value in South Carolina is $236,700 as of 2023, compared to $161,400 in Mississippi as of 2023.
pay 18.0% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Carolina is $1,126 as of 2023, while in Mississippi, it is $923 as of 2023.
earn 17.8% less money
The median household income in South Carolina is $66,818 as of 2023, while in Mississippi, it is $54,915 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live in an area that is 65.0% less densely populated
South Carolina has a population density of 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 24.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 22.8% more likely to be uninsured
In South Carolina, 9.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 11.3% as of 2023.
be 19.7% more likely to smoke
In South Carolina, 15.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 18.8% as of 2022.
be 28.9% more likely to be physically inactive
In South Carolina, 24.6% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 31.7% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.7 years older on average
The median age in South Carolina is 40.1 years as of 2023. In Mississippi, the median age is 38.4 years as of 2023.
be 21.1% 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 Mississippi, that number is 16.1% as of 2023.
be 51.7% 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 Mississippi, that number is 1.4% as of 2023.
be 75.3% more likely to be food insecure
In South Carolina, 9.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Mississippi, that number is 16.3% 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.
