Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Carolina instead of South Carolina, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years longer
In South Carolina, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In North Carolina, that number is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 18.8% more money
South Carolina has a GDP per capita of $49,914 as of 2024, while in North Carolina, the GDP per capita is $59,308 as of 2024.
be 30.6% less likely to be unemployed
In South Carolina, 4.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In North Carolina, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.
Safety
be 16.7% 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 North Carolina, that number is 379 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 10.3% 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 North Carolina, that number is 22.5% as of 2023.
be 65.5% 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 North Carolina, that number is 4.8% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 24.7% more densely populated
South Carolina has a population density of 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 86.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 20.4% more likely to be food insecure
In South Carolina, 9.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In North Carolina, that number is 11.2% as of 2021.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
