Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Dakota instead of South Carolina, you would:
Health
live 1.9 years longer
In South Carolina, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In South Dakota, that number is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
be 21.8% less likely to have diabetes
In South Carolina, 11.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Dakota, that number is 8.6% as of 2022.
Economy
make 23.7% more money
South Carolina has a GDP per capita of $49,914 as of 2024, while in South Dakota, the GDP per capita is $61,724 as of 2024.
be 51.0% less likely to be unemployed
In South Carolina, 4.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Dakota, that number is 2.4% as of 2025.
be 13.2% less likely to live below the poverty line
In South Carolina, 12.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Dakota, however, that number is 11.2% as of 2023.
Safety
be 24.3% 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 South Dakota, that number is 344 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 24.8% 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 South Dakota, that number is 1,591 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 19.0% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Carolina is $1,126 as of 2023, while in South Dakota, it is $912 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 8.0 minutes less
The average one-way commute in South Carolina takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023. In South Dakota, it takes 17.6 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 93.2% less densely populated
South Carolina has a population density of 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Dakota, that number is 4.7 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 16.1% less likely to be food insecure
In South Carolina, 9.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Dakota, that number is 7.8% as of 2021.
live among residents who are 2.4 years older on average
The median age in South Carolina is 40.1 years as of 2023. In South Dakota, the median age is 37.7 years as of 2023.
be 27.6% 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 South Dakota, that number is 2.1% 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), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
