Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Virginia instead of South Carolina, you would:
Health
live 2.8 years longer
In South Carolina, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Virginia, that number is 78 years (77 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 38.5% more money
South Carolina has a GDP per capita of $49,914 as of 2024, while in Virginia, the GDP per capita is $69,111 as of 2024.
be 30.6% less likely to be unemployed
In South Carolina, 4.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Virginia, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.
be 27.1% less likely to live below the poverty line
In South Carolina, 12.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Virginia, however, that number is 9.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 49.0% 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 Virginia, that number is 232 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 23.0% 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 Virginia, that number is 1,628 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 36.2% more money
The median household income in South Carolina is $66,818 as of 2023, while in Virginia, it is $90,974 as of 2023.
pay 52.4% more for a home
The median home value in South Carolina is $236,700 as of 2023, compared to $360,700 in Virginia as of 2023.
pay 34.5% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Carolina is $1,126 as of 2023, while in Virginia, it is $1,514 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 27.2% less likely to be uninsured
In South Carolina, 9.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Virginia, that number is 6.7% as of 2023.
be 12.7% less likely to smoke
In South Carolina, 15.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Virginia, that number is 13.7% as of 2022.
be 14.2% less likely to be physically inactive
In South Carolina, 24.6% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 36.3% 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 Virginia, that number is 27.8% as of 2023.
be 89.7% 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 Virginia, that number is 5.5% 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 Virginia, that number is 7.9% as of 2021.
commute 2.0 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in South Carolina takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023. In Virginia, it takes 27.6 minutes as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.3 years older on average
The median age in South Carolina is 40.1 years as of 2023. In Virginia, the median age is 38.8 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 23.3% more densely populated
South Carolina has a population density of 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023. In Virginia, that number is 85.2 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), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
