Quality of life comparison
If you lived in West Virginia instead of South Carolina, you would:
Health
live 2.0 years less
In South Carolina, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In West Virginia, that number is 73 years (72 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2020.
be 14.4% more likely to be obese
In South Carolina, 35.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 40.5% of people as of 2022.
be 17.3% more likely to have diabetes
In South Carolina, 11.0% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 12.9% as of 2022.
Economy
be 10.2% less likely to be unemployed
In South Carolina, 4.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In West Virginia, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
be 26.4% more likely to live below the poverty line
In South Carolina, 12.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In West Virginia, however, that number is 16.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 41.4% 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 West Virginia, that number is 266 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 43.4% 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 West Virginia, that number is 1,198 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 34.3% less for a home
The median home value in South Carolina is $236,700 as of 2023, compared to $155,600 in West Virginia as of 2023.
pay 24.5% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in South Carolina is $1,126 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $850 as of 2023.
earn 13.3% less money
The median household income in South Carolina is $66,818 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $57,917 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 33.7% less likely to be uninsured
In South Carolina, 9.2% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 6.1% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 2.6 years older on average
The median age in South Carolina is 40.1 years as of 2023. In West Virginia, the median age is 42.7 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 58.9% less densely populated
South Carolina has a population density of 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 34.4% more likely to smoke
In South Carolina, 15.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 21.5% more likely to be physically inactive
In South Carolina, 24.6% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 29.9% as of 2022.
be 18.1% 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 West Virginia, that number is 16.7% as of 2023.
be 72.4% 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 West Virginia, that number is 0.8% as of 2023.
be 26.9% more likely to be food insecure
In South Carolina, 9.3% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In West Virginia, that number is 11.8% 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), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
