Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Carolina instead of Tennessee, you would:
Health
live 1.0 years longer
In Tennessee, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In South Carolina, that number is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 12.0% less likely to have diabetes
In Tennessee, 12.5% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In South Carolina, that number is 11.0% as of 2022.
Economy
make 17.1% less money
Tennessee has a GDP per capita of $60,177 as of 2024, while in South Carolina, the GDP per capita is $49,914 as of 2024.
be 44.1% more likely to be unemployed
In Tennessee, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Carolina, that number is 4.9% as of 2025.
Safety
be 25.8% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Tennessee has a violent crime rate of 612 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 454 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 19.5% less likely to smoke
In Tennessee, 19.5% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Carolina, that number is 15.7% as of 2022.
be 10.9% less likely to be physically inactive
In Tennessee, 27.6% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In South Carolina, that number is 24.6% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.2 years older on average
The median age in Tennessee is 38.9 years as of 2023. In South Carolina, the median age is 40.1 years as of 2023.
be 14.7% less likely to be food insecure
In Tennessee, 10.9% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Carolina, that number is 9.3% as of 2021.
be 14.7% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Tennessee, 3.4% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 2.9% 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.
