Quality of life comparison
If you lived in South Carolina instead of Virginia, you would:
Health
live 2.8 years less
In Virginia, the average life expectancy is 78 years (77 years for men, 81 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.
Economy
make 27.8% less money
Virginia has a GDP per capita of $69,111 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 Virginia, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In South Carolina, that number is 4.9% as of 2025.
be 37.2% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Virginia, 9.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In South Carolina, however, that number is 12.9% as of 2023.
Safety
be 95.9% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Virginia has a violent crime rate of 232 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 454 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 30.0% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Virginia has a property crime rate of 1,628 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 2,116 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 34.4% less for a home
The median home value in Virginia is $360,700 as of 2023, compared to $236,700 in South Carolina as of 2023.
pay 25.6% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Virginia is $1,514 as of 2023, while in South Carolina, it is $1,126 as of 2023.
earn 26.6% less money
The median household income in Virginia is $90,974 as of 2023, while in South Carolina, it is $66,818 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 2.0 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Virginia takes 27.6 minutes as of 2023. In South Carolina, it takes 25.6 minutes as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.3 years older on average
The median age in Virginia is 38.8 years as of 2023. In South Carolina, the median age is 40.1 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 18.9% less densely populated
Virginia has a population density of 85.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 69.1 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 37.3% more likely to be uninsured
In Virginia, 6.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 9.2% as of 2023.
be 14.6% more likely to smoke
In Virginia, 13.7% of adults smoke as of 2022. In South Carolina, that number is 15.7% as of 2022.
be 16.6% more likely to be physically inactive
In Virginia, 21.1% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In South Carolina, that number is 24.6% as of 2022.
be 26.6% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Virginia, 27.8% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 20.4% as of 2023.
be 47.3% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Virginia, 5.5% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In South Carolina, that number is 2.9% as of 2023.
be 17.7% more likely to be food insecure
In Virginia, 7.9% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In South Carolina, that number is 9.3% 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), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
