The Rational Moderate

State profile

South Carolina

20 official measures, each beside the U.S. value, with South Carolina’s rank among the 50 states and DC and its margin of error where the source publishes one. Rank 1 is the highest value; a rank says nothing on its own about better or worse. Select a measure to see every state.

marks a rank that is not statistically different from the next higher state, by the Census Bureau’s test at the 90 percent confidence level. Margins of error are 90 percent.

Each comparison with the U.S. value uses the same test wherever the source publishes a margin of error. A difference is stated only where the test confirms it or no test is possible; untested ones are marked. For life expectancy the U.S. figure comes from a separate NCHS report without a standard error, so that test uses the state’s alone. A state is part of the nation, so the two estimates are not fully independent, which the Census Bureau’s ACS handbook warns about. The test does not adjust for it, and allowing for it changes none of the comparisons shown.

People

  • Population

    July 1, 2025

    5,570,274

    U.S.
    341,784,857; South Carolina is 1.6% of the U.S. total.
    Rank
    23 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Population growth

    July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025

    +1.46%

    U.S.
    +0.52%; South Carolina is 0.94 points higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    1 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median age

    July 1, 2025

    41.1 years

    U.S.
    39.4 years; South Carolina is 1.7 years higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    12 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Income and output

  • Median household income

    2024

    $72,350

    plus or minus $959

    U.S.
    $81,604; South Carolina is $9,254 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    39 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Michigan, or from the next lower state, Ohio.
    Price-adjusted
    $77,174, plus or minus $1,023: income divided by South Carolina’s 2024 regional price parity (93.7, U.S. = 100). Computed by this site, not published by Census or BEA, and not ranked.

  • Per capita personal income

    2025

    $63,435

    U.S.
    $77,028; South Carolina is $13,593 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    45 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Real per capita personal income

    2024

    $52,463

    U.S.
    $59,195; South Carolina is $6,732 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    45 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • GDP per capita

    2025

    $67,929

    U.S.
    $90,294; South Carolina is $22,365 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    45 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Poverty rate

    2024

    13.26%

    plus or minus 0.49%

    U.S.
    12.15%; South Carolina is 1.11 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    14 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Texas.

Prices and housing

  • Price level (RPP)

    2024

    93.7

    U.S.
    100.0; South Carolina is 6.3 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    33 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median home value

    2024

    $299,500

    plus or minus $3,303

    U.S.
    $360,600; South Carolina is $61,100 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    31 of 51. Statistically different from the states ranked just above and below.

  • Median gross rent

    2024

    $1,272

    plus or minus $28

    U.S.
    $1,487; South Carolina is $215 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    29 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Tennessee, or from the next lower state, Pennsylvania.

  • Rent burden

    2024

    52.56%

    plus or minus 1.72%

    U.S.
    51.77%; South Carolina is not statistically different from the U.S. value (its estimate is 0.79 points higher).
    Rank
    9 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Texas, or from the next lower state, Colorado.

  • Homeownership rate

    2024

    72.31%

    plus or minus 0.56%

    U.S.
    65.27%; South Carolina is 7.04 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    7 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, New Hampshire, or from the next lower state, Idaho.

  • Residential electricity price

    January to July 2026

    15.93 cents

    U.S.
    18.19 cents; South Carolina is 2.26 cents lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    26 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.
    July 2026
    15.47 cents in that month alone (U.S. 18.31 cents)

Average residential electricity price, cents per kilowatthour, South Carolina and the United States, 1990 to 2024

Cents per kilowatthour, nominal (not adjusted for inflation), all residential customers. From EIA’s annual survey of utilities.

6 cents8 cents10 cents12 cents14 cents16 cents1990200020102020
Data table
YearSouth CarolinaUnited States
19907.157.83
19917.228.04
19927.198.21
19937.338.32
19947.498.38
19957.538.40
19967.508.36
19977.518.43
19987.508.26
19997.558.16
20007.588.24
20017.698.58
20027.728.44
20038.018.72
20048.128.95
20058.679.45
20069.0310.40
20079.1910.65
20089.8911.26
200910.4411.51
201010.5011.54
201111.0511.72
201211.7711.88
201311.9912.13
201412.4512.52
201512.5712.65
201612.6512.55
201713.0212.89
201812.4412.87
201912.9913.01
202012.7813.15
202112.8613.66
202213.5915.04
202313.6816.00
202414.2316.48

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). HS861 1990-2009.xlsx and HS861 2010-.xlsx, sheet Total Electric Industry, RESIDENTIAL Price · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 35 rows · as of 2024 · annual. The CSV has every state since 1990. Download CSV

Work

  • Unemployment rate

    August 2026

    4.1%

    U.S.
    4.1%; South Carolina is the same as the U.S. value at the precision shown (not tested).
    Rank
    22 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Labor force participation

    August 2026

    58.8%

    U.S.
    61.6%; South Carolina is 2.8 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    40 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Unemployment rate, South Carolina and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. South Carolina: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

0%5%10%15%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthSouth CarolinaUnited States
Sept. 20164.75.0
Oct. 20164.64.9
Nov. 20164.54.7
Dec. 20164.44.7
Jan. 20174.44.7
Feb. 20174.34.6
March 20174.24.4
April 20174.24.4
May 20174.14.4
June 20174.14.3
July 20174.24.3
Aug. 20174.24.4
Sept. 20174.24.3
Oct. 20174.24.2
Nov. 20174.24.2
Dec. 20174.04.1
Jan. 20183.94.0
Feb. 20183.74.1
March 20183.54.0
April 20183.34.0
May 20183.23.8
June 20183.24.0
July 20183.33.8
Aug. 20183.33.8
Sept. 20183.33.7
Oct. 20183.33.8
Nov. 20183.23.8
Dec. 20183.23.9
Jan. 20193.24.0
Feb. 20193.23.8
March 20193.13.8
April 20193.13.7
May 20192.93.6
June 20192.73.6
July 20192.63.7
Aug. 20192.53.6
Sept. 20192.43.5
Oct. 20192.43.6
Nov. 20192.53.6
Dec. 20192.63.6
Jan. 20202.83.6
Feb. 20202.93.5
March 20203.14.4
April 202011.714.8
May 20209.313.2
June 20207.811.0
July 20207.110.2
Aug. 20206.28.4
Sept. 20205.87.8
Oct. 20205.36.9
Nov. 20205.16.7
Dec. 20204.96.7
Jan. 20214.66.4
Feb. 20214.56.2
March 20214.36.1
April 20214.26.1
May 20214.15.8
June 20214.05.9
July 20213.95.4
Aug. 20213.85.1
Sept. 20213.64.7
Oct. 20213.54.5
Nov. 20213.44.1
Dec. 20213.33.9
Jan. 20223.34.0
Feb. 20223.23.9
March 20223.23.7
April 20223.23.7
May 20223.23.6
June 20223.23.6
July 20223.23.5
Aug. 20223.23.6
Sept. 20223.23.5
Oct. 20223.23.6
Nov. 20223.23.6
Dec. 20223.13.5
Jan. 20233.13.5
Feb. 20233.03.6
March 20233.03.5
April 20232.93.4
May 20232.83.6
June 20232.83.6
July 20232.83.5
Aug. 20232.83.7
Sept. 20232.93.7
Oct. 20233.03.9
Nov. 20233.23.7
Dec. 20233.33.8
Jan. 20243.43.7
Feb. 20243.63.9
March 20243.73.9
April 20243.93.9
May 20244.13.9
June 20244.34.1
July 20244.44.2
Aug. 20244.54.2
Sept. 20244.54.1
Oct. 20244.44.1
Nov. 20244.34.2
Dec. 20244.24.1
Jan. 20254.14.0
Feb. 20254.14.2
March 20254.24.2
April 20254.24.2
May 20254.34.3
June 20254.44.1
July 20254.44.3
Aug. 20254.64.3
Sept. 20254.74.4
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 20254.84.5
Dec. 20254.84.4
Jan. 20264.94.3
Feb. 20265.04.4
March 20264.94.3
April 20264.84.3
May 20264.64.3
June 20264.44.2
July 20264.24.1
Aug. 20264.14.1

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000003 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED UNRATE · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Labor force participation rate, South Carolina and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. South Carolina: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

56%58%60%62%64%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthSouth CarolinaUnited States
Sept. 201658.662.9
Oct. 201658.562.8
Nov. 201658.462.7
Dec. 201658.362.7
Jan. 201758.362.8
Feb. 201758.362.9
March 201758.362.9
April 201758.363.0
May 201758.362.8
June 201758.362.8
July 201758.262.9
Aug. 201758.262.9
Sept. 201758.163.1
Oct. 201758.062.7
Nov. 201757.962.7
Dec. 201757.862.7
Jan. 201857.762.7
Feb. 201857.763.0
March 201857.762.9
April 201857.862.9
May 201857.862.9
June 201857.963.0
July 201858.063.0
Aug. 201858.062.6
Sept. 201858.162.8
Oct. 201858.162.9
Nov. 201858.262.9
Dec. 201858.363.0
Jan. 201958.463.1
Feb. 201958.563.1
March 201958.563.0
April 201958.562.8
May 201958.562.9
June 201958.463.0
July 201958.363.1
Aug. 201958.263.1
Sept. 201958.263.2
Oct. 201958.263.3
Nov. 201958.263.3
Dec. 201958.163.3
Jan. 202058.063.3
Feb. 202057.963.3
March 202057.662.6
April 202057.660.1
May 202057.860.8
June 202057.661.5
July 202057.861.5
Aug. 202057.861.7
Sept. 202058.161.4
Oct. 202058.061.7
Nov. 202058.061.5
Dec. 202057.961.5
Jan. 202157.861.4
Feb. 202157.861.4
March 202157.761.5
April 202157.861.6
May 202157.861.6
June 202157.861.7
July 202157.761.8
Aug. 202157.661.7
Sept. 202157.561.7
Oct. 202157.561.8
Nov. 202157.561.9
Dec. 202157.662.0
Jan. 202257.762.2
Feb. 202257.862.3
March 202257.862.4
April 202257.862.2
May 202257.762.3
June 202257.762.2
July 202257.662.1
Aug. 202257.662.3
Sept. 202257.662.2
Oct. 202257.662.2
Nov. 202257.762.1
Dec. 202257.762.3
Jan. 202357.962.4
Feb. 202358.062.5
March 202358.062.6
April 202358.162.6
May 202358.162.6
June 202358.162.6
July 202358.162.6
Aug. 202358.262.8
Sept. 202358.262.7
Oct. 202358.262.6
Nov. 202358.262.8
Dec. 202358.262.5
Jan. 202458.262.5
Feb. 202458.262.6
March 202458.362.7
April 202458.462.6
May 202458.562.6
June 202458.562.6
July 202458.662.7
Aug. 202458.662.7
Sept. 202458.562.7
Oct. 202458.562.5
Nov. 202458.462.4
Dec. 202458.362.5
Jan. 202558.362.6
Feb. 202558.362.5
March 202558.362.5
April 202558.262.6
May 202558.262.4
June 202558.262.3
July 202558.262.2
Aug. 202558.362.3
Sept. 202558.562.5
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 202558.662.5
Dec. 202558.562.4
Jan. 202658.762.1
Feb. 202658.962.0
March 202658.961.9
April 202658.961.8
May 202659.061.8
June 202658.961.5
July 202658.861.4
Aug. 202658.861.6

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000008 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED CIVPART · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Health and education

  • Life expectancy

    2022

    75.1 years

    plus or minus 0.11 years

    U.S.
    77.5 years; South Carolina is 2.4 years lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    42 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Missouri.

  • Uninsured rate

    2024

    8.96%

    plus or minus 0.27%

    U.S.
    8.20%; South Carolina is 0.76 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    14 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Idaho, or from the next lower state, Montana.

  • Bachelor's degree or higher

    2024

    33.33%

    plus or minus 0.49%

    U.S.
    36.85%; South Carolina is 3.52 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    34 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Michigan, or from the next lower state, Idaho.

Civic participation

  • Voter turnout (self-reported)

    Nov. 5, 2024 general election

    62.7%

    plus or minus 3.2%

    U.S.
    65.3%; South Carolina is not statistically different from the U.S. value (its estimate is 2.6 points lower).
    Rank
    38 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Wyoming, or from the next lower state, Alaska.

Sources and data

Every figure on this page, with its source, period and the CSV behind it (all 50 states and DC, with ranks and the test). Retrieved Oct. 2, 2026.

  1. Population, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  2. Population growth, July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  3. Median age, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 (SC-EST2025-AGESEX). CSV
  4. Median household income, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  5. Median home value, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  6. Median gross rent, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  7. Poverty rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  8. Rent burden, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  9. Homeownership rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  10. Uninsured rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  11. Bachelor's degree or higher, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  12. Price level (RPP), 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State (SARPP). CSV
  13. Real per capita personal income, 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real Personal Income by State (SARPI). CSV
  14. Per capita personal income, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, State Annual Personal Income (SAINC1). CSV
  15. GDP per capita, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP by State (SAGDP1), and U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population. CSV
  16. Unemployment rate, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  17. Labor force participation, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  18. Life expectancy, 2022: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. State Life Tables, 2022 (National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 74, No. 12). CSV
  19. Residential electricity price, January to July 2026: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Tables 5.6.B and 5.6.A. CSV
  20. Voter turnout (self-reported), Nov. 5, 2024 general election: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November 2024 Voting and Registration Supplement, Table 4a. CSV
  21. Unemployment rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  22. Labor force participation rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  23. Average residential electricity price by state, annual, 1990 to 2024: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). CSV