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South Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, South Carolina had a total population of 5,296,225, with a median household income of $69,324, which is 14% lower than the national average. The poverty rate is 14.1%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

South Carolina Quick Facts

Population 5,296,225
Median Household Income $69,324
Median Home Value $259,000
Poverty Rate 14.1%
Unemployment Rate 4.9%
Median Age 40.2 years
Homeownership Rate 71.9%
Affordability Ratio 3.7x
Bachelor's Degree+ 32.1%
High School Graduation 90.1%
Counties 46
Cities/Places 474
Population 5,296,225
Median Income $69,324 14% lower than national
Poverty Rate 14.1%
Unemployment 4.9%

How South Carolina Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population5,212,7745,296,225+1.6%
Median household income$66,818$69,324+3.8%
Median home value$236,700$259,000+9.4%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.0%
$25K-$50K 19.6%
$50K-$100K 30.1%
$100K+ 33.3%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
5.9%
$10K-$15K
3.8%
$15K-$20K
3.6%
$20K-$25K
3.8%
$25K-$30K
3.8%
$30K-$35K
3.9%
$35K-$40K
4.0%
$40K-$45K
4.0%
$45K-$50K
3.9%
$50K-$60K
7.2%
$60K-$75K
9.8%
$75K-$100K
13.1%
$100K-$125K
9.7%
$125K-$150K
6.7%
$150K-$200K
8.0%
$200K+
8.9%

Employment

4.9% Unemployment Rate National: 5.2%
60.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 71.9%
Renter 28.1%
Affordability Index Affordable
3.7x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,180/mo 20.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

55out of 100
High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 55 | National average: 61

Education

Largest Cities in South Carolina

#CityPopulationMedian IncomePoverty
1Charleston154,338$92,41412.3%
2Columbia139,643$55,52924.0%
3North Charleston119,913$62,95614.4%
4Mount Pleasant93,993$124,7556.1%
5Rock Hill75,259$68,77112.6%
6Greenville72,935$71,47214.0%
7Summerville51,654$81,04610.1%
8Goose Creek48,078$88,1786.5%
9Sumter43,053$55,59216.7%
10Greer41,536$82,62610.1%

Richest Cities in South Carolina

#CityMedian IncomeHome ValueBachelor's+
1Kiawah Island$213,594$2,000,000+87.3%
2Sullivan's Island$192,813$2,000,000+84.3%
3Isle of Palms$156,979$1,581,30071.6%
4Baxter Village$151,629$670,50075.3%
5Tega Cay$142,000$529,20067.1%
6Five Forks$141,786$452,20065.6%
7Pimlico$137,070$414,10015.3%
8Riverview$135,782$458,00025.8%
9Cane Savannah$131,705$265,50035.9%
10Seabrook Island$127,500$1,001,40078.4%

Most Affordable Cities in South Carolina

By home-value-to-income ratio (lower = more affordable). Min. population 1,000.

#CityRatioHome ValueIncome
1Wedgefield0.6x$26,500$44,410
2Warrenville1.4x$75,500$53,418
3Whitmire1.4x$53,500$37,837
4South Sumter1.5x$69,900$46,406
5St. Stephen1.5x$100,000$65,370
6Edisto1.5x$71,900$46,788
7Fairfax1.5x$63,000$40,649
8Drayton1.7x$131,300$77,813
9Gloverville1.7x$89,800$52,197
10Oakland1.8x$123,200$68,778

Explore South Carolina Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

All Counties in South Carolina (46)

46 results
Greenville County548,166$76,93210.8%$299,000
Richland County422,117$63,78417.2%$242,800
Charleston County420,264$88,49411.3%$489,100
Horry County383,016$66,88013.2%$287,700
Spartanburg County347,852$66,23414.5%$233,300
Lexington County304,887$77,40811.1%$234,500
York County293,673$89,0958.4%$361,300
Berkeley County246,802$84,3589.9%$310,300
Anderson County210,478$66,65114.6%$231,900
Beaufort County195,289$86,5739.6%$455,600
Aiken County174,160$70,60914.3%$218,000
Dorchester County167,201$78,19811.4%$329,300
Florence County137,117$58,30518.7%$177,900
Pickens County134,629$61,06417.2%$231,900
Sumter County104,725$56,69316.6%$165,300
Lancaster County104,475$78,86911.4%$329,900
Orangeburg County83,253$45,67522.4%$115,800
Oconee County80,469$62,38817.6%$237,100
Greenwood County69,489$52,83015.1%$180,500
Laurens County68,666$57,62318.1%$170,600
Kershaw County68,314$68,23113.2%$217,100
Georgetown County64,811$68,71315.0%$289,500
Darlington County62,558$48,58121.1%$158,200
Cherokee County56,647$50,28818.4%$142,000
Chesterfield County43,784$49,23520.3%$116,200
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All Cities & Places in South Carolina (474)

474 results
Charleston154,338$92,41412.3%$509,700
Columbia139,643$55,52924.0%$264,300
North Charleston119,913$62,95614.4%$302,200
Mount Pleasant93,993$124,7556.1%$748,500
Rock Hill75,259$68,77112.6%$295,100
Greenville72,935$71,47214.0%$487,500
Summerville51,654$81,04610.1%$328,100
Goose Creek48,078$88,1786.5%$306,000
Sumter43,053$55,59216.7%$199,100
Greer41,536$82,62610.1%$288,700
Florence40,408$56,14318.9%$211,400
Spartanburg38,910$51,96423.8%$203,700
Myrtle Beach38,371$60,39419.0%$388,800
Hilton Head Island37,911$94,6578.6%$687,400
Bluffton33,157$111,2814.3%$492,100
Aiken32,521$76,74617.0%$286,800
Fort Mill30,775$121,8234.8%$487,500
Anderson30,051$46,93321.0%$218,200
Conway27,263$56,65021.0%$260,900
Mauldin27,055$82,3318.4%$258,500
Carolina Forest26,263$74,43613.0%$336,800
Simpsonville26,144$82,4576.1%$299,300
North Augusta25,653$86,0926.6%$233,600
Easley24,841$66,29913.9%$263,500
Lexington24,585$87,1267.4%$297,700
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Download South Carolina Data

Free CSV downloads of South Carolina demographic data — no account or payment required. Files use official Census place names (e.g. "Springfield city", "Oakdale CDP"), so they match Census Bureau sources exactly.

📊
Cities Data (CSV) All cities: population, income, housing, race, education
📋
Counties Data (CSV) All counties: population, income, housing, race, education

Population Overview

South Carolina has a total population of 5,296,225, making it a mid-sized state in the nation. The median age is 40.2 years, 3% higher than the national median of 38.9 years.

Age Demographics

The median age in South Carolina is 40.2 years. This is 3% higher than the national median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in South Carolina is $69,324. This is 14% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.1%. This is 13% higher than the national poverty rate of 12.4%. The unemployment rate is 4.9%. This is 7% lower than the national rate of 5.2%. The median home value is $259,000. Housing costs are 22% lower than the national median of $332,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.7x. 71.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the national average of 65.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in South Carolina is White (non-Hispanic), making up 61.9% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 24.6%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the national average (24.6% vs 11.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (7.4%) is well below the national average of 19.3%. The Asian population (1.8%) is well below the national average of 5.9%.

Education

32.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 10% lower than the national rate of 35.7%. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for South Carolina come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of South Carolina?

South Carolina has a total population of 5,296,225 according to the U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median income in South Carolina?

The median household income in South Carolina is $69,324, which is 14% lower than the national median of $80,734.

How many cities are in South Carolina?

South Carolina has 474 Census-designated places (cities, towns, and CDPs) and 46 counties.

What is the poverty rate in South Carolina?

The poverty rate in South Carolina is 14.1%, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

What is the largest city in South Carolina?

The largest city in South Carolina is Charleston with a population of 154,338.