Where the Civil War began
The first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor on April 12, 1861.
Capital: ColumbiaLargest city: CharlestonNickname: The Palmetto StateStatehood: 1788
South Carolina at a glance
The state’s essential figures from the latest official data
Area
82,940 km²
40th largest state
Population
5,478,831
70.4 people/km² of land
July 1, 2024 · 23rd in the U.S.
Foreign-born population
5.6%
Share of all residents
ACS 2019–2023
GDP
$378 billion
$63,435 personal income per capita
2025 · BEA
Births
57,999
July 2023–June 2024
Deaths
58,516
July 2023–June 2024
Natural increase
−517
Births minus deaths
Population change
+91,001
July 2023–June 2024
South Carolina data modules
Official information organized by subject
Population
How many people live here, how it's changing and who they are.
Housing
Home prices, rents, supply and how affordable it is to live here.
Economy
GDP, income, output and the industries that drive the economy.
Cost of Living
What it really costs to live here: housing, food, utilities and more.
Jobs & Employment
Employment, unemployment, salaries and the labor force.
Crime & Safety
Crime rates, violent and property crime, and public safety.
Education
Schools, universities, attainment and graduation rates.
Health
Life expectancy, healthcare access, hospitals and insurance.
Taxes
Income, property and sales taxes, plus overall tax burden.
Immigration
Foreign-born population, origins and migration flows.
Energy
Electricity prices, production, renewables and consumption.
Environment
Air quality, wildfires, drought, water and emissions.
Transportation
Vehicles, public transit, airports, traffic and commuting.
Politics & Elections
Election results, representatives and voting trends.
Poverty & Welfare
Poverty, food assistance, Medicaid and social safety net programs.
Retirement & Seniors
Older population, Social Security, retirees and senior living.
Agriculture & Farming
Farms, farmland, crop and livestock output and agricultural exports.
Tourism & Parks
Visitors, tourism spending, national and state parks.
Innovation & Patents
Patents, R&D spending, venture capital and tech employment.
Culture, Media & Gaming
Film, TV, music, theaters, museums and the video game industry.
Pets & Animal Welfare
Pet ownership, shelters, adoptions and veterinary services.
Explore South Carolina
46 counties, one interactive atlas
Select a county to compare population, income, housing and territory using official U.S. Census Bureau data.
Population (residents)
< 50,000> 3,000,000
South Carolina, United States
Greenville County
County seat: Greenville
537,575
Population
$42,299
Income per capita
$273,900
Median home value
4.3%
Unemployment
- Land area
- 786 mi²
- Population density
- 684 /mi²
ACS 2023 5-year estimates · Census Gazetteer 2023. Unemployment is calculated from the ACS civilian labor force.
Counties
46 counties · choose how to order them
Greenville
570,745 residents
Charleston
431,001 residents
Richland
430,651 residents
Horry
413,391 residents
Spartanburg
369,256 residents
Lexington
313,774 residents
York
303,001 residents
Berkeley
264,276 residents
Anderson
217,183 residents
Beaufort
201,775 residents
Aiken
179,245 residents
Dorchester
174,663 residents
Did you know?
Curious facts about South Carolina
America's first museum
The Charleston Museum, founded in 1773, is widely recognized as the first museum in the United States.
Old-growth bottomland forest
Congaree National Park protects the largest intact expanse of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern U.S.
Gullah Geechee heritage
The Sea Islands preserve Gullah culture and its creole language, developed by descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans.