Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates and 2024 Gazetteer. Rankings among the 50 states.
Historical data
Pick an indicator to see its long-run evolution.
Population
1790–2024U.S. Census (decennial), 1790–2020 + estimates.
Population pyramid
South Carolina's civilian population by sex and five-year age group. Choose a year to see how the age structure has changed.
Tap an age group in the pyramid to see its detail.
Under 15
937,485 (17.2%)
15 to 64
3,427,308 (63.0%)
65 and older
1,076,945 (19.8%)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, SC-EST2020 and SC-EST2024 age and sex estimates (civilian population, July 1).
Age, sex and longevity
The main indicators describing South Carolina's age structure, sex distribution and life expectancy.
| Median age | 40.1 years | |
| Female | 51.3% | |
| Male | 48.7% | |
| Under 18 | 21.6% | |
| 65 and older | 19.5% | |
| Life expectancy | 75.7 years |
Population, households and density
How many people and households live in South Carolina, how concentrated they are and how the population is changing.
| Total population | 5.37 M | 23rd in the U.S. |
| Density | 65 /km² | |
| Households | 2.07 M | |
| Urban population | 66.3% | |
| Largest metro | Greenville–Spartanburg–Anderson (≈ 1.0 M) | |
| Growth | +1.7%/yr | 2020–2024, among top 5 in the U.S. |
Race, ethnicity and origin
South Carolina has one of the largest Black population shares in the country, rooted in its plantation and Gullah-Geechee coastal heritage, alongside a fast-growing Hispanic community.
| White (non-Hispanic) | 62.6% | |
| Black or African American | 25.2% | 6th highest in the U.S. |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.2% | |
| Asian | 1.9% | |
| Two or more races | 2.5% | |
| Native American | 0.4% | |
| Gullah-Geechee community | Notable coastal presence, Lowcountry & Sea Islands |