South Carolina

Home/South Carolina South Carolina State-to-state migration of people and income, 2022–2023 filing years At a glance (2023) Cost of living 93 7% below the U.S. average Median home value $236,700 national $303,400 Home prices, 5 years +59.6% over the 5 years to 2023 Monthly rent $1,126 national $1,348 Homeownership 71% national 65% Unemployment 3.0% national 3.6% Household income $66,818 national $78,538 Median age 40.1 yrs national 38.7 The cost of living runs about 7% below the national average. The median home is valued at $236,700 (nominal). Home prices have risen about 60% over the five years to 2023. Median rent is about $1,126 a month. Unemployment averaged 3.0% in 2023 (national 3.6%). Median household income is $66,818. These figures describe all residents, not just tax filers, come from separate sources than the migration data on this page, and do not indicate why anyone moved. Between the 2022 and 2023 filing years, South Carolina saw a net gain of 29,053 tax-filing households and a net gain of 59,037 individuals. Against a population of about 5,373,555, that is a net inflow of about 11 per 1,000 residents. On net, the area gained $4.1B in associated adjusted gross income (AGI, nominal dollars). The largest inflow, about 18,026 households, came from North Carolina; the largest outflow, about 15,305 households, went to North Carolina. In the prior (2022) filing year, the area saw a net gain of 70,773 individuals. These figures cover federal income tax filers only and do not indicate why people moved. Net income (AGI) +$4.1B nominal dollars Net households +29,053 tax returns Net people +59,037 exemptions +11.0 net people per 1,000 residents (population 5,373,555) Income (AGI) in and out Moved in$8.9B Moved out$4.8B Net +$4.1B (nominal) HowAmericaMoves.com South Carolina counties Net migration by county. Hover for figures; click a county to open it. Net outNet in(AGI $) Hover an area to trace its top 5 inbound (in) and outbound (out) moves. Net income (AGI) that moved in minus out, in nominal dollars (not adjusted for inflation).Net tax returns (filing households) that moved in minus out.Net people per 1,000 residents, so larger and smaller areas compare fairly. Hover an area to trace its top moves HowAmericaMoves.com Top origin states 1North Carolina18,026$1.5B2Florida9,651$705.6M3Georgia9,309$752.8M4New York7,266$685.9M5Virginia4,896$506.3M6Pennsylvania4,214$411.8M7California4,179$382.6M8Texas3,840$337.6M9New Jersey3,650$388.7M10Ohio3,043$266.6M HowAmericaMoves.com Top destination states 1North Carolina15,305$1B2Georgia8,328$505.4M3Florida7,188$552.8M4Virginia3,717$254.5M5Texas3,703$257.9M6New York3,037$171.6M7California2,322$162.8M8Tennessee2,301$158.9M9Pennsylvania2,047$140.3M10Ohio1,892$125.8M HowAmericaMoves.com Churn by state both directions at once The biggest two-way exchanges of filing households, 2022–2023. Moved in and moved out are gross one-way counts; net is the difference. Click a column to sort. North Carolina 18,026 15,305 +2,721 +$516.8M Georgia 9,309 8,328 +981 +$247.3M Florida 9,651 7,188 +2,463 +$152.8M New York 7,266 3,037 +4,229 +$514.3M Virginia 4,896 3,717 +1,179 +$251.9M Texas 3,840 3,703 +137 +$79.7M California 4,179 2,322 +1,857 +$219.8M Pennsylvania 4,214 2,047 +2,167 +$271.5M Ohio 3,043 1,892 +1,151 +$140.8M New Jersey 3,650 1,161 +2,489 +$309.3M Tennessee 2,487 2,301 +186 +$32.4M Maryland 2,643 1,341 +1,302 +$195.4M Counts are filing households (IRS returns), matching the lists above; income is nominal AGI. A dash means the IRS published only one direction of that exchange (small flows are suppressed), so no net is computed. HowAmericaMoves.com Net migration by year Net 2012–2023: +$32.9B (+543,119 people) 20122023 HowAmericaMoves.com Net AGI and net people by year (nominal dollars) Year Net AGI Net people 2012 +$1.1B +21,546 2013 +$1.6B +29,176 2014 +$1.7B +30,355 2015 +$1.1B +21,170 2016 +$2.3B +40,298 2017 +$3.4B +64,791 2018 +$2.5B +44,861 2019 +$2.6B +41,933 2020 +$3.6B +54,334 2021 +$4.2B +64,845 2022 +$4.8B +70,773 2023 +$4.1B +59,037 Migration in context How big is this move, relative to the state? In the 2022–2023 filing year, about 59,037 more people moved into South Carolina than left (counting tax filers and their dependents) — a net gain of about $4.1B in income (nominal) — in a state of 5,390,798 people. Population 5,390,798 Census 2023 estimate Net migration rate +11.0 net people per 1,000 residents A town of 10,000 would net about +110 people. Net income per resident +$763 nominal dollars ≈ +$4.1B total across 5,390,798 residents. The rate lets you compare South Carolina with a stateof any size: it’s the net flow divided by population. The IRS counts tax filers; population counts all residents, so read the rate as a scale indicator, not a literal share of people. HowAmericaMoves.com Components of population change 2023 (Census) Where the state’s overall change came from. Census counts all residents; the IRS migration above is one slice of the domestic-migration component. Births +58,198 Deaths 59,063 Net domestic migration +79,536 Net international migration +21,668 Total change +101,841 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program. Figures are people, not tax filers. HowAmericaMoves.com Income & cost of living What a dollar is worth here Prices around South Carolina run about 7% below the national average. In plain terms: $100 spent here buys about what $107 buys in the average American community. The figures below apply that to income, each compared to the U.S. average of $70,002 per person. Income per person $57,766 what people here earn (BEA 2023, nominal) 17% below the U.S. average Price level 93.5 100 = U.S. average prices (BEA price parity) everyday costs about 6.5% lower than average What that income buys $61,797 local income restated at U.S.-average prices 12% below the U.S. average Cheaper than U.S. avgU.S. average (100)Pricier Price parity shown at the state level (BEA does not publish a single figure below the metro level). HowAmericaMoves.com Where the cost comes from price parity by category Index where 100 = U.S. average for that category. Housing is usually what separates one place from another. Housing & rents80.5 Goods95.9 Utilities85.8 Other services97.9 Housing is measured from rents (including an estimated rental value for owner-occupied homes), so a run-up in purchase prices shows here only as it reaches rents. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Covers all residents, a separate universe from the IRS filer income above. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Who lives here The people of South Carolina American Community Survey, 2019–2023 (a 5-year average of all residents, not just tax filers). Median age 40.1 years Median household income $66,818 per household (ACS 2019–2023, nominal) 15% below the U.S. median College degree 31% adults 25+ with a bachelor's or higher Poverty rate 14.2% residents below the poverty line Average commute 26 min mean travel time to work Broadband at home 87% households with any broadband Race and ethnicity (share of residents) White 62%Hispanic 7%Black 25%Asian 2%Other 4% White, Black, and Asian counts are people who are not Hispanic or Latino; Hispanic or Latino can be of any race. Shares are rounded and may not total 100. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Covers all residents, a separate universe from the IRS filer data. A 5-year estimate is an average over 2019–2023; compare years at least five apart, since consecutive windows overlap. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Housing what it costs to live here (ACS 2019–2023) Median home value $236,700 owner-occupied homes 22% below the U.S. median Median rent $1,126 gross rent per month 16% below the U.S. median Homeownership 71% of occupied homes are owner-occupied Home-price appreciation FHFA index, 2023 Past year +9.8% price change, 2022 to 2023 Past 5 years +60% price change, 2018 to 2023 A repeat-sales index (how much the same homes changed in price), so it tracks the market over time rather than the current level. Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency, annual all-transactions HPI; the county series is FHFA’s developmental index. New home construction building permits, 2023 42,474new housing units authorized in 2023 Single-family 87%Multifamily 13% Units authorized by residential building permits (new supply), summed from counties for the state and U.S. Permits are authorizations, not completions. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Home value is what owners estimate their homes are worth, not recent sale prices. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2019–2023), nominal dollars. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Local economy & risk Jobs and natural hazards Unemployment rate 3.0% BLS 2023 annual average Labor force 2,495,157 2,420,636 employed Disaster declarations — major federal, 2023 Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS) and FEMA. A disaster declaration marks federal assistance eligibility, not damage severity, and says nothing about why anyone moved. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Unemployment now 3.8% May 2026 ▼ 0.1 points vs May 2025 January 2024May 2026 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS). Monthly unemployment for this state, not seasonally adjusted. Updated every month, so it moves faster than the annual average above. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Who’s moving by income Net migration by income bracket Tax-filing households that moved into South Carolina minus those that left, by the adjusted gross income they reported, 2022–2023. Positive means more arrived than left at that income level. $1–$10k +1,727 In 8,129Out 6,402+$9.2M AGI $10k–$25k +3,140 In 17,659Out 14,519+$54.4M AGI $25k–$50k +4,973 In 24,609Out 19,636+$184.3M AGI $50k–$75k +3,516 In 15,123Out 11,607+$218.8M AGI $75k–$100k +3,289 In 9,775Out 6,486+$286.3M AGI $100k–$200k +7,551 In 16,561Out 9,010+$1.1B AGI $200k+ +4,571 In 8,023Out 3,452+$2.3B AGI Among the highest earners ($200k+), South Carolina ranks #4 of 51 states for net household migration (+4,571). Source: IRS Statistics of Income, state-level gross migration file (returns with negative AGI are excluded, so this won’t exactly match the totals above). Income is what filers reported, not a reason anyone moved. Compare all states by income bracket. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Goods trade What South Carolina ships and receives Physical goods shipped between South Carolina and other states, 2022. This is freight, not the migration of people or income shown above. $157.5B Ships to other states +12% since 2017 $175.0B Receives from states +17% since 2017 $17.5B Net balance Top goods shipped out Motorized and other vehicles (includes parts) $41.2B Plastics and rubber $28.9B Mixed freight $26.3B Machinery $21.1B Electronic and other electrical equipment and components, and office equipment $17.8B Textiles, leather, and articles of textiles or leather $13.0B Top goods received Motorized and other vehicles (includes parts) $24.7B Mixed freight $21.2B Plastics and rubber $19.7B Electronic and other electrical equipment and components, and office equipment $18.3B Machinery $14.6B Pharmaceutical products $14.2B Biggest trading partners (both ways) Goods trade runs in both directions: states swap different goods, so a partner is often near the top of both columns. Net is ships minus receives (positive means South Carolina ships more to that partner than it gets back). Partner Ships to Receives Net Total Georgia $18.5B $30.1B -$11.6B $48.6B North Carolina $22.2B $26.0B -$3.7B $48.2B Texas $14.0B $9.7B +$4.3B $23.6B Florida $12.6B $10.2B +$2.3B $22.8B Tennessee $9.5B $11.0B -$1.6B $20.5B Ohio $6.7B $7.9B -$1.3B $14.6B Illinois $6.9B $7.3B -$359M $14.2B Pennsylvania $6.3B $5.4B +$875M $11.6B Goods shipped every five years by the Census Commodity Flow Survey (a sample, so figures are estimates and the smallest flows are withheld). Value is nominal. The totals and partner table above count trade between South Carolina and other states; the goods lists count everything the state ships or receives, including within-state shipments. Compare all states. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Taxes the state collects What South Carolina collects in taxes Total state taxes $15.6B FY 2023, nominal Per resident $2,903 total state taxes ÷ population Largest categories (share of total) Individual income tax$5.8B 37% General sales & gross receipts$5.1B 33% Corporation net income tax$1.4B 9% Motor fuels sales tax$1B 6% Other selective sales tax$549.2M 4% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections. This is what the state government collected (not local taxes), not a measure of any individual’s tax burden. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Elections National maps → How South Carolina has voted. Certified returns, popular vote only. This is a separate dataset from the migration figures on this page. President, 1976–2024 Year Democratic Republican Other Margin Total 2024 1,028,452 1,483,747 35,941 R +17.9 2,548,140 2020 1,091,541 1,385,103 36,685 R +11.7 2,513,329 2016 855,373 1,155,389 92,265 R +14.3 2,103,027 2012 865,941 1,071,645 26,532 R +10.5 1,964,118 2008 862,449 1,034,896 23,624 R +9.0 1,920,969 2004 661,699 937,974 18,057 R +17.1 1,617,730 2000 566,039 786,426 31,312 R +15.9 1,383,777 1996 506,152 573,339 70,691 R +5.8 1,150,182 1992 525,514 577,507 125,891 R +4.2 1,228,912 1988 370,554 606,443 9,012 R +23.9 986,009 1984 344,459 615,539 8,531 R +28.0 968,529 1980 428,220 439,277 20,761 R +1.2 888,258 1976 450,807 346,149 5,627 D +13.0 802,583 U.S. Senate races all states → Year Winner Democratic Republican Other Margin 2022 Tim Scott 627,616 1,066,274 1,812 R +25.9 2020 Lindsey Graham 1,110,828 1,369,137 32,845 R +10.3 2016 Tim Scott 757,022 1,241,609 49,405 R +23.6 2014special Tim Scott 459,583 757,215 21,652 R +24.0 2014 Lindsey Graham 480,933 672,941 81,427 R +15.5 2010 Jim Demint 364,598 810,771 121,472 R +33.8 2008 Lindsey Graham 790,621 1,076,534 — R +15.3 2004 Jim Demint 704,384 857,167 34,384 R +9.6 2002 Lindsey O. Graham 487,359 600,010 14,876 R +10.2 U.S. House seats won district maps → 2024 D 1 R 6 2022 D 1 R 6 2020 D 1 R 6 2018 D 2 R 5 2016 D 1 R 6 2014 D 1 R 6 2012 D 1 R 6 2010 D 1 R 5 2008 D 2 R 4 2006 D 2 R 4 2004 D 2 R 4 2002 D 2 R 4 2000 D 2 R 4 2024 results by county Republican wonDemocratic wonIndependent / other Which party received the most votes, as a solid color.Winning margin as a share of all votes cast.Change in margin since 2020, in percentage points.Total votes cast, all candidates. HowAmericaMoves.com Source: MIT Election Data and Science Lab county returns (CC0). Margins are the popular-vote gap as a share of all votes cast. Counties in South Carolina (46) Abbeville CountyAiken CountyAllendale CountyAnderson CountyBamberg CountyBarnwell CountyBeaufort CountyBerkeley CountyCalhoun CountyCharleston CountyCherokee CountyChester CountyChesterfield CountyClarendon CountyColleton CountyDarlington CountyDillon CountyDorchester CountyEdgefield CountyFairfield CountyFlorence CountyGeorgetown CountyGreenville CountyGreenwood CountyHampton CountyHorry CountyJasper CountyKershaw CountyLancaster CountyLaurens CountyLee CountyLexington CountyMarion CountyMarlboro CountyMcCormick CountyNewberry CountyOconee CountyOrangeburg CountyPickens CountyRichland CountySaluda CountySpartanburg CountySumter CountyUnion CountyWilliamsburg CountyYork County Get the next update for South Carolina The IRS releases new migration data once a year. Drop your email and we will send the refreshed numbers when they land. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. Email address