United States · state

South Carolina population 2026

Q: What is the population of South Carolina in 2026?

The latest official figure is 5,570,274, for 1 July 2025 (US Census Bureau). If last year’s change continues, South Carolina would have about 5.7 million people by 1 July 2026; that is our arithmetic, not an official figure. The Census Bureau publishes new state estimates each December.

South Carolina has 5,570,274 people on the latest official figure, for 1 July 2025, 79,958 more than a year earlier (+1.46%). It is 23rd of the US’s 50 states and DC by population, home to 1.6% of the US’s people.

If last year’s change continues: about 5.7 million by 1 July 2026. That is our arithmetic, not an official figure.

South Carolina in numbers

Population: 5.6 million 1 July 2025
Change in a year: +1.46% +79,958 people
Change since 2020: +8.54% from 5.1 million
Share of the US: 1.6% 23rd of 50 states and DC
Population density: 72per km² 77,866 km²
Births in the year: 60 thousand deaths: 59 thousand
International migration: +13 thousand net arrivals from abroad
Moves within the US: +67 thousand more people moved in than left

In the latest year births outnumbered deaths by 564, 12,930 more people arrived from abroad than left, and 66,622 more people moved in from the rest of the US than moved out.

That is about as many people as Finland (5.6 million).

Population of South Carolina by year

5.6M

› Show the numbers as a table

Year	Population
2010	4,635,846
2011	4,672,655
2012	4,719,027
2013	4,766,469
2014	4,826,858
2015	4,896,006
2016	4,963,031
2017	5,027,102
2018	5,091,702
2019	5,157,702
2020	5,131,992
2021	5,194,346
2022	5,288,957
2023	5,390,798
2024	5,490,316
2025	5,570,274

Year	Population	Change	%
2025	5,570,274	+79,958	+1.46%
2024	5,490,316	+99,518	+1.85%
2023	5,390,798	+101,841	+1.93%
2022	5,288,957	+94,611	+1.82%
2021	5,194,346	+62,354	+1.22%
2020	5,131,992	−25,710	−0.50%
2019	5,157,702	+66,000	+1.30%
2018	5,091,702	+64,600	+1.29%
2017	5,027,102	+64,071	+1.29%
2016	4,963,031	+67,025	+1.37%
2015	4,896,006	+69,148	+1.43%
2014	4,826,858	+60,389	+1.27%
2013	4,766,469	+47,442	+1.01%
2012	4,719,027	+46,372	+0.99%
2011	4,672,655	+36,809	+0.79%

2010–2019 are Vintage 2020 estimates and 2020–2025 are Vintage 2025, so the step between 2019 and 2020 is partly a change of base.

South Carolina among the US’s states

Full ranking →

States of the US by population
#
1	California	39,355,309	−0.02%	11.5%	98
2	Texas	31,709,821	+1.25%	9.3%	47
3	Florida	23,462,518	+0.84%	6.9%	169
4	New York State	20,002,427	+0.01%	5.9%	164
5	Pennsylvania	13,059,432	+0.10%	3.8%	113
6	Illinois	12,719,141	+0.13%	3.7%	89
7	Ohio	11,900,510	+0.34%	3.5%	113
8	Georgia (US State)	11,302,748	+0.88%	3.3%	76
9	North Carolina	11,197,968	+1.32%	3.3%	89
10	Michigan	10,127,884	+0.28%	3.0%	69
11	New Jersey	9,548,215	+0.44%	2.8%	501
12	Virginia	8,880,107	+0.69%	2.6%	87
13	Washington State	8,001,020	+0.92%	2.3%	47
14	Arizona	7,623,818	+0.89%	2.2%	26
15	Tennessee	7,315,076	+0.88%	2.1%	69
16	Massachusetts	7,154,084	+0.22%	2.1%	354
17	Indiana	6,973,333	+0.56%	2.0%	75
18	Missouri	6,270,541	+0.43%	1.8%	35
19	Maryland	6,265,347	+0.32%	1.8%	249
20	Colorado	6,012,561	+0.40%	1.8%	22
21	Wisconsin	5,972,787	+0.26%	1.7%	43
22	Minnesota	5,830,405	+0.57%	1.7%	28
23	South Carolina	5,570,274	+1.46%	1.6%	72
24	Alabama	5,193,088	+0.58%	1.5%	40
25	Louisiana	4,618,189	+0.07%	1.4%	41
26	Kentucky	4,606,864	+0.50%	1.3%	45
27	Oregon	4,273,586	+0.19%	1.3%	17
28	Oklahoma	4,123,288	+0.62%	1.2%	23
29	Connecticut	3,688,496	+0.38%	1.1%	294
30	Utah	3,538,904	+1.02%	1.0%	17
31	Nevada	3,282,188	+0.88%	1.0%	12
32	Iowa	3,238,387	+0.25%	0.9%	22
33	Arkansas	3,114,791	+0.60%	0.9%	23
34	Kansas	2,977,220	+0.40%	0.9%	14
35	Mississippi	2,954,160	+0.14%	0.9%	24
36	New Mexico	2,125,498	−0.06%	0.6%	7
37	Idaho	2,029,733	+1.44%	0.6%	10
38	Nebraska	2,018,006	+0.62%	0.6%	10
39	West Virginia	1,766,147	−0.07%	0.5%	28
40	Hawaii	1,432,820	−0.15%	0.4%	86
41	New Hampshire	1,415,342	+0.48%	0.4%	61
42	Maine	1,414,874	+0.46%	0.4%	18
43	Montana	1,144,694	+0.63%	0.3%	3
44	Rhode Island	1,114,521	+0.37%	0.3%	416
45	Delaware	1,059,952	+0.94%	0.3%	210
46	South Dakota	935,094	+0.86%	0.3%	5
47	North Dakota	799,358	+0.75%	0.2%	5
48	Alaska	737,270	+0.10%	0.2%	1
49	District of Columbia	693,645	+0.34%	0.2%	4,381
50	Vermont	644,663	−0.29%	0.2%	27
51	Wyoming	588,753	+0.35%	0.2%	2

Largest cities in South Carolina

City proper, not the wider metro area; latest figure in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), so years differ.

Columbia142,416
Charleston132,609
North Charleston108,304
Mount Pleasant81,317
Rock Hill71,548
Greenville64,579

Questions

What is the population of South Carolina in 2026?

The latest official figure is 5,570,274, for 1 July 2025 (US Census Bureau). If last year’s change continues, South Carolina would have about 5.7 million people by 1 July 2026; that is our arithmetic, not an official figure. The Census Bureau publishes new state estimates each December.

Is South Carolina’s population growing or shrinking?

It grew by 79,958 people (+1.46%) in the latest year, and has changed +8.54% since 2020. In the latest year births outnumbered deaths by 564, 12,930 more people arrived from abroad than left, and 66,622 more people moved in from the rest of the US than moved out.

How does South Carolina rank in the US?

South Carolina is 23rd of the US’s 50 states and DC, with 1.6% of the people. California is the largest, with 39.4 million.

What is the population density of South Carolina?

About 72 people per km², on 77,866 km². Land area, US Census Bureau Gazetteer.

What is the largest city in South Carolina?

Columbia, with about 142 thousand people in the city proper. Metro areas are larger, and years differ (GeoNames).

Source and method

US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates. US government work, public domain. Land area, US Census Bureau Gazetteer. The Census Bureau publishes new state estimates each December. Ranks, shares and changes are our arithmetic on the published figures. National figures can differ from the UN’s projection for the US, which uses a different method. The 2026 figure above carries last year’s change forward; it does not come from the source.

Cite this page: South Carolina population, US Census Bureau, 1 July 2025. GlobeMetrics, https://globemetrics.org/world-population/united-states/south-carolina/

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