How many immigrants are in South Carolina?
Data updated September 19, 2024
About 316K in 2023. This translates to approximately 5.9% of the population, or roughly 3 in 50 residents in South Carolina. Immigrants are defined as foreign-born residents. This includes people who became US citizens, those authorized to come to the US (e.g., for work or study), and undocumented residents.
Showing data for
In 2023
316K
South Carolina residents were foreign-born
In 2023
3 in 50
South Carolina residents were foreign-born
The number of foreign-born residents in South Carolina grew from 231K in 2013 to 316K in 2023. This increase occurred alongside changes in the native-born population due to births, deaths, and people moving. Analyzing the foreign-born share of the total population provides a better view of these demographics. In South Carolina, the foreign-born share of the population was 5.9% in 2023, lower than the US overall at 14.3%, and up from 4.8% in the state since 2013.
In South Carolina, 5.9% of the population was foreign-born in 2023.
Variations in immigrant populations illustrate a changing population landscape in both local areas and the nation as a whole. The largest immigration populations are concentrated in big metro areas. Metro areas in California, Texas, Florida, and parts of the Northeast typically have a higher share of residents that are foreign-born.
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From 2018 to 2022, the metro areas (with data) in the US with the highest and lowest foreign-born population share were: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL at 41.5% foreign-born (highest) and Beckley, WV at 0.9% foreign-born (lowest). The highest and lowest among the metro areas in or connected to South Carolina were: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC at 10.7% foreign-born (highest) and Florence, SC at 2.4% foreign-born (lowest).
On average, 8.3% of the population in metro areas was foreign-born from 2018 to 2022
Foreign-born share of the population
Average foreign-born share of the population from 2018 to 2022
| 1. | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC Metro Area | 7.8% |
| 2. | Spartanburg, SC Metro Area | 7.3% |
| 3. | Greenville-Anderson, SC Metro Area | 6.4% |
| 4. | Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metro Area | 5.6% |
| 5. | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC Metro Area | 5.5% |
| 6. | Columbia, SC Metro Area | 5.3% |
| 7. | Sumter, SC Metro Area | 2.6% |
| 8. | Florence, SC Metro Area | 2.4% |
