How many immigrants are in South Carolina?
About 264K in 2021. This represents roughly 5.2% of the population, or about 1 in 20 residents. Immigrants include foreign-born residents, those who have become US citizens, individuals authorized to work in the US, and undocumented residents.
Showing data for
In 2021
264K
South Carolina residents were foreign-born
In 2021
1 in 20
South Carolina residents were foreign-born
The number of foreign-born residents in South Carolina increased from 220K in 2011 to 264K in 2021. This rise occurred alongside changes in the native-born population due to births, deaths, and migration. The foreign-born share of the total population was 5.2% in 2021, lower than the national average of 13.6%, and up from 4.8% in 2011.
Foreign-born share of the population in South Carolina
Changes in immigrant populations reflect shifts in both local and national demographics. The largest immigrant populations are found in major metro areas. Metro areas in California, Texas, Florida, and parts of the Northeast generally have a higher share of foreign-born residents.
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In 2021, the metro areas in the US with the highest and lowest foreign-born population shares were Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL at 41.2% (highest) and Beckley, WV at 0.8% (lowest). In South Carolina, the metro areas with the highest and lowest foreign-born shares were Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC at 10.5% (highest) and Florence, SC at 2.3% (lowest).
On average, 8.2% of the population in metro areas was foreign-born in 2021
Foreign-born share of the population (2021)
| 1. | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area | 10.5% |
| 2. | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC Metro Area | 7.6% |
| 3. | Spartanburg, SC Metro Area | 7% |
| 4. | Greenville-Anderson, SC Metro Area | 6.3% |
| 5. | Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metro Area | 5.8% |
| 6. | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC Metro Area | 5.5% |
| 7. | Columbia, SC Metro Area | 5.3% |
| 8. | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metro Area | 4.3% |
| 9. | Sumter, SC Metro Area | 2.8% |
| 10. | Florence, SC Metro Area | 2.3% |
