Is South Carolina's population growing or shrinking?
Updated annually
It grew by 91,000 between 2023 and 2024. That’s more than the population of Rock Hill. Changes in population reflect birth and death rates, immigration patterns, regional shifts, and even the overall health of the economy. South Carolina’s 1.7% annual increase was primarily driven by people moving from other states. In the decade between 2014 and 2024, South Carolina’s population grew by 14.4%.
+91K
population change (2023 to 2024)
+1.7%
percent change in population (2023 to 2024)
Since 2000, South Carolina's population increased in 24 of 24 years. The largest increase occurred between 2022 and 2023, when it gained 99,900 residents. The state's smallest increase during the 21st century occurred between 2010 and 2011 when it gained 28,100 residents.
South Carolina gained 91,000 residents between 2023 and 2024.
Annual population change
A state’s population is influenced by three factors:
- Natural population change: If births outnumber deaths in a given year, natural population growth is positive. If deaths exceed births, it is negative. Between 2023 to 2024 natural population change was negative in South Carolina, with deaths exceeding births by 517.
- Immigration: international migration directly into or out of a state. If more people move in than move out, population change from immigration is positive. If more people move out than move in, it’s negative. South Carolina’s population change from immigration was positive, with about 23,200 more people coming from another country to South Carolina than leaving.
- Domestic migration, moving between states: South Carolina’s population change from domestic migration was positive, with about 68,000 more people moving to South Carolina from other states than leaving.
Our government is complex. Our data doesn’t have to be.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get data-backed answers to today’s most debated issues
Between 2023 and 2024, domestic migration was the primary driver of population growth in South Carolina.
Components of population change
Among 46 county equivalents, Horry County had the largest population growth in South Carolina, welcoming 15,017 new residents. Marlboro County lost the most, with a loss of 274 residents.
Jasper County led South Carolina in percent population increase between 2023 and 2024 at 5.9%. Marlboro County ranked last with a 1.1% decline.
Between 2023 and 2024, Jasper County gained 5.9% in population, the largest increase in South Carolina.
Population change
Between 2014 and 2024, South Carolina’s population has increased by 14.4%. During that same period, the US population grew by 6.5%. South Carolina ranks 6th among states in population growth over that decade.
South Carolina ranked sixth in population growth between 2014 and 2024.
Percent change in population
Keep exploring
Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
