Is South Carolina's population growing or shrinking?
Refreshed annually
It grew by 80,000 between 2024 and 2025, the fifth most among all states. That’s more than the population of the city 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 1.5% annual increase was primarily driven by people moving from other states. In the decade between 2015 and 2025, South Carolina’s population grew by 14.8%.
+80K
population change (2024 to 2025)
+1.5%
percent change in population (2024 to 2025)
Since 2000, South Carolina's population increased in 25 of 25 years. The largest increase occurred between 2022 and 2023, when it gained 101,800 residents. The state's smallest increase during the 21st century occurred between 2010 and 2011 when it gained 28,100 residents.
South Carolina gained 80,000 residents between 2024 and 2025.
Annual population change, 1901–2025
What contributes to population change in South Carolina?
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 2024 to 2025 natural population change was positive in South Carolina, with births exceeding deaths by 564.
- 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 12,900 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 66,600 more people moving to South Carolina from other states than leaving.
Between 2024 and 2025, domestic migration was the primary driver of population growth in South Carolina.
Components of population change, 2011–2025
Which counties in South Carolina are growing? Which are shrinking?
Among 46 county equivalents, Horry County had the largest population growth in South Carolina, welcoming 13,244 new residents. Marion County lost the most, with a loss of 262 residents. County-level population data is available as of 2025.
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Jasper County led South Carolina in percent population increase between 2024 and 2025 at 6 percent. Allendale County ranked last with a 2.3 percent decline.
Between 2024 and 2025, Jasper County gained 6% in population, the largest increase in South Carolina.
Population change
How does population change in South Carolina compare to other states?
Between 2015 and 2025, South Carolina’s population has increased by 14.8%. During that same period, the US population grew by 6.2%. South Carolina ranks 6th among states in population growth over that decade.
South Carolina ranked sixth in population growth between 2015 and 2025.
Percent change in population
Population change between 2024 and 2025, by county in South Carolina
| County | Population change rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Jasper County, SC | +6% |
| 2. | Berkeley County, SC | +3.3% |
| 3. | Horry County, SC | +3.2% |
| 4. | Spartanburg County, SC | +3% |
| 5. | Lancaster County, SC | +2.7% |
| 6. | McCormick County, SC | +2.4% |
| 7. | Dorchester County, SC | +2% |
| 8. | Edgefield County, SC | +1.9% |
| 9. | Laurens County, SC | +1.9% |
| 10. | Aiken County, SC | +1.8% |
Population change between 2015 and 2025, by state
| State | Population change rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Idaho | +22% |
| 2. | Utah | +17.9% |
| 3. | Florida | +16.5% |
| 4. | Texas | +15.8% |
| 5. | Nevada | +14.9% |
| 6. | South Carolina | +14.8% |
| 7. | Arizona | +13.7% |
| 8. | North Carolina | +12.4% |
| 9. | Delaware | +12.2% |
| 10. | Washington state | +11.4% |
How is the US population changing?
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
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.
