Demographics of South Carolina
The U.S. state of South Carolina is the 23rd largest state by population, with a population of 5,024,369 as of 2017 United States Census estimates.
Contemporary demographics
South Carolina's center of population is north of the State House in the city of Columbia.According to the United States Census Bureau, as of 2017, South Carolina had an estimated population of 5,024,369, which is an increase of 64,547 from the prior year and an increase of 399,005, or 8.6%, since the year 2010. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 36,401 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 115,084 people.
According to the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health, Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies, South Carolina's foreign-born population grew faster than any other state between 2000 and 2005. The Consortium reports that the number of Hispanics in South Carolina is greatly undercounted by census enumerators and may be more than 400,000.
South Carolina’s population increased by 15.4 percent between 1990 and 2000 and by another 7.4 percent between
2000 and 2005; 11.6 percent of that increase has been attributed to immigration, primarily from Mexico and Latin America. Most work in the construction industry, with another proportion in agriculture, in addition to processing factories. Latino population has increased considerably faster in South Carolina and the Southeast than for the United States as a whole.
The five largest ancestry groups in South Carolina identified by respondents to the US census are African American, American, English, German and Irish . Most African Americans also have some northern European ancestry.
From 1720 until 1920, African slaves and their descendants made up a majority of the state's population. Whites became a majority in the state after that date, following the migration of tens of thousands of blacks to northern industrial cities in the Great Migration. In the 21st century, most of the African-American population in the state lives in the Lowcountry and the Midlands areas, historically areas of their greatest concentrations of population.
6.6% of South Carolina's total population were reported as under 5 years old, 25.2% under 18, and 12.1% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 51.4% of the population in 2000. Those who self-identify as having American ancestry are of mostly British Isles ancestry: English and Scots-Irish stock.
Birth data
Note: Births in table do not add up, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number.| Race | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| White: | 36,768 | 37,543 | 38,056 | ... | ... | ... |
| > Non-Hispanic White | 33,085 | 33,639 | 33,927 | 32,929 | 32,283 | 31,890 |
| Black | 18,591 | 18,598 | 18,577 | 16,527 | 16,851 | 16,681 |
| Asian | 1,235 | 1,293 | 1,289 | 1,134 | 1,125 | 1,172 |
| American Indian | 201 | 193 | 217 | 151 | 183 | 156 |
| Hispanic | 4,411 | 4,646 | 4,942 | 5,135 | 5,221 | 5,255 |
| Total South Carolina | 56,795 | 57,627 | 58,139 | 57,342 | 57,029 | 56,669 |
- Since 2016, data for births of White Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in one Hispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
Center of population
Most populous counties
| County | Seat | 2000 Population | 2010 Population | 2017 Population |
| Greenville | Greenville | 379,616 | 451,225 | 506,837 |
| Richland | Columbia | 320,667 | 384,504 | 411,592 |
| Charleston | Charleston | 309,969 | 350,209 | 401,438 |
| Horry | Conway | 196,629 | 269,291 | 333,268 |
| Spartanburg | Spartanburg | 283,431 | 284,307 | 306,854 |
| Lexington | Lexington | 216,014 | 254,920 | 290,642 |
| York | York | 164,614 | 229,073 | 266,439 |
| Berkeley | Moncks Corner | 142,651 | 177,843 | 217,937 |
| Anderson | Anderson | 165,740 | 187,126 | 198,759 |
| Beaufort | Beaufort | 120,937 | 162,233 | 186,844 |
Cities and towns
Largest municipalities
Population estimates as of 2010.- Columbia – 129,272
- Charleston – 120,083
- North Charleston – 97,471
- Mount Pleasant – 67,843
- Rock Hill – 66,154
- Greenville – 58,409
- Summerville – 43,392
- Sumter- 40,524
- Hilton Head Island – 37,099
- Florence – 37,056
- Spartanburg – 37,013
- Goose Creek – 35,938
- Aiken – 29,524
- Myrtle Beach – 27,109
- Anderson – 26,686
- Greer – 25,515
- Greenwood – 23,222
- Mauldin – 22,889
- North Augusta – 21,348
- Easley – 19,993
City and MSAs
For example, Myrtle Beach has a municipal population of less than 50,000 persons, but its MSA has more than 200,000 persons. Anderson's municipal population is smaller than Sumter's, but the Anderson MSA is larger, as seen below.
Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville all have urbanized area populations between 400,000–550,000, while their metropolitan statistical area populations are each more than 600,000. The Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson MSA population consists of approximately 1.4 million people, making it the largest in the state and third largest in the Carolinas.
Urban Area Population
As of 2010:- Columbia – 549,777
- Charleston/North Charleston - 548,404
- Greenville – 400,492
- Myrtle Beach – 215,304
- Spartanburg – 180,786
- Mauldin/Simpsonville - 120,577
- Rock Hill – 104,996
- Florence – 89,557
- Anderson – 75,702
- Sumter – 73,107
- Hilton Head Island - 68,998
Religion
- Christian: 78%
- * Protestant: 65%
- ** Evangelical: 35%
- ** Mainline Protestant: 15%
- ** Historically Black: 15%
- * Roman Catholic: 10%
- * Other Christian: 3%
- Other Religions: 3%
- Non-Religious: 19%
Historical demographics
Beginning in 1790, the United States Census Bureau collected the population statistics of South Carolina. The years listed prior to that are estimates and exclude the Native American population. From 1790 until 1860, the designated demographic classifications were white, black slave and free black.Following the Civil War, the racial groupings were white, black and other.
The following is a list of census data for the state of South Carolina:
| Census Year | Demographic | Population | % of Pop. | % Growth |
| 1670 | White | 140 | 90.3% | – |
| 1670 | Slave | 15 | 9.7% | – |
| 1670 | Total | 155 | 100% | - |
| 1680 | White | 1,000 | 83.3% | +614.3% |
| 1680 | Slave | 200 | 16.7% | +1233.3% |
| 1680 | Total | 1,200 | 100% | +674.2% |
| 1700 | White | 3,100 | 56.4% | +210.0% |
| 1700 | Slave | 2,400 | 43.6% | +1100.0% |
| 1700 | Total | 5,500 | 100% | +358.3% |
| 1708 | White | 4,080 | 42.6% | +31.6% |
| 1708 | Black Slaves | 4,100 | 42.8% | – |
| 1708 | Indian Slaves | 1,400 | 14.6% | – |
| 1708 | Total | 9,580 | 100% | +74.2% |
| 1720 | White | 6,500 | 35.1% | +59.3% |
| 1720 | Slave | 12,000 | 64.9% | +118.2% |
| 1720 | Total | 18,500 | 100% | +93.1% |
| 1730 | White | 10,000 | 33.3% | +53.9% |
| 1730 | Slave | 20,000 | 66.7% | +66.7% |
| 1730 | Total | 30,000 | 100% | +62.2% |
| 1740 | White | 20,000 | 33.3% | +100.0% |
| 1740 | Slave | 40,000 | 66.7% | +100.0% |
| 1740 | Total | 60,000 | 100% | +100.0% |
| 1750 | White | 21,667 | 33.3% | +8.3% |
| 1750 | Slave | 43,333 | 66.7% | +8.3% |
| 1750 | Total | 65,000 | 100% | +8.3% |
| 1760 | White | 32,000 | 38.1% | +47.7% |
| 1760 | Slave | 52,000 | 61.9% | +20.0% |
| 1760 | Total | 84,000 | 100% | +29.2% |
| 1770 | White | 50,000 | 38.5% | +56.3% |
| 1770 | Slave | 80,000 | 61.5% | +53.9% |
| 1770 | Total | 130,000 | 100% | +54.7% |
| 1780 | White | 83,000 | 46.1% | +66.0% |
| 1780 | Slave | 97,000 | 53.9% | +21.3% |
| 1780 | Total | 180,000 | 100% | +38.5% |
| 1790 | White | 140,178 | 56.3% | +68.9% |
| 1790 | Slave | 107,094 | 43.0% | +10.4% |
| 1790 | Free Black | 1,801 | 0.7% | – |
| 1790 | Total | 249,073 | 100% | +38.4% |
| 1800 | White | 196,255 | 56.8% | +40.0% |
| 1800 | Slave | 146,151 | 42.3% | +36.5% |
| 1800 | Free Black | 3,185 | 0.9% | +76.9% |
| 1800 | Total | 345,591 | 100% | +38.8% |
| 1810 | White | 214,196 | 51.6% | +9.1% |
| 1810 | Slave | 196,365 | 47.3% | +34.4% |
| 1810 | Free Black | 4,554 | 1.1% | +42.9% |
| 1810 | Total | 415,115 | 100% | +20.1% |
| 1820 | White | 237,440 | 47.2% | +10.9% |
| 1820 | Slave | 258,475 | 51.4% | +31.6% |
| 1820 | Free Black | 6,826 | 1.4% | +49.9% |
| 1820 | Total | 502,741 | 100% | +21.1% |
| 1830 | White | 257,863 | 44.4% | +8.6% |
| 1830 | Slave | 323,322 | 55.6% | +25.1% |
| 1830 | Total | 581,185 | 100% | +15.6% |
| 1840 | White | 259,084 | 43.6% | +0.5% |
| 1840 | Slave | 327,038 | 55.0% | +1.2% |
| 1840 | Free Black | 8,276 | 1.4% | +21.2% |
| 1840 | Total | 594,398 | 100% | +2.3% |
| 1850 | White | 274,563 | 41.1% | +6.0% |
| 1850 | Slave | 393,944 | 58.9% | +20.5% |
| 1850 | Total | 668,507 | 100% | +12.5% |
| 1860 | White | 271,300 | 41.4% | +6.1% |
| 1860 | Slave | 487,406 | 57.2% | +2.2% |
| 1860 | Free Black | 9,914 | 1.4% | +19.8% |
| 1860 | Other | 88 | 0.0% | – |
| 1860 | Total | 703,708 | 100% | +5.3% |
| 1870 | White | 289,667 | 41.1% | -0.6% |
| 1870 | Black | 465,814 | 58.9% | +3.3% |
| 1870 | Other | 125 | 0.0% | +42.1% |
| 1870 | Total | 705,606 | 100% | +0.3% |
| 1880 | White | 391,105 | 39.3% | +35.0% |
| 1880 | Black | 604,332 | 60.7% | +45.3% |
| 1880 | Other | 140 | 0.0% | +12.0% |
| 1880 | Total | 995,577 | 100% | +41.1% |
| 1890 | White | 462,008 | 40.1% | +18.1% |
| 1890 | Black | 728,934 | 59.9% | +14.0% |
| 1890 | Other | 207 | 0.0% | +47.9% |
| 1890 | Total | 1,151,149 | 100% | +15.6% |
| 1900 | White | 547,807 | 41.6% | +20.7% |
| 1900 | Black | 789,321 | 58.4% | +13.6% |
| 1900 | Other | 188 | 0.0% | -9.2% |
| 1900 | Total | 1,340,316 | 100% | +16.4% |
| 1910 | White | 679,161 | 44.9% | +21.8% |
| 1910 | Black | 833,843 | 55.1% | +6.6% |
| 1910 | Other | 396 | 0.0% | +110.6% |
| 1910 | Total | 1,515,400 | 100% | +13.1% |
| 1920 | White | 878,538 | 51.4% | +20.5% |
| 1920 | Black | 864,719 | 48.6% | +3.7% |
| 1920 | Other | 467 | 0.0% | +17.9% |
| 1920 | Total | 1,683,724 | 100% | +11.1% |
| 1930 | White | 994,049 | 54.3% | +15.3% |
| 1930 | Black | 693,681 | 45.6% | -8.2% |
| 1930 | Other | 1,035 | 0.1% | +121.6% |
| 1930 | Total | 1,738,765 | 100% | +3.3% |
| 1940 | White | 1,084,308 | 57.1% | +14.9% |
| 1940 | Black | 714,164 | 42.9% | +2.6% |
| 1940 | Other | 1,332 | 0.1% | +28.7% |
| 1940 | Total | 1,899,804 | 100% | +9.3% |
| 1950 | White | 1,293,405 | 61.1% | +19.3% |
| 1950 | Black | 722,077 | 38.8% | +1.0% |
| 1950 | Other | 1,545 | 0.1% | +16.0% |
| 1950 | Total | 2,117,027 | 100% | +11.4% |
| 1960 | White | 1,551,022 | 65.1% | +19.9% |
| 1960 | Black | 829,291 | 34.8% | +0.9% |
| 1960 | Other | 2,281 | 0.1% | +47.6% |
| 1960 | Total | 2,382,594 | 100% | +12.5% |
| 1970 | White | 1,794,430 | 69.3% | +15.7% |
| 1970 | Black | 789,041 | 30.4% | -4.9% |
| 1970 | Other | 7,045 | 0.3% | +208.9% |
| 1970 | Total | 2,590,516 | 100% | +8.7% |
| 1980 | White | 2,147,224 | 68.8% | +19.7% |
| 1980 | Black | 948,623 | 30.4% | +20.2% |
| 1980 | Other | 25,973 | 0.8% | +268.7% |
| 1980 | Total | 3,121,820 | 100% | +20.5% |
| 1990 | White | 2,406,974 | 69.0% | +12.1% |
| 1990 | Black | 1,039,884 | 29.8% | +9.6% |
| 1990 | Other | 39,845 | 1.2% | +53.4% |
| 1990 | Total | 3,486,703 | 100% | +11.7% |
| 2000 | White | 2,695,560 | 67.2% | +12.0% |
| 2000 | Black | 1,185,216 | 29.5% | +14.0% |
| 2000 | Other | 131,236 | 3.3% | +229.4% |
| 2000 | Total | 4,012,012 | 100% | +15.1% |
| 2010 | White | 3,062,000 | 66.2% | +13.6% |
| 2010 | Black | 1,290,684 | 27.9% | +8.9% |
| 2010 | Other | 274,680 | 5.9% | +109.3% |
| 2010 | Total | 4,625,364 | 100% | +15.3% |