E.g., 04/27/2024
E.g., 04/27/2024
State Demographics Data - SC
 

South Carolina

Demographics & Social
2022
2000
1990
Demographics

Note: The term "foreign born" refers to people residing in the United States at the time of the population survey who were not U.S. citizens at birth. The foreign-born population includes naturalized U.S. citizens, lawful permanent immigrants (or green-card holders), refugees and asylees, certain legal nonimmigrants (including those on student, work, or some other temporary visas), and persons residing in the country without authorization.

Foreign Born
Number 273,375
% Foreign Born 5.2%
Population Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2022 135.7%
% change: 1990-2000 132.1%
Race (%)  
One race 79.4%
White
28.6%
Black or African American
7.1%
American Indian and Alaska Native
1.7%
Asian
21.9%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander
0.0%
Other race
19.9%
Two or more races 20.6%
Latino Origin (of any race)  
Number 116,087
% Latino 42.5%
Age Groups (%)  
Under 5 0.8%
5-17 5.3%
18-64 78.3%
65 and older 15.6%
Median Age

Note: 1) Data for Alaska, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the Census Bureau’s pooled 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2022 ACS. 2) The letter N indicates that a number could not be provided by the Census Bureau because the number of sample cases was too small for this state.

43
Gender (% female) 50.7%
Marital Status (15 and older) (%)  
Never married 23.9%
Married 62.6%
Separated, divorced, or widowed 13.5%

Note: The term "U.S. born" refers to people residing in the United States who were U.S. citizens in one of three categories: people born in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia; people born in U.S. Insular Areas such as Puerto Rico or Guam; or people who were born abroad to at least one U.S. citizen parent.

U.S. Born
Number 5,009,259
% Foreign Born  
Population Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2011 28.6%
% change: 1990-2000 13.4%
Race (%)  
One race 94.4%
White 65.5%
Black or African American 26.1%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.3%
Asian 0.6%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 0.0%
Other race 1.8%
Two or more races 5.6%
Latino Origin (of any race)  
Number 227,696
% Latino 4.5%
Age Groups (%)  
Under 5 5.6%
5-17 16.4%
18-64 58.7%
65 and older 19.3%
Median Age 40.2
Gender (% female) 51.4%
Marital Status (15 and older) (%)  
Never married 32.6%
Married 48.5%
Separated, divorced, or widowed 18.9%
Foreign Born
Number 115,978
% Foreign Born 2.9%
Population Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2011  
 
Race (%)  
Latino Origin (of any race)  
Age Groups (%)  
Marital Status (15 and older) (%)  
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U.S. Born
Number 3,896,034
Population Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2011  
1990-2000  
Race (%)  
Latino Origin (of any race)  
Age Groups (%)  
Marital Status (15 and older) (%)  
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Foreign Born
Number 49,964
% Foreign Born 1.4%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
Number 3,436,739
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Foreign Born
Foreign Born
Foreign Born
Place of Birth Number
Region of Birth (excluding born at sea)

Note: For 1990, 2000, and current ACS year, the total for the region of birth of the foreign born is different from the total foreign born. This is because the 1990 total excludes those who did not report a country of birth and those born at sea, while the 2000 and the current ACS year totals exclude those born at sea.

273,375
Born in Africa 12,510
Born in Asia 67,865
Born in Europe 51,071
Born in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean) 131,319
Born in Northern America (Canada, Bermuda, Greenland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon) 9,101
Born in Oceania 1,509
Top 3 Countries of Birth

Note: These are the largest countries of birth reported by the Census Bureau. Some countries are only listed as part of a larger geographic region. For example, those born in Somalia are included only among those born in Eastern Africa. Therefore, a few states may have larger populations of foreign-born persons born in countries not listed individually in census data. For each of the three years, countries of birth reflect geographic boundaries as of that year.

 
Country #1
Country #2
Country #3
Detailed Region/Country of Birth

Note: These are the largest countries of birth reported by the Census Bureau. Some countries are only listed as part of a larger geographic region. For example, those born in Somalia are included only among those born in Eastern Africa. Therefore, a few states may have larger populations of foreign-born persons born in countries not listed individually in census data. For each of the three years, countries of birth reflect geographic boundaries as of that year.

273,375
Europe 51,071
Northern Europe 11,012
United Kingdom
8,724
Ireland
1,298
Other Northern Europe
990
Western Europe 15,804
France
1,523
Germany
11,699
Other Western Europe
2,582
Southern Europe 4,553
Italy
1,864
Portugal
814
Other Southern Europe
1,875
Eastern Europe 19,491
Poland
1,471
Russia
2,739
Other Eastern Europe
15,281
Other Europe (no country specified) 211
Asia 67,865
Eastern Asia 14,953
China
8,341

China, excluding Taiwan

7,363

Taiwan

978
Japan
2,176
Korea
4,436
Other Eastern Asia
N
South Central Asia 30,423
India
24,297
Iran
1,569
Other South Central Asia
4,557
Southeastern Asia 17,728
Philippines
10,863
Vietnam
2,722
Other Southeastern Asia
4,143
Western Asia 4,733
Israel
548
Lebanon
206
Other Western Asia
3,979
Other Asia (no country specified) 28
Africa 12,510
Eastern Africa 839
Northern Africa 1,237
Western Africa 6,824
Middle and Southern Africa 2,777
Other Africa (no country specified) 833
Oceania 1,509
Australia and New Zealand subregion 995
Oceania (no country specified) 514
Americas 140,420
Latin America 131,319
Caribbean
19,016

Cuba

4,494

Jamaica

6,637

Other Caribbean

7,885
Central America
84,206

Mexico

57,036

El Salvador

4,245

Other Central America

22,925
South America
28,097

Brazil

5,400

Colombia

11,980

Other South America

10,717
Northern America 9,101
Canada
9,028
Other Northern America
73
Period of Entry into U.S.  
Before 1990 56,177
1990-1999 41,080
2000-2009 79,241
Since 2010 96,877
%
Region of Birth (excluding born at the sea)* 100%
Born in Africa 4.6%
Born in Asia 24.8%
Born in Europe 18.7%
Born in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean) 48.0%
Born in Northern America (Canada, Bermuda, Greenland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon) 3.3%
Born in Oceania 0.6%
Top 3 Countries of Birth*  
Country #1
Country #2
Country #3
Detailed Region/Country of Birth* 100%
Europe 18.7%
Northern Europe 4.0%
United Kingdom 3.2%
Ireland 0.5%
Other Northern Europe 0.4%
Western Europe 5.8%
France 0.6%
Germany 4.3%
Other Western Europe 0.9%
Southern Europe 1.7%
Italy 0.7%
Portugal 0.3%
Other Southern Europe 0.7%
Eastern Europe 7.1%
Poland 0.5%
Russia 1.0%
Other Eastern Europe 5.6%
Other Europe (no country specified) 0.1%
Asia 24.8%
Eastern Asia 5.5%
China 3.1%
China, excluding Taiwan 2.7%
Taiwan 0.4%
Japan 0.8%
Korea 1.6%
Other Eastern Asia N
South Central Asia 11.1%
India 8.9%
Iran 0.6%
Other South Central Asia 1.7%
Southeastern Asia 6.5%
Philippines 4.0%
Vietnam 1.0%
Other Southeastern Asia 1.5%
Western Asia 1.7%
Israel 0.2%
Lebanon 0.1%
Other Western Asia 1.5%
Other Asia (no country specified) N
Africa 4.6%
Eastern Africa 0.3%
Northern Africa 0.5%
Western Africa 2.5%
Middle and Southern Africa 1.0%
Other Africa (no country specified) 0.3%
Oceania 0.6%
Australia and New Zealand subregion 0.4%
Oceania (no country specified) 0.2%
Americas 51.4%
Latin America 48.0%
Caribbean 7.0%
Cuba 1.6%
Jamaica 2.4%
Other Caribbean 2.9%
Central America 30.8%
Mexico 20.9%
El Salvador 1.6%
Other Central America 8.4%
South America 10.3%
Brazil 2.0%
Colombia 4.4%
Other South America 3.9%
Northern America 3.3%
Canada 3.3%
Other Northern America N
Period of Entry into U.S.  
Before 1980 20.5%
1980-1989 15.0%
1990-1999 29.0%
Since 2000 35.4%
Number
Region of Birth (excluding born at the sea)* 115,978
Born in Africa 3,248
Born in Asia 29,402
Born in Europe 27,177
Born in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean) 49,608
Born in Northern America (Canada, Bermuda, Greenland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon) 5,718
Cat28 825
Top 3 Countries of Birth*  
Country #1
Country #2
Country #3
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
%
Region of birth 100%
Born in Africa 2.8%
Born in Asia 25.4%
Born in Europe 23.4%
Born in Latin America 42.8%
Born in Northern America 4.9%
Born in Oceania 0.7%
Top 3 Countries of Birth*  
Country #1
Country #2
Country #3
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Number
Region of Birth (excluding born at the sea)* 47,881
Born in Africa 1,869
Born in Asia 15,556
Born in Europe 18,957
Born in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean) 7,833
Born in Northern America (Canada, Bermuda, Greenland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon) 3,331
Cat21 335
Top 3 Countries of Birth*  
Country #1
Country #2
Country #3
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
%
Region of birth 100%
Born in Africa 3.9%
Born in Asia 32.5%
Born in Europe 39.6%
Born in Latin America 16.4%
Born in Northern America 7.0%
Born in Oceania 0.7%
Top 3 Countries of Birth*  
Country #1
Country #2
Country #3
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Foreign Born
Foreign Born
Foreign Born
Naturalization Number
Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status 273,375
Naturalized citizens 133,376
Noncitizens 139,999
Naturalized Citizens by Period of Naturalization 133,376
Before 1990 24,514
1990-1999 16,897
2000-2009 29,497
2010-2014 23,519
Since 2015 38,949
%
Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status 100%
Naturalized citizens 48.8%
Noncitizens 51.2%
Naturalized Citizens by Period of Naturalization 100%
Before 1980 18.4%
1980-1989 12.7%
1990-1999 22.1%
2000-2009 17.6%
Since 2010 29.2%
Number
Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status 115,978
Naturalized citizens 42,983
Noncitizens 72,995
   
   
   
   
   
   
%
Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status 100%
Naturalized citizens 37.1%
Noncitizens 62.9%
   
   
   
   
   
   
Number
Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status 49,964
Naturalized citizens 25,411
Noncitizens 24,553
   
   
   
   
   
   
%
Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status 100%
Naturalized citizens 50.9%
Noncitizens 49.1%
   
   
   
   
   
   
Fertility Foreign Born
Female Population (ages 15-50) 81,878
Women (ages 15-50) who gave birth in the last 12 months 5,732
% married among women who gave birth
67.8%
% unmarried (never married, divorced, or widowed) among women who gave birth
32.2%
U.S. Born
Female Population (ages 15-50) 1,120,289
Women (ages 15-50) who gave birth in the last 12 months 57,694
% married among women who gave birth 62.3%
% unmarried (never married, divorced, or widowed) among women who gave birth 37.7%
Foreign Born
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
   
   
   
   
Household and Family Size

Note: Data for Alaska, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the U.S Census Bureau’s pooled 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2022 ACS. 2) The letter N indicates that a number could not be provided by the Census Bureau because the number of sample cases was too small for this state.

Foreign Born
Average household size 2.87
Average family size 3.27
U.S. Born
Average household size 2.38
Average family size 2.95
Foreign Born
   
   
U.S. Born
   
   
Foreign Born
   
   
U.S. Born
   
   
 
Population
Population
Population
Children under 18 Number
Children with Foreign- and Native-Born Parents

Note: Refers to children between ages 0 and 17 (regardless of their nativity) who reside with at least one parent. This means that the number of children shown here is smaller than the overall number of U.S. children under 18. Since 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau includes children of same-sex married couples in its count of children in families and subfamilies.

 
Children under age 18 with 1,044,500
Only native parent(s)
923,523
One or more foreign-born parents
120,977

Child is native

107,160

Child is foreign born

13,817
Children under age 6 with 324,892
Only native parent(s)
285,889
One or more foreign-born parents
39,003

Child is native

36,545

Child is foreign born

2,458
Children between ages 6 and 17 with 719,608
Only native parent(s)
637,634
One or more foreign-born parents
81,974

Child is native

70,615

Child is foreign born

11,359
Children in Low-Income Families

Note: Refers to children between ages 0 and 17 (regardless of their nativity) who reside with at least one parent. This means that the number of children shown here is smaller than the overall number of U.S. children under 18. Since 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau includes children of same-sex married couples in its count of children in families and subfamilies. The term "low-income families" refers to families with annual incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty threshold.

424,538
Only native parents 372,796
One or more foreign-born parents 51,742
%
Children with Foreign- and Native-Born Parents*  
Children under age 18 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 88.4%
One or more foreign-born parents 11.6%
Child is native 10.3%
Child is foreign born 1.3%
Children under age 6 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 88.0%
One or more foreign-born parents 12.0%
Child is native 11.2%
Child is foreign born 0.8%
Children between ages 6 and 17 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 88.6%
One or more foreign-born parents 11.4%
Child is native 9.8%
Child is foreign born 1.6%
Children in Low-Income Families* 100%
Only native parents 87.8%
One or more foreign-born parents 12.2%
Number
Children with Foreign- and Native-Born Parents  
Children under age 18 with 942,364
Only native parent(s) 897,567
One or more foreign-born parents 44,797
Child is native 34,503
Child is foreign born 10,294
Children under age 6 with 292,552
Only native parent(s) 276,582
One or more foreign-born parents 15,970
Child is native 13,944
Child is foreign born 2,026
Children between ages 6 and 17 with 649,812
Only native parent(s) 620,985
One or more foreign-born parents 28,827
Child is native 20,559
Child is foreign born 8,268
Children in Low-Income Families* 387,448
Only native parents 368,277
One or more foreign-born parents 19,171
%
Children with Foreign- and Native-Born Parents  
Children under age 18 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 95.2%
One or more foreign-born parents 4.8%
Child is native 3.7%
Child is foreign born 1.1%
Children under age 6 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 94.5%
One or more foreign-born parents 5.5%
Child is native 4.8%
Child is foreign born 0.7%
Children between ages 6 and 17 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 95.6%
One or more foreign-born parents 4.4%
Child is native 3.2%
Child is foreign born 1.3%
Children in Low-Income Families* 100%
Only native parents 95.1%
One or more foreign-born parents 4.9%
Number
Children with Foreign- and Native-Born Parents  
Children under age 18 with 869,094
Only native parent(s) 848,601
One or more foreign-born parents 20,493
Child is native 17,139
Child is foreign born 3,354
Children under age 6 with 293,292
Only native parent(s) 286,392
One or more foreign-born parents 6,900
Child is native 6,255
Child is foreign born 645
Children between ages 6 and 17 with 575,802
Only native parent(s) 562,209
One or more foreign-born parents 13,593
Child is native 10,884
Child is foreign born 2,709
Children in Low-Income Families* 392,535
Only native parents 384,897
One or more foreign-born parents 7,638
%
Children with Foreign- and Native-Born Parents  
Children under age 18 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 97.6%
One or more foreign-born parents 2.4%
Child is native 2.0%
Child is foreign born 0.4%
Children under age 6 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 97.6%
One or more foreign-born parents 2.4%
Child is native 2.1%
Child is foreign born 0.2%
Children between ages 6 and 17 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 97.6%
One or more foreign-born parents 2.4%
Child is native 1.9%
Child is foreign born 0.5%
Children in Low-Income Families* 100%
Only native parents 98.1%
One or more foreign-born parents 1.9%

Sources: Migration Policy Institute tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) and Decennial Census. Unless stated otherwise, 2022 data are from the one-year ACS file. For information about ACS definitions, click here. For ACS methodology, sampling error, and nonsampling error, click here. Estimates from 1990 and 2000 Decennial Census data as well as ACS microdata are from Steven Ruggles, Sarah Flood, Matthew Sobek, Daniel Backman, Annie Chen, Grace Cooper, Stephanie Richards, Renae Rogers, and Megan Schouweiler. IPUMS USA: Version 14.0 [dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2023. https://doi.org/10.18128/D010.V14.0​.

Definitions

  • The term "foreign born" refers to people residing in the United States at the time of the population survey who were not U.S. citizens at birth. The foreign-born population includes naturalized U.S. citizens, lawful permanent immigrants (or green-card holders), refugees and asylees, certain legal nonimmigrants (including those on student, work, or some other temporary visas), and persons residing in the country without authorization.
  • The term "U.S. born" refers to people residing in the United States who were U.S. citizens in one of three categories: people born in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia; people born in U.S. Insular Areas such as Puerto Rico or Guam; or people who were born abroad to at least one U.S. citizen parent.
  • The term "low-income families" refers to families with annual incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty threshold.

Data-related notes

  • The letter N indicates that an estimate could not be provided by the Census Bureau because the number of sample cases was too small for this state.
  • Race and Hispanic origin: In preparation for the 2020 Decennial Census, the Census Bureau has made some improvements and changes in how the respondents were asked about their race and Hispanic origin on the 2020 decennial Census form. The goal was to achieve a more accurate portrait of how U.S. residents self-identify. The same changes in the questionnaire design were implemented in the subsequent ACS as well. Note that the racial composition of the U.S. population in the current ACS looks different from pre-2020 data. For instance, the proportion of people who reported “two or more races” has increased, while the proportion of “white alone” decreased, reflecting both the growth of a more racially diverse population and the changes in the questionnaire design. Race and Hispanic origin comparisons between the current ACS and pre-2020 data should be made with caution, taking into account the changes in the questionnaire design. For more details, visit the Census Bureau’s Resource Library.
  • For “Median Age” and “Household Size”: Data for Alaska, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the U.S. Census Bureau's pooled 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2022 ACS.
  • Region of birth: For 1990, 2000, and current ACS year, the total for the region of birth of the foreign born is different from the total foreign born. This is because the 1990 total excludes those who did not report a country of birth and those born at sea, while the 2000 census and the current ACS year totals exclude those born at sea.
  • Countries of birth: These are the largest countries of birth reported by the Census Bureau. Some countries are only listed as part of a larger geographic region. For example, those born in Somalia are included only among those born in Eastern Africa. Therefore, a few states may have larger populations of foreign-born persons born in countries not listed individually in census data. For each of the three years, countries of birth reflect geographic boundaries as of that year.
  • Children: The data here include children between ages 0 and 17 (regardless of their nativity) who reside with at least one parent. This means that the number of children shown here is smaller than the overall number of U.S. children under 18. Since 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau has included children of same-sex married couples in its count of children in families and subfamilies.