How does
South Carolina
Perform on Health Opportunity and Equity?

This graphic illustrates how each state compares to other states across various factors that influence health

HEALTH OUTCOMES
35th
Domain score:
55
SOCIAL & ECONOMIC FACTORS
25th
Domain score:
63
COMMUNITY & SAFETY FACTORS
28th
Domain score:
60
PHYSICAL
ENVIRONMENT
7th
Domain score:
76
ACCESS TO
HEALTH CARE
38th
Domain score:
42
Key State Highlights.
South Carolina ranks among the bottom states for health outcomes and access to care with many residents facing broader socioeconomic and environmental challenges.
  • Black residents in South Carolina are furthest from HOPE Goals nationwide in health outcomes and have a rate of adult premature mortality that is higher than all other groups. Black infants are also most likely to be born at a low birth weight and least likely to survive to their first birthday.
  • Black adults in the state are also furthest from HOPE Goals in measures of social environment, being least likely to live in opportunity-rich areas with low rates of homicide and physical assault, or to have youth in school or working.
  • American Indian/Alaska Native populations in the state face challenges in accessing affordable health care, as well as primary and psychiatric care.
  • Hispanic populations in South Carolina experience the lowest rates of post-secondary education, home ownership, health insurance coverage, and having a dedicated health care provider.
Adult Health Status
Child Health Status
Infant Mortality
Low Birthweight
Premature Mortality
Affordable Housing
Employment
Livable Income
Post-Secondary Education
Youth in School or Working
Low Homicide
Low Physical Assault
Low Robbery
Low Sexual Assault
Food Security
Home Ownership
Housing Quality
Low Liquor Store Density
Access to Primary Care
Access to Psychiatric Care
Affordable Health Care
Dedicated Healthcare Provider
Health Insurance Coverage
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Youth in School or Working
87%
of young people are in school or working
100%
More young people would need to obtain jobs or enroll in school to achieve the HOPE Goal
77,172
More young people would need to obtain jobs or enroll in school to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Youth in School or Working
Hope Goal
100%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
SC
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Post-Secondary Education
59%
of adults have post-secondary education
83%
More adults would need to attain post-secondary education to achieve the HOPE Goal
840,779
More adults would need to attain post-secondary education to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Post-Secondary Education
Hope Goal
83%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
SC
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Premature Mortality
584.8
deaths per 100,000 adults age 25-64
More 25-64 year old adults surviving per year to achieve the HOPE Goals
11,680
More 25-64 year old adults surviving per year to achieve the HOPE Goals
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Premature Mortality
Hope Goal
241
0
400
800
1200
1600
SC
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Low Sexual Assault
70%
of people live in counties with low sexual assault rates
100%
More people would need to live in counties with low sexual assault rates to achieve the HOPE Goal
1,522,592
More people would need to live in counties with low sexual assault rates to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Low Sexual Assault
Hope Goal
100%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
SC
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Low Robbery
43%
of people live in counties with low robbery rates
100%
More people would need to live in counties with low robbery rates to achieve the HOPE Goal
2,881,956
More people would need to live in counties with low robbery rates to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Low Robbery
Hope Goal
100%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
SC
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Low Physical Assault
59%
of people live in counties with low physical assault rates
100%
More people would need to live in counties with low physical assault rates to achieve the HOPE Goal
2,065,184
More people would need to live in counties with low physical assault rates to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Low Physical Assault
Hope Goal
100%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
SC
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Low Homicide
44%
of people live in counties with low murder rates
100%
More people would need to live in counties with low murder rates to achieve the HOPE Goal
3,950,616
More people would need to live in counties with low murder rates to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Low Homicide
Hope Goal
100%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
SC
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Low Liquor Store Density
100%
of people are living in counties with low liquor store density
100%
More people would need to live in counties with low liquor store density to achieve the HOPE Goal
-
More people would need to live in counties with low liquor store density to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Low Liquor Store Density
Hope Goal
100%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
SC
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Livable Income
60%
of adults live in households with livable income
88%
More adults would need to live in households with livable incomes to achieve the HOPE Goal
979,625
More adults would need to live in households with livable incomes to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Livable Income
Hope Goal
88%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
SC
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Low Birthweight
10%
of infants are born with low birth weight
5%
Fewer low-weight births would need to happen per year to achieve the HOPE Goal
2,690
Fewer low-weight births would need to happen per year to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Low Birthweight
Hope Goal
5%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
18%
SC
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Health Insurance Coverage
87%
of people under age 65 have health insurance coverage
98%
More people under the age of 65 would need to obtain health insurance coverage to achieve the HOPE Goal
464,412
More people under the age of 65 would need to obtain health insurance coverage to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Health Insurance Coverage
Hope Goal
98%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
SC
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Infant Mortality
6.7
infant deaths per 1,000 live births
2.5
More infants surviving to their first birthday per year to achieve the HOPE Goal
238
More infants surviving to their first birthday per year to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Infant Mortality
Hope Goal
2.5
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
12.0
14.0
16.0
SC
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Housing Quality
84%
of households have good housing quality
92%
More households would need to have good housing quality to achieve the HOPE Goal
153,945
More households would need to have good housing quality to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Housing Quality
Hope Goal
92%
55%
60%
65%
70%
75%
80%
85%
90%
95%
SC
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Home Ownership
72%
of households live in a home they own
81%
More households would need to own their homes to achieve the HOPE Goal
177,020
More households would need to own their homes to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Home Ownership
Hope Goal
81%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
SC
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Food Security
68%
of people with food security
97%
More people would need to have food security to achieve the HOPE Goal
1,513,509
More people would need to have food security to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Food Security
Hope Goal
97%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
SC
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Employment
92%
of people in the labor force are employed
99%
More people in the labor force would need to be employed to achieve the HOPE Goal
172,065
More people in the labor force would need to be employed to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Employment
Hope Goal
99%
75%
80%
85%
90%
95%
100%
SC
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Dedicated Healthcare Provider
81%
of adults have a usual source of care
92%
More adults would need to report having a dedicated health care provider to achieve the HOPE Goal
351,053
More adults would need to report having a dedicated health care provider to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Dedicated Healthcare Provider
Hope Goal
96%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
SC
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Child Health Status
90%
of children in very good or excellent health
98%
More children would need to be in very good or excellent health to achieve the HOPE Goal
More children would need to be in very good or excellent health to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Child Health Status
SC
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Adult Health Status
49%
of U.S. adults are in very good or excellent health
73%
More adults would need to be in very good or excellent health to achieve the HOPE Goal
854,184
More adults would need to be in very good or excellent health to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Adult Health Status
Hope Goal
73%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
SC
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Affordable Housing
67%
of households with affordable housing
87%
More households would need affordable housing to achieve the HOPE Goal
243,016
More households would need affordable housing to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Affordable Housing
Hope Goal
87%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
SC
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Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Affordable Health Care
87%
of adults with affordable health care
96%
More adults would need to have affordable health care to achieve the HOPE Goal
308,474
More adults would need to have affordable health care to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Affordable Health Care
Hope Goal
97%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
SC
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Access to Psychiatric Care
68%
of people live in counties with access to psychiatric care
100%
More people would need to live in counties with access to psychiatric care to achieve the HOPE Goal
1,631,659
More people would need to live in counties with access to psychiatric care to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Access to Psychiatric Care
Hope Goal
100%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
SC
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Access to Primary Care
73%
of people live in counties with access to primary care
100%
More people would need to live in counties with access to primary care to achieve the HOPE Goal
1,352,194
More people would need to live in counties with access to primary care to achieve the HOPE Goal
How Does 
South Carolina
Compare to Other States?
HIGHER
LOWER
RACIAL INEQUITY
HIGHER
LOWER
DISTANCE TO GOAL
State Distance to Goal.
Access to Primary Care
Hope Goal
100%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
SC
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