The map above shows Idaho and South Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Idaho vs South Carolina Geography
Land area: Idaho has a land area of 82,645 square miles (214,051 km²), while South Carolina has 30,064 square miles (77,866 km²). Idaho's land area is 2.7 times (175%) larger than South Carolina's.
Total area: Idaho: 83,569 square miles (216,441 km²) vs South Carolina: 32,024 square miles (82,940 km²), including inland and coastal water. Idaho's total area is 2.6 times (161%) larger than South Carolina's.
Length: Idaho is 483 miles (778 km) long from north to south; South Carolina is 236 miles (380 km). Idaho's north-south length is 2.0 times (105%) longer than South Carolina's.
Width: Idaho spans 352 miles (566 km) east to west; South Carolina spans 279 miles (449 km). Idaho's east-west width is 1.3 times (26%) wider than South Carolina's.
Highest point: Idaho's highest point is Borah Peak at 12,631 feet (3,850 m); South Carolina's is Sassafras Mountain at 3,497 feet (1,066 m). Borah Peak is 9,134 feet higher than Sassafras Mountain.
Lowest point: Idaho's lowest point is Snake River at 718 feet; South Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. South Carolina's lowest point is 718 feet lower.
Idaho vs South Carolina Population and History
Population: Idaho has a population of 2,001,619 (2024), while South Carolina has 5,478,831 (2024). South Carolina's population is 2.7 times (174%) larger than Idaho's.
Population density: Idaho: 24.2 people per square mile vs South Carolina: 182.2. South Carolina's population density is 7.5 times (653%) higher than Idaho's.
Biggest city: Idaho's biggest city is Boise with 237,963 people; South Carolina's is Charleston with 157,665. Boise's population is 1.5 times (51%) larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: Idaho's largest metropolitan area is Boise City, ID metro area (845,877 people) vs South Carolina's Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370). Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area's population is 3.4 times (241%) larger than Boise City, ID metro area's.
History: Idaho: Admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state. South Carolina: Admitted to the Union on May 23, 1788, as the 8th state. In its current form, South Carolina is the older of the two by 102 years.
Idaho vs South Carolina Economy
GDP: Idaho's GDP is $129.0 billion (2024) vs South Carolina's $357.1 billion. South Carolina's economic output is 2.8 times (177%) larger than Idaho's.
GDP per capita: Idaho: $64,457 per person vs South Carolina: $65,173. Idaho and South Carolina have about the same GDP per capita.
Average income: Idaho: $62,323 vs South Carolina: $60,776 average income per person (per capita personal income). Idaho and South Carolina have about the same average income.
Idaho vs South Carolina Counties
Number of counties: Idaho has 44 counties, while South Carolina has 46. Idaho and South Carolina have about the same county count.
Biggest county by area: Idaho's largest county is Idaho County at 8,478 square miles; South Carolina's is Horry County at 1,133 square miles. Idaho County's land area is 7.5 times (648%) larger than Horry County's.
Smallest county by area: Idaho: Payette County (407 sq mi) vs South Carolina: McCormick County (359 sq mi). Payette County's land area is 1.1 times (13%) larger than McCormick County's.
Most populous county: Idaho: Ada County (535,799 people) vs South Carolina: Greenville County (570,745 people). Greenville County's population is 1.1 times (7%) larger than Ada County's.
Least populous county: Idaho: Clark County (794 people) vs South Carolina: Allendale County (7,551 people). Allendale County's population is 9.5 times (851%) larger than Clark County's.
Richest county: Idaho: Blaine County ($202,612 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Charleston County ($90,550). Blaine County's income is 2.2 times (124%) richer than Charleston County's.
Poorest county: Idaho: Madison County ($29,485 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Marlboro County ($41,332). Marlboro County's income is 1.4 times (40%) richer than Madison County's.
Idaho vs South Carolina Taxes
State income tax: Idaho has a top income tax rate of 5.3%, while South Carolina has a top income tax rate of 6%. South Carolina's top rate is 0.7 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Idaho: 0.43% effective rate vs South Carolina: 0.45% of home value per year. South Carolina's rate is 0.02 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Idaho: 6.03% combined state and average local rate vs South Carolina: 7.49%. South Carolina's combined rate is 1.46 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Idaho official website · South Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All Idaho size comparisons · All South Carolina size comparisons
Area, elevation and boundary figures come from official national statistics and US Census Bureau and Natural Earth boundary data; US state population, economic, county and tax figures come from the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Tax Foundation. Figures are rounded and for general reference.