The map above shows Iowa and South Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Iowa vs South Carolina Geography
Land area: Iowa has a land area of 55,854 square miles (144,660 km²), while South Carolina has 30,064 square miles (77,866 km²). Iowa's land area is 1.9 times (86%) larger than South Carolina's.
Total area: Iowa: 56,273 square miles (145,746 km²) vs South Carolina: 32,024 square miles (82,940 km²), including inland and coastal water. Iowa's total area is 1.8 times (76%) larger than South Carolina's.
Length: Iowa is 216 miles (347 km) long from north to south; South Carolina is 236 miles (380 km). South Carolina's north-south length is 1.1 times (9%) longer than Iowa's.
Width: Iowa spans 335 miles (539 km) east to west; South Carolina spans 279 miles (449 km). Iowa's east-west width is 1.2 times (20%) wider than South Carolina's.
Highest point: Iowa's highest point is Hawkeye Point at 1,669 feet (509 m); South Carolina's is Sassafras Mountain at 3,497 feet (1,066 m). Sassafras Mountain is 1,828 feet higher than Hawkeye Point.
Lowest point: Iowa's lowest point is Mississippi River at 480 feet; South Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. South Carolina's lowest point is 480 feet lower.
Iowa vs South Carolina Population and History
Population: Iowa has a population of 3,241,488 (2024), while South Carolina has 5,478,831 (2024). South Carolina's population is 1.7 times (69%) larger than Iowa's.
Population density: Iowa: 58.0 people per square mile vs South Carolina: 182.2. South Carolina's population density is 3.1 times (214%) higher than Iowa's.
Biggest city: Iowa's biggest city is Des Moines with 213,096 people; South Carolina's is Charleston with 157,665. Des Moines' population is 1.4 times (35%) larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: Iowa's largest metropolitan area is Omaha, NE-IA metro area (1,001,010 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 2.9 times (188%) larger than Omaha, NE-IA metro area's.
History: Iowa: Admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846, as the 29th 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 58 years.
Iowa vs South Carolina Economy
GDP: Iowa's GDP is $265.8 billion (2024) vs South Carolina's $357.1 billion. South Carolina's economic output is 1.3 times (34%) larger than Iowa's.
GDP per capita: Iowa: $81,998 per person vs South Carolina: $65,173. Iowa's GDP per capita is 1.3 times (26%) higher than South Carolina's.
Average income: Iowa: $65,225 vs South Carolina: $60,776 average income per person (per capita personal income). Iowa's average income is 1.1 times (7%) higher than South Carolina's.
Iowa vs South Carolina Counties
Number of counties: Iowa has 99 counties, while South Carolina has 46. Iowa's county count is 2.2 times (115%) higher than South Carolina's.
Biggest county by area: Iowa's largest county is Kossuth County at 973 square miles; South Carolina's is Horry County at 1,133 square miles. Horry County's land area is 1.2 times (17%) larger than Kossuth County's.
Smallest county by area: Iowa: Dickinson County (381 sq mi) vs South Carolina: McCormick County (359 sq mi). Dickinson County's land area is 1.1 times (6%) larger than McCormick County's.
Most populous county: Iowa: Polk County (516,185 people) vs South Carolina: Greenville County (570,745 people). Greenville County's population is 1.1 times (11%) larger than Polk County's.
Least populous county: Iowa: Adams County (3,606 people) vs South Carolina: Allendale County (7,551 people). Allendale County's population is 2.1 times (109%) larger than Adams County's.
Richest county: Iowa: Mitchell County ($98,211 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Charleston County ($90,550). Mitchell County's income is 1.1 times (8%) richer than Charleston County's.
Poorest county: Iowa: Decatur County ($46,134 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Marlboro County ($41,332). Decatur County's income is 1.1 times (12%) richer than Marlboro County's.
Iowa vs South Carolina Taxes
State income tax: Iowa has a top income tax rate of 3.8%, while South Carolina has a top income tax rate of 6%. South Carolina's top rate is 2.2 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Iowa: 1.29% effective rate vs South Carolina: 0.45% of home value per year. Iowa's rate is 0.84 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Iowa: 6.94% combined state and average local rate vs South Carolina: 7.49%. South Carolina's combined rate is 0.55 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Iowa official website · South Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All Iowa 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.