The map above shows Mississippi and South Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Mississippi vs South Carolina Geography
Land area: Mississippi has a land area of 46,925 square miles (121,534 km²), while South Carolina has 30,064 square miles (77,866 km²). Mississippi's land area is 1.6 times (56%) larger than South Carolina's.
Total area: Mississippi: 48,436 square miles (125,448 km²) vs South Carolina: 32,024 square miles (82,940 km²), including inland and coastal water. Mississippi's total area is 1.5 times (51%) larger than South Carolina's.
Length: Mississippi is 337 miles (542 km) long from north to south; South Carolina is 236 miles (380 km). Mississippi's north-south length is 1.4 times (43%) longer than South Carolina's.
Width: Mississippi spans 340 miles (547 km) east to west; South Carolina spans 279 miles (449 km). Mississippi's east-west width is 1.2 times (22%) wider than South Carolina's.
Highest point: Mississippi's highest point is Woodall Mountain at 805 feet (245 m); South Carolina's is Sassafras Mountain at 3,497 feet (1,066 m). Sassafras Mountain is 2,692 feet higher than Woodall Mountain.
Lowest point: Mississippi's lowest point is Gulf of Mexico at 0 feet; South Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Mississippi vs South Carolina Population and History
Population: Mississippi has a population of 2,943,045 (2024), while South Carolina has 5,478,831 (2024). South Carolina's population is 1.9 times (86%) larger than Mississippi's.
Population density: Mississippi: 62.7 people per square mile vs South Carolina: 182.2. South Carolina's population density is 2.9 times (191%) higher than Mississippi's.
Biggest city: Mississippi's biggest city is Jackson with 141,449 people; South Carolina's is Charleston with 157,665. Charleston's population is 1.1 times (11%) larger than Jackson's.
Largest metro area: Mississippi's largest metropolitan area is Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (1,339,345 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 2.2 times (115%) larger than Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area's.
History: Mississippi: Admitted to the Union on December 10, 1817, as the 20th 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 29 years.
Mississippi vs South Carolina Economy
GDP: Mississippi's GDP is $158.2 billion (2024) vs South Carolina's $357.1 billion. South Carolina's economic output is 2.3 times (126%) larger than Mississippi's.
GDP per capita: Mississippi: $53,751 per person vs South Carolina: $65,173. South Carolina's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (21%) higher than Mississippi's.
Average income: Mississippi: $52,074 vs South Carolina: $60,776 average income per person (per capita personal income). South Carolina's average income is 1.2 times (17%) higher than Mississippi's.
Mississippi vs South Carolina Counties
Number of counties: Mississippi has 82 counties, while South Carolina has 46. Mississippi's county count is 1.8 times (78%) higher than South Carolina's.
Biggest county by area: Mississippi's largest county is Yazoo County at 922 square miles; South Carolina's is Horry County at 1,133 square miles. Horry County's land area is 1.2 times (23%) larger than Yazoo County's.
Smallest county by area: Mississippi: Alcorn County (400 sq mi) vs South Carolina: McCormick County (359 sq mi). Alcorn County's land area is 1.1 times (11%) larger than McCormick County's.
Most populous county: Mississippi: Harrison County (213,730 people) vs South Carolina: Greenville County (570,745 people). Greenville County's population is 2.7 times (167%) larger than Harrison County's.
Least populous county: Mississippi: Issaquena County (1,295 people) vs South Carolina: Allendale County (7,551 people). Allendale County's population is 5.8 times (483%) larger than Issaquena County's.
Richest county: Mississippi: Madison County ($90,668 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Charleston County ($90,550). Madison County and Charleston County have about the same income.
Poorest county: Mississippi: Issaquena County ($27,264 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Marlboro County ($41,332). Marlboro County's income is 1.5 times (52%) richer than Issaquena County's.
Mississippi vs South Carolina Taxes
State income tax: Mississippi has a top income tax rate of 4%, while South Carolina has a top income tax rate of 6%. South Carolina's top rate is 2 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Mississippi: 0.65% effective rate vs South Carolina: 0.45% of home value per year. Mississippi's rate is 0.2 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Mississippi: 7.06% combined state and average local rate vs South Carolina: 7.49%. South Carolina's combined rate is 0.43 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Mississippi official website · South Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All Mississippi 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.