The map above shows North Dakota and South Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
North Dakota vs South Carolina Geography
Land area: North Dakota has a land area of 68,994 square miles (178,694 km²), while South Carolina has 30,064 square miles (77,866 km²). North Dakota's land area is 2.3 times (129%) larger than South Carolina's.
Total area: North Dakota: 70,699 square miles (183,109 km²) vs South Carolina: 32,024 square miles (82,940 km²), including inland and coastal water. North Dakota's total area is 2.2 times (121%) larger than South Carolina's.
Length: North Dakota is 338 miles (544 km) long from north to south; South Carolina is 236 miles (380 km). North Dakota's north-south length is 1.4 times (43%) longer than South Carolina's.
Width: North Dakota spans 408 miles (657 km) east to west; South Carolina spans 279 miles (449 km). North Dakota's east-west width is 1.5 times (46%) wider than South Carolina's.
Highest point: North Dakota's highest point is White Butte at 3,500 feet (1,067 m); South Carolina's is Sassafras Mountain at 3,497 feet (1,066 m). White Butte is 3 feet higher than Sassafras Mountain.
Lowest point: North Dakota's lowest point is Red River of the North at 754 feet; South Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. South Carolina's lowest point is 754 feet lower.
North Dakota vs South Carolina Population and History
Population: North Dakota has a population of 796,568 (2024), while South Carolina has 5,478,831 (2024). South Carolina's population is 6.9 times (588%) larger than North Dakota's.
Population density: North Dakota: 11.5 people per square mile vs South Carolina: 182.2. South Carolina's population density is 15.8 times higher than North Dakota's.
Biggest city: North Dakota's biggest city is Fargo with 136,285 people; South Carolina's is Charleston with 157,665. Charleston's population is 1.2 times (16%) larger than Fargo's.
Largest metro area: North Dakota's largest metropolitan area is Fargo, ND-MN metro area (267,793 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 10.8 times larger than Fargo, ND-MN metro area's.
History: North Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 39th 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 101 years.
North Dakota vs South Carolina Economy
GDP: North Dakota's GDP is $80.1 billion (2024) vs South Carolina's $357.1 billion. South Carolina's economic output is 4.5 times (346%) larger than North Dakota's.
GDP per capita: North Dakota: $100,504 per person vs South Carolina: $65,173. North Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.5 times (54%) higher than South Carolina's.
Average income: North Dakota: $71,749 vs South Carolina: $60,776 average income per person (per capita personal income). North Dakota's average income is 1.2 times (18%) higher than South Carolina's.
North Dakota vs South Carolina Counties
Number of counties: North Dakota has 53 counties, while South Carolina has 46. North Dakota's county count is 1.2 times (15%) higher than South Carolina's.
Biggest county by area: North Dakota's largest county is McKenzie County at 2,760 square miles; South Carolina's is Horry County at 1,133 square miles. McKenzie County's land area is 2.4 times (144%) larger than Horry County's.
Smallest county by area: North Dakota: Eddy County (630 sq mi) vs South Carolina: McCormick County (359 sq mi). Eddy County's land area is 1.8 times (76%) larger than McCormick County's.
Most populous county: North Dakota: Cass County (200,945 people) vs South Carolina: Greenville County (570,745 people). Greenville County's population is 2.8 times (184%) larger than Cass County's.
Least populous county: North Dakota: Slope County (660 people) vs South Carolina: Allendale County (7,551 people). Allendale County's population is 11.4 times larger than Slope County's.
Richest county: North Dakota: Dunn County ($99,793 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Charleston County ($90,550). Dunn County's income is 1.1 times (10%) richer than Charleston County's.
Poorest county: North Dakota: Sioux County ($33,782 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Marlboro County ($41,332). Marlboro County's income is 1.2 times (22%) richer than Sioux County's.
North Dakota vs South Carolina Taxes
State income tax: North Dakota has a top income tax rate of 2.5%, while South Carolina has a top income tax rate of 6%. South Carolina's top rate is 3.5 percentage points higher.
Property tax: North Dakota: 0.96% effective rate vs South Carolina: 0.45% of home value per year. North Dakota's rate is 0.51 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: North Dakota: 7.09% combined state and average local rate vs South Carolina: 7.49%. South Carolina's combined rate is 0.4 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
North Dakota official website · South Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All North Dakota 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.