The map above shows South Carolina and South Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
South Carolina vs South Dakota Geography
Land area: South Carolina has a land area of 30,064 square miles (77,866 km²), while South Dakota has 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²). South Dakota's land area is 2.5 times (152%) larger than South Carolina's.
Total area: South Carolina: 32,024 square miles (82,940 km²) vs South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Dakota's total area is 2.4 times (141%) larger than South Carolina's.
Length: South Carolina is 236 miles (380 km) long from north to south; South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km). South Dakota's north-south length is 1.9 times (88%) longer than South Carolina's.
Width: South Carolina spans 279 miles (449 km) east to west; South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km). South Dakota's east-west width is 1.3 times (33%) wider than South Carolina's.
Highest point: South Carolina's highest point is Sassafras Mountain at 3,497 feet (1,066 m); South Dakota's is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m). Black Elk Peak is 3,701 feet higher than Sassafras Mountain.
Lowest point: South Carolina's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; South Dakota's is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet. South Carolina's lowest point is 966 feet lower.
South Carolina vs South Dakota Population and History
Population: South Carolina has a population of 5,478,831 (2024), while South Dakota has 924,669 (2024). South Carolina's population is 5.9 times (493%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: South Carolina: 182.2 people per square mile vs South Dakota: 12.2. South Carolina's population density is 14.9 times higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: South Carolina's biggest city is Charleston with 157,665 people; South Dakota's is Sioux Falls with 209,289. Sioux Falls' population is 1.3 times (33%) larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: South Carolina's largest metropolitan area is Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370 people) vs South Dakota's Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266). Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area's population is 9.4 times (835%) larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: South Carolina: Admitted to the Union on May 23, 1788, as the 8th state. South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. In its current form, South Carolina is the older of the two by 101 years.
South Carolina vs South Dakota Economy
GDP: South Carolina's GDP is $357.1 billion (2024) vs South Dakota's $76.8 billion. South Carolina's economic output is 4.6 times (365%) larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: South Carolina: $65,173 per person vs South Dakota: $83,052. South Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.3 times (27%) higher than South Carolina's.
Average income: South Carolina: $60,776 vs South Dakota: $75,699 average income per person (per capita personal income). South Dakota's average income is 1.2 times (25%) higher than South Carolina's.
South Carolina vs South Dakota Counties
Number of counties: South Carolina has 46 counties, while South Dakota has 66. South Dakota's county count is 1.4 times (43%) higher than South Carolina's.
Biggest county by area: South Carolina's largest county is Horry County at 1,133 square miles; South Dakota's is Meade County at 3,471 square miles. Meade County's land area is 3.1 times (206%) larger than Horry County's.
Smallest county by area: South Carolina: McCormick County (359 sq mi) vs South Dakota: Clay County (412 sq mi). Clay County's land area is 1.1 times (15%) larger than McCormick County's.
Most populous county: South Carolina: Greenville County (570,745 people) vs South Dakota: Minnehaha County (208,639 people). Greenville County's population is 2.7 times (174%) larger than Minnehaha County's.
Least populous county: South Carolina: Allendale County (7,551 people) vs South Dakota: Jones County (874 people). Allendale County's population is 8.6 times (764%) larger than Jones County's.
Richest county: South Carolina: Charleston County ($90,550 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Union County ($146,712). Union County's income is 1.6 times (62%) richer than Charleston County's.
Poorest county: South Carolina: Marlboro County ($41,332 per capita income) vs South Dakota: Ziebach County ($32,778). Marlboro County's income is 1.3 times (26%) richer than Ziebach County's.
South Carolina vs South Dakota Taxes
State income tax: South Carolina has a top income tax rate of 6%, while South Dakota has no state income tax. South Carolina's top rate is 6 percentage points higher.
Property tax: South Carolina: 0.45% effective rate vs South Dakota: 1.02% of home value per year. South Dakota's rate is 0.57 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: South Carolina: 7.49% combined state and average local rate vs South Dakota: 6.11%. South Carolina's combined rate is 1.38 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
South Carolina official website · South Dakota official website
More Size Comparisons
All South Carolina size comparisons · All South Dakota 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.