The map above shows South Carolina and Washington side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
South Carolina vs Washington Geography
Land area: South Carolina has a land area of 30,064 square miles (77,866 km²), while Washington has 66,455 square miles (172,119 km²). Washington's land area is 2.2 times (121%) larger than South Carolina's.
Total area: South Carolina: 32,024 square miles (82,940 km²) vs Washington: 71,301 square miles (184,668 km²), including inland and coastal water. Washington's total area is 2.2 times (123%) larger than South Carolina's.
Length: South Carolina is 236 miles (380 km) long from north to south; Washington is 238 miles (383 km). South Carolina and Washington have about the same north-south length.
Width: South Carolina spans 279 miles (449 km) east to west; Washington spans 399 miles (641 km). Washington's east-west width is 1.4 times (43%) wider than South Carolina's.
Highest point: South Carolina's highest point is Sassafras Mountain at 3,497 feet (1,066 m); Washington's is Mount Rainier at 14,409 feet (4,392 m). Mount Rainier is 10,912 feet higher than Sassafras Mountain.
Lowest point: South Carolina's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; Washington's is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
South Carolina vs Washington Population and History
Population: South Carolina has a population of 5,478,831 (2024), while Washington has 7,958,180 (2024). Washington's population is 1.5 times (45%) larger than South Carolina's.
Population density: South Carolina: 182.2 people per square mile vs Washington: 119.8. South Carolina's population density is 1.5 times (52%) higher than Washington's.
Biggest city: South Carolina's biggest city is Charleston with 157,665 people; Washington's is Seattle with 780,995. Seattle's population is 5.0 times (395%) 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 Washington's Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (4,145,494). Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area's population is 1.4 times (44%) larger than Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area's.
History: South Carolina: Admitted to the Union on May 23, 1788, as the 8th state. Washington: Admitted to the Union on November 11, 1889, as the 42nd state. In its current form, South Carolina is the older of the two by 101 years.
South Carolina vs Washington Economy
GDP: South Carolina's GDP is $357.1 billion (2024) vs Washington's $856.0 billion. Washington's economic output is 2.4 times (140%) larger than South Carolina's.
GDP per capita: South Carolina: $65,173 per person vs Washington: $107,564. Washington's GDP per capita is 1.7 times (65%) higher than South Carolina's.
Average income: South Carolina: $60,776 vs Washington: $85,187 average income per person (per capita personal income). Washington's average income is 1.4 times (40%) higher than South Carolina's.
South Carolina vs Washington Counties
Number of counties: South Carolina has 46 counties, while Washington has 39. South Carolina's county count is 1.2 times (18%) higher than Washington's.
Biggest county by area: South Carolina's largest county is Horry County at 1,133 square miles; Washington's is Okanogan County at 5,266 square miles. Okanogan County's land area is 4.6 times (365%) larger than Horry County's.
Smallest county by area: South Carolina: McCormick County (359 sq mi) vs Washington: San Juan County (174 sq mi). McCormick County's land area is 2.1 times (106%) larger than San Juan County's.
Most populous county: South Carolina: Greenville County (570,745 people) vs Washington: King County (2,340,211 people). King County's population is 4.1 times (310%) larger than Greenville County's.
Least populous county: South Carolina: Allendale County (7,551 people) vs Washington: Garfield County (2,404 people). Allendale County's population is 3.1 times (214%) larger than Garfield County's.
Richest county: South Carolina: Charleston County ($90,550 per capita income) vs Washington: King County ($128,684). King County's income is 1.4 times (42%) richer than Charleston County's.
Poorest county: South Carolina: Marlboro County ($41,332 per capita income) vs Washington: Ferry County ($50,456). Ferry County's income is 1.2 times (22%) richer than Marlboro County's.
South Carolina vs Washington Taxes
State income tax: South Carolina has a top income tax rate of 6%, while Washington has a 9% tax on capital gains only.
Property tax: South Carolina: 0.45% effective rate vs Washington: 0.79% of home value per year. Washington's rate is 0.34 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: South Carolina: 7.49% combined state and average local rate vs Washington: 9.57%. Washington's combined rate is 2.08 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
South Carolina official website · Washington official website
More Size Comparisons
All South Carolina size comparisons · All Washington 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.