The map above shows Alabama and South Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alabama vs South Carolina Geography
Land area
- Alabama has a land area of 50,651 square miles (131,185 km²), while South Carolina has 30,064 square miles (77,866 km²).
- Alabama's land area is 1.7 times (68%) larger than South Carolina's.
Total area
- Alabama: 52,420 square miles (135,767 km²) vs South Carolina: 32,024 square miles (82,940 km²), including inland and coastal water.
- Alabama's total area is 1.6 times (64%) larger than South Carolina's.
Length
- Alabama is 331 miles (532 km) long from north to south; South Carolina is 236 miles (380 km).
- Alabama's north-south length is 1.4 times (40%) longer than South Carolina's.
Width
- Alabama spans 212 miles (341 km) east to west; South Carolina spans 279 miles (449 km).
- South Carolina's east-west width is 1.3 times (32%) wider than Alabama's.
Highest point
- Alabama's highest point is Cheaha Mountain at 2,405 feet (733 m); South Carolina's is Sassafras Mountain at 3,497 feet (1,066 m).
- Sassafras Mountain is 1,092 feet higher than Cheaha Mountain.
Lowest point
- Alabama'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.
Alabama vs South Carolina Population and History
Population
- Alabama has a population of 5,157,699 (2024), while South Carolina has 5,478,831 (2024).
- South Carolina's population is 1.1 times (6%) larger than Alabama's.
Population density
- Alabama: 101.8 people per square mile vs South Carolina: 182.2.
- South Carolina's population density is 1.8 times (79%) higher than Alabama's.
Biggest city
- Alabama's biggest city is Huntsville with 230,402 people; South Carolina's is Charleston with 157,665.
- Huntsville's population is 1.5 times (46%) larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area
- Alabama's largest metropolitan area is Birmingham, AL metro area (1,192,583 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 2.4 times (142%) larger than Birmingham, AL metro area's.
History
- Alabama: Admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819, as the 22nd 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 31 years.
Alabama vs South Carolina Economy
GDP
- Alabama's GDP is $325.3 billion (2024) vs South Carolina's $357.1 billion.
- South Carolina's economic output is 1.1 times (10%) larger than Alabama's.
GDP per capita
- Alabama: $63,080 per person vs South Carolina: $65,173.
- Alabama and South Carolina have about the same GDP per capita.
Average income
- Alabama: $57,311 vs South Carolina: $60,776 average income per person (per capita personal income).
- South Carolina's average income is 1.1 times (6%) higher than Alabama's.
Alabama vs South Carolina Counties
Number of counties
- Alabama has 67 counties, while South Carolina has 46.
- Alabama's county count is 1.5 times (46%) higher than South Carolina's.
Biggest county by area
- Alabama's largest county is Baldwin County at 1,590 square miles; South Carolina's is Horry County at 1,133 square miles.
- Baldwin County's land area is 1.4 times (40%) larger than Horry County's.
Smallest county by area
- Alabama: Etowah County (535 sq mi) vs South Carolina: McCormick County (359 sq mi).
- Etowah County's land area is 1.5 times (49%) larger than McCormick County's.
Most populous county
- Alabama: Jefferson County (664,744 people) vs South Carolina: Greenville County (570,745 people).
- Jefferson County's population is 1.2 times (16%) larger than Greenville County's.
Least populous county
- Alabama: Greene County (7,127 people) vs South Carolina: Allendale County (7,551 people).
- Allendale County's population is 1.1 times (6%) larger than Greene County's.
Richest county
- Alabama: Jefferson County ($75,312 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Charleston County ($90,550).
- Charleston County's income is 1.2 times (20%) richer than Jefferson County's.
Poorest county
- Alabama: Bullock County ($39,403 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Marlboro County ($41,332).
- Marlboro County's income is 1.0 times (5%) richer than Bullock County's.
Alabama vs South Carolina Taxes
State income tax
- Alabama has a top income tax rate of 5%, while South Carolina has a top income tax rate of 6%.
- South Carolina's top rate is 1 percentage points higher.
Property tax
- Alabama: 0.38% effective rate vs South Carolina: 0.45% of home value per year.
- South Carolina's rate is 0.07 percentage points higher.
Sales tax
- Alabama: 9.46% combined state and average local rate vs South Carolina: 7.49%.
- Alabama's combined rate is 1.97 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alabama official website · South Carolina official website
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More Size Comparisons
All Alabama 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.