The map above shows Alaska and South Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Alaska vs South Carolina Geography
Land area: Alaska has a land area of 571,242 square miles (1,479,509 km²), while South Carolina has 30,064 square miles (77,866 km²). Alaska's land area is 19.0 times larger than South Carolina's.
Total area: Alaska: 665,725 square miles (1,724,220 km²) vs South Carolina: 32,024 square miles (82,940 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alaska's total area is 20.8 times larger than South Carolina's.
Length: Alaska is 1,201 miles (1,933 km) long from north to south; South Carolina is 236 miles (380 km). Alaska's north-south length is 5.1 times (409%) longer than South Carolina's.
Width: Alaska spans 1,544 miles (2,485 km) east to west; South Carolina spans 279 miles (449 km). Alaska's east-west width is 5.5 times (453%) wider than South Carolina's.
Highest point: Alaska's highest point is Denali at 20,235 feet (6,168 m); South Carolina's is Sassafras Mountain at 3,497 feet (1,066 m). Denali is 16,738 feet higher than Sassafras Mountain.
Lowest point: Alaska's lowest point is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet; South Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Alaska vs South Carolina Population and History
Population: Alaska has a population of 740,133 (2024), while South Carolina has 5,478,831 (2024). South Carolina's population is 7.4 times (640%) larger than Alaska's.
Population density: Alaska: 1.3 people per square mile vs South Carolina: 182.2. South Carolina's population density is 140.2 times higher than Alaska's.
Biggest city: Alaska's biggest city is Anchorage with 289,600 people; South Carolina's is Charleston with 157,665. Anchorage's population is 1.8 times (84%) larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: Alaska's largest metropolitan area is Anchorage, AK metro area (407,213 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 7.1 times (608%) larger than Anchorage, AK metro area's.
History: Alaska: Admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959, as the 49th 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 171 years.
Alaska vs South Carolina Economy
GDP: Alaska's GDP is $71.6 billion (2024) vs South Carolina's $357.1 billion. South Carolina's economic output is 5.0 times (399%) larger than Alaska's.
GDP per capita: Alaska: $96,695 per person vs South Carolina: $65,173. Alaska's GDP per capita is 1.5 times (48%) higher than South Carolina's.
Average income: Alaska: $76,234 vs South Carolina: $60,776 average income per person (per capita personal income). Alaska's average income is 1.3 times (25%) higher than South Carolina's.
Alaska vs South Carolina Counties
Number of counties: Alaska has 30 counties, while South Carolina has 46. South Carolina's county count is 1.5 times (53%) higher than Alaska's.
Biggest county by area: Alaska's largest county is Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area at 145,769 square miles; South Carolina's is Horry County at 1,133 square miles. Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area's land area is 128.6 times larger than Horry County's.
Smallest county by area: Alaska: Skagway Municipality (443 sq mi) vs South Carolina: McCormick County (359 sq mi). Skagway Municipality's land area is 1.2 times (23%) larger than McCormick County's.
Most populous county: Alaska: Anchorage Municipality (289,600 people) vs South Carolina: Greenville County (570,745 people). Greenville County's population is 2.0 times (97%) larger than Anchorage Municipality's.
Least populous county: Alaska: Yakutat City and Borough (690 people) vs South Carolina: Allendale County (7,551 people). Allendale County's population is 10.9 times larger than Yakutat City and Borough's.
Richest county: Alaska: Bristol Bay Borough ($158,406 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Charleston County ($90,550). Bristol Bay Borough's income is 1.7 times (75%) richer than Charleston County's.
Poorest county: Alaska: Kusilvak Census Area ($37,765 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Marlboro County ($41,332). Marlboro County's income is 1.1 times (9%) richer than Kusilvak Census Area's.
Alaska vs South Carolina Taxes
State income tax: Alaska has no state income tax, while South Carolina has a top income tax rate of 6%. South Carolina's top rate is 6 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Alaska: 1.06% effective rate vs South Carolina: 0.45% of home value per year. Alaska's rate is 0.61 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Alaska: 1.82% combined state and average local rate vs South Carolina: 7.49%. South Carolina's combined rate is 5.67 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Alaska official website · South Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All Alaska 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.