The map above shows Illinois and South Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Illinois vs South Carolina Geography
Land area
- Illinois has a land area of 55,513 square miles (143,778 km²), while South Carolina has 30,064 square miles (77,866 km²).
- Illinois' land area is 1.8 times (85%) larger than South Carolina's.
Total area
- Illinois: 57,913 square miles (149,995 km²) vs South Carolina: 32,024 square miles (82,940 km²), including inland and coastal water.
- Illinois' total area is 1.8 times (81%) larger than South Carolina's.
Length
- Illinois is 390 miles (628 km) long from north to south; South Carolina is 236 miles (380 km).
- Illinois' north-south length is 1.7 times (65%) longer than South Carolina's.
Width
- Illinois spans 283 miles (456 km) east to west; South Carolina spans 279 miles (449 km).
- Illinois and South Carolina have about the same east-west width.
Highest point
- Illinois's highest point is Charles Mound at 1,232 feet (376 m); South Carolina's is Sassafras Mountain at 3,497 feet (1,066 m).
- Sassafras Mountain is 2,265 feet higher than Charles Mound.
Lowest point
- Illinois's lowest point is Mississippi River at 292 feet; South Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet.
- South Carolina's lowest point is 292 feet lower.
Illinois vs South Carolina Population and History
Population
- Illinois has a population of 12,710,158 (2024), while South Carolina has 5,478,831 (2024).
- Illinois' population is 2.3 times (132%) larger than South Carolina's.
Population density
- Illinois: 229.0 people per square mile vs South Carolina: 182.2.
- Illinois' population density is 1.3 times (26%) higher than South Carolina's.
Biggest city
- Illinois's biggest city is Chicago with 2,721,308 people; South Carolina's is Charleston with 157,665.
- Chicago's population is 17.3 times larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area
- Illinois's largest metropolitan area is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (9,408,576 people) vs South Carolina's Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370).
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area's population is 3.3 times (226%) larger than Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area's.
History
- Illinois: Admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, as the 21st 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 30 years.
Illinois vs South Carolina Economy
GDP
- Illinois's GDP is $1,148.1 billion (2024) vs South Carolina's $357.1 billion.
- Illinois' economic output is 3.2 times (222%) larger than South Carolina's.
GDP per capita
- Illinois: $90,330 per person vs South Carolina: $65,173.
- Illinois' GDP per capita is 1.4 times (39%) higher than South Carolina's.
Average income
- Illinois: $74,522 vs South Carolina: $60,776 average income per person (per capita personal income).
- Illinois' average income is 1.2 times (23%) higher than South Carolina's.
Illinois vs South Carolina Counties
Number of counties
- Illinois has 102 counties, while South Carolina has 46.
- Illinois' county count is 2.2 times (122%) higher than South Carolina's.
Biggest county by area
- Illinois's largest county is McLean County at 1,183 square miles; South Carolina's is Horry County at 1,133 square miles.
- McLean County and Horry County have about the same land area.
Smallest county by area
- Illinois: Putnam County (160 sq mi) vs South Carolina: McCormick County (359 sq mi).
- McCormick County's land area is 2.2 times (124%) larger than Putnam County's.
Most populous county
- Illinois: Cook County (5,182,617 people) vs South Carolina: Greenville County (570,745 people).
- Cook County's population is 9.1 times (808%) larger than Greenville County's.
Least populous county
- Illinois: Hardin County (3,550 people) vs South Carolina: Allendale County (7,551 people).
- Allendale County's population is 2.1 times (113%) larger than Hardin County's.
Richest county
- Illinois: Cumberland County ($104,890 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Charleston County ($90,550).
- Cumberland County's income is 1.2 times (16%) richer than Charleston County's.
Poorest county
- Illinois: Lawrence County ($43,606 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Marlboro County ($41,332).
- Lawrence County's income is 1.1 times (6%) richer than Marlboro County's.
Illinois vs South Carolina Taxes
State income tax
- Illinois has a top income tax rate of 4.95%, while South Carolina has a top income tax rate of 6%.
- South Carolina's top rate is 1.05 percentage points higher.
Property tax
- Illinois: 1.92% effective rate vs South Carolina: 0.45% of home value per year.
- Illinois's rate is 1.47 percentage points higher.
Sales tax
- Illinois: 8.98% combined state and average local rate vs South Carolina: 7.49%.
- Illinois's combined rate is 1.49 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Illinois official website · South Carolina official website
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More Size Comparisons
All Illinois 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.