The map above shows Maine and South Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Maine vs South Carolina Geography
Land area: Maine has a land area of 30,845 square miles (79,888 km²), while South Carolina has 30,064 square miles (77,866 km²). Maine and South Carolina have about the same land area.
Total area: Maine: 35,380 square miles (91,634 km²) vs South Carolina: 32,024 square miles (82,940 km²), including inland and coastal water. Maine's total area is 1.1 times (10%) larger than South Carolina's.
Length: Maine is 311 miles (501 km) long from north to south; South Carolina is 236 miles (380 km). Maine's north-south length is 1.3 times (32%) longer than South Carolina's.
Width: Maine spans 203 miles (327 km) east to west; South Carolina spans 279 miles (449 km). South Carolina's east-west width is 1.4 times (37%) wider than Maine's.
Highest point: Maine's highest point is Mount Katahdin at 5,253 feet (1,601 m); South Carolina's is Sassafras Mountain at 3,497 feet (1,066 m). Mount Katahdin is 1,756 feet higher than Sassafras Mountain.
Lowest point: Maine's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; South Carolina's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Maine vs South Carolina Population and History
Population: Maine has a population of 1,405,012 (2024), while South Carolina has 5,478,831 (2024). South Carolina's population is 3.9 times (290%) larger than Maine's.
Population density: Maine: 45.6 people per square mile vs South Carolina: 182.2. South Carolina's population density is 4.0 times (300%) higher than Maine's.
Biggest city: Maine's biggest city is Portland with 69,568 people; South Carolina's is Charleston with 157,665. Charleston's population is 2.3 times (127%) larger than Portland's.
Largest metro area: Maine's largest metropolitan area is Portland-South Portland, ME metro area (571,534 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 5.0 times (404%) larger than Portland-South Portland, ME metro area's.
History: Maine: Admitted to the Union on March 15, 1820, as the 23rd 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 32 years.
Maine vs South Carolina Economy
GDP: Maine's GDP is $99.2 billion (2024) vs South Carolina's $357.1 billion. South Carolina's economic output is 3.6 times (260%) larger than Maine's.
GDP per capita: Maine: $70,586 per person vs South Carolina: $65,173. Maine's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (8%) higher than South Carolina's.
Average income: Maine: $68,932 vs South Carolina: $60,776 average income per person (per capita personal income). Maine's average income is 1.1 times (13%) higher than South Carolina's.
Maine vs South Carolina Counties
Number of counties: Maine has 16 counties, while South Carolina has 46. South Carolina's county count is 2.9 times (188%) higher than Maine's.
Biggest county by area: Maine's largest county is Aroostook County at 6,671 square miles; South Carolina's is Horry County at 1,133 square miles. Aroostook County's land area is 5.9 times (489%) larger than Horry County's.
Smallest county by area: Maine: Sagadahoc County (254 sq mi) vs South Carolina: McCormick County (359 sq mi). McCormick County's land area is 1.4 times (41%) larger than Sagadahoc County's.
Most populous county: Maine: Cumberland County (313,809 people) vs South Carolina: Greenville County (570,745 people). Greenville County's population is 1.8 times (82%) larger than Cumberland County's.
Least populous county: Maine: Piscataquis County (17,432 people) vs South Carolina: Allendale County (7,551 people). Piscataquis County's population is 2.3 times (131%) larger than Allendale County's.
Richest county: Maine: Cumberland County ($90,142 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Charleston County ($90,550). Cumberland County and Charleston County have about the same income.
Poorest county: Maine: Franklin County ($52,725 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Marlboro County ($41,332). Franklin County's income is 1.3 times (28%) richer than Marlboro County's.
Maine vs South Carolina Taxes
State income tax: Maine has a top income tax rate of 7.15%, while South Carolina has a top income tax rate of 6%. Maine's top rate is 1.15 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Maine: 0.91% effective rate vs South Carolina: 0.45% of home value per year. Maine's rate is 0.46 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Maine: 5.5% combined state and average local rate vs South Carolina: 7.49%. South Carolina's combined rate is 1.99 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Maine official website · South Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All Maine 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.