The map above shows Massachusetts and South Carolina side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Massachusetts vs South Carolina Geography
Land area: Massachusetts has a land area of 7,801 square miles (20,204 km²), while South Carolina has 30,064 square miles (77,866 km²). South Carolina's land area is 3.9 times (285%) larger than Massachusetts'.
Total area: Massachusetts: 10,554 square miles (27,335 km²) vs South Carolina: 32,024 square miles (82,940 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Carolina's total area is 3.0 times (203%) larger than Massachusetts'.
Length: Massachusetts is 123 miles (198 km) long from north to south; South Carolina is 236 miles (380 km). South Carolina's north-south length is 1.9 times (92%) longer than Massachusetts'.
Width: Massachusetts spans 185 miles (297 km) east to west; South Carolina spans 279 miles (449 km). South Carolina's east-west width is 1.5 times (51%) wider than Massachusetts'.
Highest point: Massachusetts's highest point is Mount Greylock at 3,489 feet (1,063 m); South Carolina's is Sassafras Mountain at 3,497 feet (1,066 m). Sassafras Mountain is 8 feet higher than Mount Greylock.
Lowest point: Massachusetts'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.
Massachusetts vs South Carolina Population and History
Population: Massachusetts has a population of 7,136,171 (2024), while South Carolina has 5,478,831 (2024). Massachusetts' population is 1.3 times (30%) larger than South Carolina's.
Population density: Massachusetts: 914.8 people per square mile vs South Carolina: 182.2. Massachusetts' population density is 5.0 times (402%) higher than South Carolina's.
Biggest city: Massachusetts's biggest city is Boston with 673,458 people; South Carolina's is Charleston with 157,665. Boston's population is 4.3 times (327%) larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: Massachusetts's largest metropolitan area is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area (5,025,517 people) vs South Carolina's Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370). Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area's population is 1.7 times (74%) larger than Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area's.
History: Massachusetts: Admitted to the Union on February 6, 1788, as the 6th state. South Carolina: Admitted to the Union on May 23, 1788, as the 8th state.
Massachusetts vs South Carolina Economy
GDP: Massachusetts's GDP is $778.5 billion (2024) vs South Carolina's $357.1 billion. Massachusetts' economic output is 2.2 times (118%) larger than South Carolina's.
GDP per capita: Massachusetts: $109,095 per person vs South Carolina: $65,173. Massachusetts' GDP per capita is 1.7 times (67%) higher than South Carolina's.
Average income: Massachusetts: $93,607 vs South Carolina: $60,776 average income per person (per capita personal income). Massachusetts' average income is 1.5 times (54%) higher than South Carolina's.
Massachusetts vs South Carolina Counties
Number of counties: Massachusetts has 14 counties, while South Carolina has 46. South Carolina's county count is 3.3 times (229%) higher than Massachusetts'.
Biggest county by area: Massachusetts's largest county is Worcester County at 1,511 square miles; South Carolina's is Horry County at 1,133 square miles. Worcester County's land area is 1.3 times (33%) larger than Horry County's.
Smallest county by area: Massachusetts: Nantucket County (46 sq mi) vs South Carolina: McCormick County (359 sq mi). McCormick County's land area is 7.8 times (677%) larger than Nantucket County's.
Most populous county: Massachusetts: Middlesex County (1,668,956 people) vs South Carolina: Greenville County (570,745 people). Middlesex County's population is 2.9 times (192%) larger than Greenville County's.
Least populous county: Massachusetts: Nantucket County (14,670 people) vs South Carolina: Allendale County (7,551 people). Nantucket County's population is 1.9 times (94%) larger than Allendale County's.
Richest county: Massachusetts: Nantucket County ($129,250 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Charleston County ($90,550). Nantucket County's income is 1.4 times (43%) richer than Charleston County's.
Poorest county: Massachusetts: Hampshire County ($65,432 per capita income) vs South Carolina: Marlboro County ($41,332). Hampshire County's income is 1.6 times (58%) richer than Marlboro County's.
Massachusetts vs South Carolina Taxes
State income tax: Massachusetts has a top income tax rate of 9%, while South Carolina has a top income tax rate of 6%. Massachusetts's top rate is 3 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Massachusetts: 1% effective rate vs South Carolina: 0.45% of home value per year. Massachusetts's rate is 0.55 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Massachusetts: 6.25% combined state and average local rate vs South Carolina: 7.49%. South Carolina's combined rate is 1.24 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Massachusetts official website · South Carolina official website
More Size Comparisons
All Massachusetts 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.