The median household income in South Carolina is $69,324, which ranks in the top 56% nationally.
Top income thresholds in South Carolina
South Carolina ranks #43 of 51 states (and D.C.) by median household income.
States with a similar income level
This state's median household income
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Median income · Single households
Below, South Carolina's numbers in more depth: where its $69,324 median ranks, the income lines for the top quarter and top tenth, a by-age earnings table, and county comparisons.
The median household in South Carolina brings in $69,324, 14% below the US median of $80,734 — 43rd of 51. Prices for housing and everyday costs also differ by state, and these figures don't adjust for them.
Reaching the top quarter of households takes about $120,254 in South Carolina, compared with $141,925 nationally. 9% of households here earn $200,000+, against 13% in the US overall.
Comparing the two Census products: $72,350 in the 2024 one-year estimate, $69,324 in the 2020–2024 five-year estimate (+4%).
In South Carolina, 9% of households have incomes of at least $200,000. By household income, the top 25% start at about $120,254, and the top 10% at about $189,590. The table marks lines that fall above $200,000 rather than guessing their value: the Census groups everyone above that amount together, so the exact top-5% and top-1% cutoffs can't be read from this data.
On South Carolina's distribution, the national median income of $80,734 corresponds to roughly the top 43%.
A simple spread measure — top-25% line divided by the median — comes to 1.75 for South Carolina against 1.77 for the country, narrower than the national pattern.
| Line | Household income |
|---|---|
| Median (top 50%) | $68,651 |
| Top 25% | $120,254 |
| Top 10% | $189,590 |
| Top 5% | Above $200,000 (top bracket) |
| Top 1% | Above $200,000 (top bracket) |
Earnings per worker in South Carolina peak at 45–54, with a median of $53,696, compared with $41,763 for workers aged 25–34. Age group by age group, South Carolina sits −12% from the national medians on average — most noticeably at 65+. These figures are personal earnings (wages plus self-employment) from Census microdata, so they're lower than household income, which can combine several earners.
| Age | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 25–34 | $41,763 | $46,177 |
| 35–44 | $52,474 | $58,657 |
| 45–54 | $53,696 | $60,915 |
| 55–64 | $50,713 | $55,860 |
| 65+ | $28,935 | $34,745 |
Splitting South Carolina households by type: $105,187 for married couples versus $41,238 for single and non-family households, a ratio of 2.6 to 1.
The gap between South Carolina's richest and poorest counties is large: $89,095 in York County against $32,328 in Allendale County. The five highest-income counties are York County, Charleston County, Beaufort County, Berkeley County, and Lancaster County; the five lowest are Allendale County, Marlboro County, Marion County, Union County, and Bamberg County.
4 of the 46 counties (9%) clear the US median of $80,734; the typical county, Sumter County, comes in at $56,693.
| Highest | Median | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| York County | $89,095 | Allendale County | $32,328 |
| Charleston County | $88,494 | Marlboro County | $34,301 |
| Beaufort County | $86,573 | Marion County | $36,301 |
| Berkeley County | $84,358 | Union County | $41,621 |
| Lancaster County | $78,869 | Bamberg County | $44,370 |
About the numbers: household figures are the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates for South Carolina and its 46 counties; the earnings-by-age table comes from 105,651 individual survey records in the same period, in 2024 dollars.
Reference statistics only — not financial advice.
US Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates (B19013, B19001)
Based on US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates — actual figures may differ from your real income/assets. Not financial advice.