Is North Dakota or South Carolina a better state to live in?

Based on our composite scoring, North Dakota ranks higher overall. North Dakota is #7 and South Carolina is #39 out of 50 states. North Dakota wins 10 of 11 categories, while South Carolina wins 1.

How does North Dakota compare to South Carolina in cost of living?

North Dakota has a cost of living index of 89, while South Carolina's is 93 (100 = national average). North Dakota is more affordable.

Which state is safer, North Dakota or South Carolina?

North Dakota has 267 violent crimes per 100K residents, vs 492 in South Carolina. North Dakota has the lower crime rate.

What are the median incomes in North Dakota vs South Carolina?

North Dakota's median household income is $72,583, compared to $62,064 in South Carolina.

North Dakota vs South Carolina: Side-by-Side (2026)

North Dakota

#7·Midwest

76.6Composite Score

VSNorth Dakota leads

South Carolina

#39·South

44.0Composite Score

10ND wins

1SC wins

Category Overlay

North DakotaSouth Carolina

Category Scores

💰 EconomyND +29.1

67.7

38.6

🛡️ SafetyND +24.0

62.5

38.5

🏥 HealthND +42.9

65.3

22.4

🎓 EducationND +55.1

81.6

26.5

💼 Fiscal HealthND +15.4

69.8

54.4

📈 GrowthSC +24.6

53.7

78.3

🏠 AffordabilityND +7.7

84.7

77.0

🌿 EnvironmentND +17.4

38.5

21.1

🏞️ Outdoor AccessND +30.2

39.1

8.9

🚇 TransportationND +11.4

50.3

38.9

🎭 LivabilityND +1.0

47.3

46.3

Key Metrics Comparison

Metric	North Dakota	South Carolina	Winner
Population	783,926	5,373,555	SC
Median Income	$72,583	$62,064	ND
Unemployment	2.2%	3.5%	ND
Violent Crime Rate(per 100K)	267	492	ND
Cost of Living(100 = national avg)	89	93	ND
HS Graduation Rate	89%	84%	ND
Life Expectancy	79 yr	75.7 yr	ND
Pop Growth	+0.8%	+1.4%	SC

North Dakota vs South Carolina: How Do They Compare?

North Dakota ranks #7 overall with a composite score of 76.6, earning a A grade. South Carolina sits at #39 with 44.0 and a C grade. North Dakota has the edge overall, winning 10 of 11 categories.

On the economic front, North Dakota has 2.2% unemployment and a $72,583 median income, while South Carolina reports 3.5% unemployment and $62,064 median income.

For safety, North Dakota's violent crime rate is 267 per 100K compared to 492 in South Carolina. Cost of living favors North Dakota with an index of 89 vs 93.

Explore These States

North Dakota Full Profile76.6 South Carolina Full Profile44.0 Compare Other States→

Data Sources

📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS (Dec 2025)📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 📎FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023 📎America's Health Rankings, 2025 📎WalletHub/NAEP, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 📎Cook Political Report, PVI 2024 📎Tax Foundation, Facts & Figures 2025 📎ALEC Rich States Poor States, 2025 📎WalletHub Tax Burden Study, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau / FHFA, 2025 📎BEA Regional Price Parities, 2023 📎EPA AirData, Median AQI by County 2024 📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 📎FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau, Net Domestic Migration 2024 📎FCC / BroadbandNow, Broadband Access 2025 📎National Park Service API, 2024 📎USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US), 2024 📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 (Commuting)📎FHWA Highway Statistics, 2023 📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 📎EIA Natural Gas Prices, 2024 📎DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2023 📎BEA Regional Price Parities (Food), 2023 📎NCES Common Core of Data (CCD), 2023-24 📎EDFacts ACGR Graduation Rates, 2021-22 📎NCES School District Finance Survey (F-33), 2022-23 📎BEA GDP by State (SAGDP9), 2023 📎NASBO Fiscal Survey of States, FY2023 📎Census Bureau State Government Finances, FY2022 📎Pew Charitable Trusts Fiscal 50, FY2023 📎Pew Charitable Trusts, FY2022 📎S&P/Moody's via Ballotpedia, 2025 📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES (May 2023)📎IRS Statistics of Income, State-to-State Migration 2022-2023