The Most Similar States to South Carolina

map of similar states to South Carolina

Have you ever wondered how similar or different two states are? The State Similarity Index attempts to quantify how similar states are to each other relative to other states. The index is a statistically-based way to measure this. The index weights equally five major aspects of states: their demographics, culture, politics, infrastructure, and geography. The research combines 1,000 different data points to arrive at the conclusions.

diagram of similar states to South Carolina

Top 5 States Most Similar to South Carolina

Many states are similar to South Carolina. The top five states were all part of the Confederacy during the Civil War. They tend to be conservative politically and favor Republicans. These states also have a predominately White population, but also large percentages of Blacks. Most people in these states are quite religious and a vast majority of them are Protestant. The five most similar states also tend to have hot and humid climates. With the exception of Mississippi, the most similar states have the Appalachian Mountains running through them as well.

  1. Georgia and South Carolina are two of the most similar states. These states have similar percentage of forested and farmland. They both border the Atlantic Ocean. Neither has had a Democratic governor in the past 16 years. They almost always vote for the same candidates in presidential primaries as well. They also do not have bans on smoking in public places. Both states have colleges in both the SEC and the ACC.
  2. North Carolina is to the north of South Carolina. They were actually part of the same British province until they split in 1712. Their people tend to have a similar accent. Both states have a high percentage of mobile home owners. In addition, union membership is extremely low in these states. However, North Carolina is moderate politically. In fact, four of their last five governors have been Democrats. It also has less restrictions on abortion.
  3. Alabama‘s demographics are extremely similar to South Carolina. Their percentage of Whites, Blacks, and Latinos are comparable. Both states have many Evangelical Christians. The average age of their people is about the same. Furthermore, both states have more females than males. However, Alabama borders the Gulf Coast, not the Atlantic Ocean. It also has far less coastline.
  4. Tennessee does not border South Carolina, but they have many traits in common. It is another deeply religious state, where a vast majority of its people are Protestants. Although both states are deeply Republican, another difference is that Tennessee has less restrictive abortion laws than South Carolina. Both states rely in large part on nuclear power. However, Tennessee is landlocked and is also far more mountainous.
  5. Mississippi is another state similar to South Carolina, although it has a larger percentage of Blacks. In addition, the people in Mississippi are not as affluent. These states are not are not especially mountainous as well. Still, despite being located far from each other, their climate is extremely similar. Their farms also grow a mix of cotton, corn and soybean. Both states require a photo ID to vote. They both still allow smoking in public places as well.

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Top 5 States Least Similar to South Carolina

The least similar states to South Carolina are all located to the west of the Mississippi River. While South Carolina was an original colony of the United States, these states joined the union much later. These states also have a significantly lower percentage of Black people than South Carolina. Furthermore, Democrats tend to be more popular in these states. Four of the five voted for the Democratic candidate in the last presidential election. Their laws are less conservative.

  1. Hawaii and South Carolina both have hot and humid climates, but their similarities largely end there. While South Carolina was one of the original colonies, Hawaii is the 50th state added to the nation. Their demographics are far different as well. Hawaii has by far the highest Asian population in the United States and has relatively few Black people. It is also one of the most liberal states and Democrats are heavily favored there, in contrast to South Carolina.
  2. California is another state located on the Pacific Coast. It has a far bigger Latino population than South Carolina. Another difference is that a much higher percentage of its people are part of a union. Politically they are extremely different as well. California has more restrictions on guns and less restrictions on abortion. It also bans smoking in public places. However, California has a drier climate. 
  3. Alaska‘s climate is also far colder and gets more snowfall than South Carolina. The state is also less densely populated and has a much lower percentage of agricultural land. It is one of the newest states, while South Carolina is an original colony. The state also has a much larger Native American population than South Carolina. However, both states do tend to be run by Republicans and have more conservative laws.
  4. Nevada is the driest state in the country and the vast majority of its land is barren desert. The state also has a much higher percentage of Latinos than South Carolina, so a significantly higher percentage of its people can speak Spanish. In addition, Nevada has less conservative laws. In contrast to South Carolina, there few manufacturing plants, but many mines in Nevada
  5. Colorado is another landlocked and mountainous state, however it is located much further to the west than Vermont. It also has a significantly lower percentage of forested land than Colorado. Its people are also less religious than South Carolina. Another difference is that Colorado has a higher minimum wage. Furthermore, marijuana is legal in Colorado, unlike in South Carolina.

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South Carolina is like if Georgia was more like North Carolina

South Carolina and Georgia are two of the most similar states, so few states have are much more similar to South Carolina than to Georgia. North Carolina and South Carolina share a few traits that Georgia lacks. These states have a slightly percentage of White people than Georgia. They also have slightly older populations. Furthermore, North Carolina and South Carolina have a lower incarceration rate. Another difference is that a higher percentage of their people live in mobile homes. Their economies are also less dependent on manufacturing than Georgia.

Full Ranking of States Most Similar to South Carolina

All data accurate as of 2020.

graph of similar states to South Carolina

State Superlatives

Most Similar Demographics: Alabama
Most Similar Culture: Georgia
Most Similar Government: Georgia
Most Similar Infrastructure: Tennessee
Most Similar Geography: Georgia

Least Similar Demographics: Hawaii
Least Similar Culture: California
Least Similar Government: California
Least Similar Infrastructure: Hawaii
Least Similar Geography: Alaska

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4 Comments

  1. South Carolina is like if North Carolina was more like Louisiana
    North Carolina is the most similar state to South Carolina. However, Louisiana and South Carolina share a few traits that North Carolina lacks. Both Louisiana and South Carolina have subtropical climates. They also are not particularly mountainous, but they have plenty of wetlands. In addition, about 70% of their land is forested, featuring a mix of coniferous and broadleaf trees. Furthermore, their demographics and culture are similar. Both states have a relatively high percentage of Black people. In addition, they have high poverty rates and lower than average incomes. Furthermore, a low percentage of their people are members of unions. Although Louisiana has more Catholics, both states have many Baptists. Moreover, their people are quite conservative and often favor Republicans in elections.

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