State scorecard
South Carolina in the US Political Rank
Every place South Carolina holds across our state rankings, in one scorecard. Economy, taxes, education, crime, healthcare, and more, each measured the same way for all 50 states and each linked to the full cited ranking.
#1
of 50 on Ranking the 50 State Economies of 2026
#40
of 50 on States Ranked by Health Care Outcomes
51.2%
Governor Henry McMaster performance score, rank 18 of 50
9
state rankings that score South Carolina
Governor
South Carolina's governor, Henry McMaster (Republican), holds performance rank 18 of 50 at 51.2% this week in the Governor Performance Rankings, scored on 263 metrics and updated every Monday.
| Ranking | South Carolina's place | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Ranking the 50 State Economies of 2026Tied for the fastest real GDP growth of any state in 2025 at 3.1 percent (BEA, 2026), while posting the nation's fastest population growth at 1.5 percent (Census Bureau, Vintage 2025). Output and people are moving in the same direction. | #1 of 50 | 94.1 |
| Voting With Their Feet: States Ranked by Migration and Population GrowthGained 66,622 net domestic migrants, third most in absolute terms, and led all states in percent population growth at 1.5 percent, adding 79,958 people (Census Bureau, Vintage 2025). On a per-capita basis it is the strongest magnet in the country. | #2 of 50 | 97.1 |
| States Ranked by Infrastructure ConditionThird in the nation in the Reason Foundation's 29th Annual Highway Report for overall highway performance and cost-effectiveness (Reason Foundation). | #5 of 25 | 94.6 |
| States Ranked by Total Tax BurdenFourth-lowest tax collections per capita at $4,984 (Tax Foundation, FY2023). A low-burden state that is also the nation's fastest-growing (Census Bureau, Vintage 2025). | #11 of 50 | 82.9 |
| States Ranked by Housing AffordabilityThe stress test: the nation's fastest-growing state (Census Bureau, Vintage 2025) is also among the top three for building permits per 1,000 residents (Census Bureau BPS via Wealth Enhancement analysis, 2025). Supply is so far holding prices in the affordable tier. | #15 of 25 | 83.9 |
| States Ranked by Dependence on Federal MoneyAmong the more favorable per-dollar returns in the Rockefeller Institute's series, combining military installations with below-average federal tax payments per person (Rockefeller Institute, 2025). | #15 of 50 | 81.7 |
| States Ranked by K-12 Education OutcomesBelow the national average across the 2024 assessments, with fourth grade math the relative bright spot (NCES, NAEP 2024). | #36 of 50 | 71.4 |
| States Ranked by Violent Crime Rate436.7 violent crimes per 100,000, about 22 percent above the national rate, with a murder rate of 7.5 (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2024). | #38 of 50 | 436.7 |
| States Ranked by Health Care OutcomesA non-expansion Southern state with below-average life expectancy and an above-average uninsured rate (Commonwealth Fund, 2025; CDC NCHS, 2023). | #40 of 50 | 62.4 |
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