Death in South Carolina
In 2025, 58,187 people died in South Carolina, about 159 a day. Life expectancy at birth is 76.8 years, 2.2 years below the U.S. average of 79.0. The leading cause of death is heart disease.
Quick facts
- South Carolina recorded 58,187 deaths in 2025, about 159 a day (CDC/NCHS provisional counts).
- The death rate in South Carolina was 1,045 per 100,000 residents in 2025, the 13th highest of the 50 states and D.C., against 909 for the U.S. (CDC/NCHS provisional counts and Census Bureau estimates).
- Life expectancy at birth in South Carolina is 76.8 years, against 79.0 for the U.S. (NCHS state life tables for 2022, adjusted to 2024 death rates).
- Women in South Carolina can expect to live 79.5 years at birth and men 74.1 (NCHS state life tables for 2022, adjusted to 2024 death rates).
- The leading cause of death in South Carolina was heart disease, with 12,494 deaths in 2024 (CDC/NCHS final data).
Estimated deaths in South Carolina so far today
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Estimate based on 58,187 deaths counted in South Carolina in 2025. Those are CDC provisional counts, newer than the final data for the year before, and they may change slightly. The total is spread over the year by each month's usual share. Days start at midnight Eastern Time.
How long people live in South Carolina
| South Carolina | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone, at birth | 76.8 | 79.0 |
| Women, at birth | 79.5 | 81.5 |
| Men, at birth | 74.1 | 76.5 |
| Years left at 65 | 18.8 | 19.7 |
Life expectancy in years. NCHS state life tables (2022), adjusted to 2024 U.S. death rates; U.S. life tables 2024. Death rates are not adjusted for age, so states with older residents rank higher.
South Carolina had the 20th most deaths of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. in 2025, and the 13th highest death rate, 1,045 per 100,000 residents, against 909 for the whole country.
Work out the numbers for your own age with the life expectancy calculator, or see every state ranked in life expectancy by state.
Age at death in South Carolina
Out of everyone born today, the share who would die at each age if today's death rates held. The most common age is 87.
NCHS state life tables (2022), adjusted to 2024 U.S. death rates.
After a death in South Carolina
- ProbateUSProbate in South CarolinaWhen an estate needs probate in South Carolina, the small-estate options, and which court handles it.
- Cheap FuneralFuneral prices in South CarolinaPublished prices for direct cremation and burial at funeral homes in the state.
- FuneralUSFind a funeral homeSearch funeral homes by city or ZIP code, with contact details.
- VeteranFuneralsVeteran cemeteries in South CarolinaNational and state veterans cemeteries, and the burial benefits veterans and spouses can use.
- FunerariaCercaFunerarias en South CarolinaFuneral homes for Spanish-speaking families, in Spanish.
Leading causes of death in South Carolina
Deaths in 2024, by cause.
- Heart disease12,494
- Cancer11,452
- Accidents (unintentional injuries)3,928
- Stroke3,216
- Chronic lung disease (COPD)2,731
Source: Stats of the States: death data maps by cause (heart disease, cancer, accidents, stroke, ...), CDC / National Center for Health Statistics, 2024 final data.
The leading causes change a lot with age. See the leading causes of death by age for the U.S.