Move to these 5 SC counties if you want to live longer, new nationwide report shows. Here’s why
If you want to live a longer, healthier life in South Carolina, there are five counties where your chances will be the best, a new report shows.
The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute released its annual County Health Rankings report on Wednesday, showing the most and least healthiest counties in every U.S. state. The 2023 report reveals that counties with well-resourced civic infrastructure have higher rates of high school completion, higher household incomes, less income inequality and lower rates of children in poverty and uninsured adults.
And in these communities, people also tend to live longer, the report states.
So, which five South Carolina counties met enough of those criteria to make it to the top of the report’s rankings for the state? The top five counties are listed below.
Beaufort County
York County
Charleston
Greenville
Dorchester
And if you’re curious which county was the least healthiest, Allendale came in at 46th on the list.
The new County Health Rankings report looked at a series of factors to measure civic infrastructure and participation in counties, including access to parks, school funding adequacy, broadband, voter turnout and self-reported census participation.
“Social connection is a health determinant that is not discussed enough, but research shows that being engaged in the community tends to lead to longer and healthier lives,” Maya Pack, executive director of the South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health, said in a press release. “This is why IMPH is currently convening a task force of stakeholders and experts from across South Carolina to identify recommendations — such as supporting the GetConnectedSC initiative — to reduce social isolation in older adults.”
The report also offers several solutions to build civic health, such as investing in libraries, community centers and other public spaces to encourage in-person connections; expanding civic knowledge and skills through youth leadership programs and implementing voter registration and turnout initiatives to expand representation in the democratic process.
SC health trends
South Carolina health outcomes and health behaviors based on the latest state and federal data were also included in the report. Below is a list comparing some of the most important health outcome and behaviors data between South Carolina and the U.S. average.
Health outcomes/behaviors | South Carolina | U.S. |
Residents in poor or fair health | 16% | 12% |
Babies born low birth weight | 10% | 8% |
Life expectancy | 76.4 | 78.5 |
Diabetes prevalence | 12% | 9% |
Adult smoking | 19% | 16% |
Adult obesity | 37% | 32% |
Excessive drinking | 19% | 19% |
Alcohol impaired driving deaths | 33% | 27% |
All SC county health rankings
Beaufort County
York County
Charleston
Greenville
Dorchester
Lexington
Berkeley
Pickens
Edgefield
Spartanburg
Oconee
Richland
Anderson
Lancaster
Horry
Kershaw
Aiken
Saluda
Jasper
Newberry
Greenwood
Georgetown
Abbeville
Sumter
Calhoun
Laurens
Clarendon
Florence
McCormick
Chesterfield
Cherokee
Union
Bamberg
Orangeburg
Fairfield
Darlington
Barnwell
Chester
Colleton
Williamsburg
Marlboro
Dillon
Hampton
Lee
Marion
Allendale