Palmetto State News

South Carolina's population leaned heavily towards the 55 to 59 years demographic, according to U.S. Census Bureau data obtained by Palmetto State News.

There were 342,145 individuals or 6.7% of the population falling within this age bracket.

The state registered a median age of 40, outpacing the national average of 38 in 2021.

Data also showed that women had a longer life expectancy than men, with 1.1% of women population over the age of 84 in comparison to 0.6% of men. To provide a broader perspective, the U.S. recorded 1.2% of women in the same age bracket nationwide.

According to the 2021 census, the median age varied across different ethnicities in the state. The average white resident in South Carolina is 44 years old, while African Americans have a median age of 36 years old. The Asian population averages 37 years old, and Hispanics had an average of 27 years old.

South Carolina's total population stood at 5,078,903 individuals in 2021.

OurWorldinData.org, an online project tracking global data and trends, says cities, states, countries and continents with higher median ages typically do better economically and residents earn higher wages than developing countries.

The median age of a United States resident has risen from 29.5-years-old in 1960 to 38.4-years-old in 2019. It has risen fairly consistently by two years every decade since the 1970’s.

An agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, the Census Bureau is responsible for compiling statistical facts about the American people, places and economy. Data for this story was compiled from the bureau’s American Community Survey. Information from the survey helps to determine how federal and state funds are distributed. These funds significantly influence community services, education, and infrastructure in areas like South Carolina.

Age	Estimated Number	% of Overall Population
Under 5 years	285,472	5.6%
5 to 9 years	306,986	6%
10 to 14 years	325,370	6.4%
15 to 17 years	191,975	3.8%
18 and 19 years	138,940	2.7%
20 years	70,287	1.4%
21 years	69,589	1.4%
22 to 24 years	183,113	3.6%
25 to 29 years	335,728	6.6%
30 to 34 years	324,872	6.4%
35 to 39 years	318,581	6.3%
40 to 44 years	304,862	6%
45 to 49 years	313,498	6.2%
50 to 54 years	324,587	6.4%
55 to 59 years	342,145	6.7%
60 and 61 years	140,124	2.8%
62 to 64 years	201,277	4%
65 and 66 years	126,591	2.5%
67 to 69 years	179,540	3.5%
70 to 74 years	255,167	5%
75 to 79 years	159,540	3.1%
80 to 84 years	94,610	1.9%
85 years and over	86,049	1.7%

Source: US Census Bureau