North Carolina vs South Carolina: Find Out Which State is Better
It happens all the time. With co-workers and even when I first met my spouse, they always mistakenly think I’m from North Carolina.
It can be a little annoying, but I get it. When it comes to North Carolina vs South Carolina, North Carolina tends to get talked about more.
North Carolina has the major sports teams, more major cities, and a larger population. But despite sharing the name, there are some noteworthy distinctions between the two.
South Carolina isn’t just a smaller version of North Carolina. In fact, more people have started to recognize my home state as a hidden gem to settle down in.
Why there’s a North and a South Carolina?
The Carolinas were originally claimed by the Spanish in 1513, being named La Florida. Parris Island was the capital of La Florida at the time.
Eventually the Spanish would abandon the territory. Then in 1663, Charles II granted eight English Noblemen the land that became known as Carolina.
Long story short, in 1729, the descendants of seven of the noblemen sold their shares back to the British Crown. This land would become two separate colonies known as the province of North Carolina, and the province of South Carolina.
But it’s amazing how two pieces of land not far from each other are and became so different.
North Carolina vs South Carolina Geography
When it comes to geography, North Carolina arguably has the better mountain views, while South Carolina has the better beaches. Having gone up to Asheville NC a few times, there are some beautiful views of the Appalachian Mountains.
Where South Carolina probably has North Carolina beat are the beaches. My home state is well known for Myrtle Beach and also Hilton Head Island. My family would vacation down at Myrtle Beach almost every summer.
But otherwise, a lot of the terrain between the two states is similar. Lots of trees and long roads.
North Carolina vs South Carolina Cost of Livin
One advantage of South Carolina definitely has over North Carolina is cost of living. Let’s compare Asheville NC to Greenville SC.
Given these cities are similar in size and only hour away from each other, you’d think the cost would be the same. Unfortunately, you’d be mistaken. According to bestplaces.net, Greenville, SC is 16.1% is less expensive than Asheville. Here’s a full breakdown:
Housing
The median home cost in Greenville is $358,100. The median home cost in Asheville, NC is $428,500.
Food and Groceries
The cost of food and groceries in Asheville is 3.1 above the U.S. national average. Greenville is slightly below the national average.
Health Care
Health Care costs in Asheville is 21.6 above the national average. In Greenville, it’s 20.6 below the national average
Transportation
While transportation in Asheville is 17.2 below the national average, in Greenville, is 23.8 below the national average.
North Carolina vs South Carolina Taxes
In an article by North Carolina State University, it was concluded that NC had higher taxes than not only South Carolina, but Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. South Carolina is known to have one of the lowest property tax rates in the country.
North Carolina vs South Carolina Weather
The weather is toss-up given it really comes down to preference. North Carolina can have brutal winters with lots of snowfall. But South Carolina can have very humid summers.
Personally, I’ll take the humid summers if that means I get milder winters and less snowfall. But some people may prefer less humid summers and might actually like the snow.
Education
North Carolina has more prestigious universities compared to South Carolina. But as far as everything else, there’s not much difference between the two states.
Reading and math test scores in grade schools were about the same. Even when it comes to graduation rate, North Carolina is only 2% higher than South Carolina.
Which state is better?
I was born in South Carolina, so I’m obviously bias towards my home state. Though funny enough, I know a lot of people who really didn’t like growing up in the area.
They complained about the state being too boring and too religious. And truthfully, yes, sometimes South Carolina can be a bit boring, and yes, it is a very religious state.
But one thing I’ll always admire about my home state is the southern hospitality and the food. From my own experience, everyone really does try to be friendly and helpful to everyone. And of course, few things compare to some good old southern food.
