South Carolina Migration Patterns
In the 2000 Census, respondents were asked whether they lived in the same dwelling as they did five years earlier, in 1995. If their answer was no, they were reported as having moved. Moves are classified as intrastate or interstate. Intrastate moves are those that occur within the same state, either within counties (intracounty) or between counties. Interstate moves are those that cross state boundaries, as well as movement from abroad (movers who leave the United States are not identified). At the local level, residential mobility (especially between counties and between states) is critical in determining population growth and decline.
Between 1995 and 2000, 44.1 percent (1,651,476 people) of the South Carolina population ages 5 and older moved to a different house. Of those who moved:
- 50.7 percent moved within the same county in South Carolina,
- 19.0 percent moved from a different county in South Carolina,
- 26.8 percent moved to South Carolina from another state,
- 0.1 percent moved to South Carolina from Puerto Rico, and
- 3.5 percent moved to South Carolina from foreign countries or U.S. island areas.
Of the 442,449 people who moved to South Carolina from another state between 1995 and 2000:
- The majority came from other states in the South (55.8 percent, or 246,788 people);
- 21.9 percent moved to South Carolina from the Northeast (96,760 people);
- 13.3 percent (58,748 people) came from the Midwest; and
- 9.1 percent (40,153 people) came from the West.
Residence in 1995
| South Carolina | United States | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | |
| Population 5 Years and Over | 3,748,669 | 100.0 | 262,375,152 | 100.0 |
| Same house in 1995 | 2,097,193 | 55.9 | 142,027,478 | 54.1 |
| Different house in 1995 | 1,651,476 | 44.1 | 120,347,674 | 45.9 |
| Same County in 1995 | 836,638 | 50.7 | 65,435,013 | 54.4 |
| Different County, Same State in 1995 | 313,011 | 19.0 | 25,327,355 | 21.0 |
| Different State in 1995 | 442,449 | 26.8 | 22,089,460 | 18.4 |
| In Puerto Rico in 1995 | 1,306 | 0.1 | 242,973 | 0.2 |
| Foreign Country or U.S. Island Area in 1995 | 58,072 | 3.5 | 7,252,873 | 6.0 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000. SF3, Table P24.
Population Inflow and Outflow
The 2000 Census produced a data record for every combination of county-to-county migration flows in the United States of at least one person between 1995 and 2000. Current county/state of residence is based on where the person was living on April 1st, 2000. Previous county/state of residence is based on where the person was living 5 years earlier.
Between 1995 and 2000, 442,449 people moved into South Carolina from other states. South Carolina gained the most new residents from North Carolina (65,189 people), Georgia (41,149 people), and New York (40,398 people). During the same time period, 310,244 South Carolinians moved out of state, resulting in a net population gain of 132,205 people due to migration.
Population Inflow
South Carolina: 1995-2000
| State in 2000 | State in 1995 | South Carolina Population Inflow |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | Alabama | 8,042 |
| South Carolina | Alaska | 1,151 |
| South Carolina | Arizona | 3,393 |
| South Carolina | Arkansas | 2,260 |
| South Carolina | California | 17,728 |
| South Carolina | Colorado | 3,567 |
| South Carolina | Connecticut | 7,207 |
| South Carolina | Delaware | 1,598 |
| South Carolina | District of Columbia | 2,322 |
| South Carolina | Florida | 38,495 |
| South Carolina | Georgia | 41,149 |
| South Carolina | Hawaii | 2,290 |
| South Carolina | Idaho | 788 |
| South Carolina | Illinois | 10,318 |
| South Carolina | Indiana | 6,766 |
| South Carolina | Iowa | 1,482 |
| South Carolina | Kansas | 2,514 |
| South Carolina | Kentucky | 6,537 |
| South Carolina | Louisiana | 4,144 |
| South Carolina | Maine | 1,932 |
| South Carolina | Maryland | 12,738 |
| South Carolina | Massachusetts | 5,302 |
| South Carolina | Michigan | 9,008 |
| South Carolina | Minnesota | 1,540 |
| South Carolina | Mississippi | 3,297 |
| South Carolina | Missouri | 3,684 |
| South Carolina | Montana | 662 |
| South Carolina | Nebraska | 1,181 |
| South Carolina | Nevada | 1,517 |
| South Carolina | New Hampshire | 1,738 |
| South Carolina | New Jersey | 16,740 |
| South Carolina | New Mexico | 1,782 |
| South Carolina | New York | 40,398 |
| South Carolina | North Carolina | 65,189 |
| South Carolina | North Dakota | 601 |
| South Carolina | Ohio | 17,807 |
| South Carolina | Oklahoma | 3,278 |
| South Carolina | Oregon | 1,270 |
| South Carolina | Pennsylvania | 21,249 |
| South Carolina | Rhode Island | 1,276 |
| South Carolina | South Dakota | 623 |
| South Carolina | Tennessee | 11,759 |
| South Carolina | Texas | 16,342 |
| South Carolina | Utah | 1,407 |
| South Carolina | Vermont | 918 |
| South Carolina | Virginia | 23,907 |
| South Carolina | Washington | 4,149 |
| South Carolina | West Virginia | 5,731 |
| South Carolina | Wisconsin | 3,224 |
| South Carolina | Wyoming | 449 |
| South Carolina | Total | 442,449 |
Population Outflow
South Carolina: 1995-2000
| State in 1995 | State in 2000 | South Carolina Population Outflow |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | Alabama | 6,560 |
| South Carolina | Alaska | 1,199 |
| South Carolina | Arizona | 3,429 |
| South Carolina | Arkansas | 1,704 |
| South Carolina | California | 9,710 |
| South Carolina | Colorado | 3,689 |
| South Carolina | Connecticut | 2,333 |
| South Carolina | Delaware | 790 |
| South Carolina | District of Columbia | 2,450 |
| South Carolina | Florida | 31,469 |
| South Carolina | Georgia | 46,414 |
| South Carolina | Hawaii | 1,649 |
| South Carolina | Idaho | 373 |
| South Carolina | Illinois | 4,982 |
| South Carolina | Indiana | 3,814 |
| South Carolina | Iowa | 971 |
| South Carolina | Kansas | 1,757 |
| South Carolina | Kentucky | 4,806 |
| South Carolina | Louisiana | 2,909 |
| South Carolina | Maine | 997 |
| South Carolina | Maryland | 7,209 |
| South Carolina | Massachusetts | 2,814 |
| South Carolina | Michigan | 4,620 |
| South Carolina | Minnesota | 1,619 |
| South Carolina | Mississippi | 2,683 |
| South Carolina | Missouri | 3,515 |
| South Carolina | Montana | 425 |
| South Carolina | Nebraska | 862 |
| South Carolina | Nevada | 1,270 |
| South Carolina | New Hampshire | 841 |
| South Carolina | New Jersey | 4,477 |
| South Carolina | New Mexico | 1,213 |
| South Carolina | New York | 9,255 |
| South Carolina | North Carolina | 61,237 |
| South Carolina | North Dakota | 223 |
| South Carolina | Ohio | 8,543 |
| South Carolina | Oklahoma | 2,364 |
| South Carolina | Oregon | 1,037 |
| South Carolina | Pennsylvania | 7,500 |
| South Carolina | Rhode Island | 514 |
| South Carolina | South Dakota | 263 |
| South Carolina | Tennessee | 12,542 |
| South Carolina | Texas | 13,322 |
| South Carolina | Utah | 978 |
| South Carolina | Vermont | 426 |
| South Carolina | Virginia | 20,225 |
| South Carolina | Washington | 3,226 |
| South Carolina | West Virginia | 2,898 |
| South Carolina | Wisconsin | 1,826 |
| South Carolina | Wyoming | 312 |
| South Carolina | Total | 310,244 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000. County-To-County Migration Flow Files.