State mortality · CDC NCHS 2017
South Carolina - Mortality Statistics
36,190 deaths in 2017 across 10 tracked causes, at a state average age-adjusted rate of 60.1 per 100,000.
Data updated 2017-12-31
- 36,190
- Deaths, 2017
- Heart disease
- Leading cause
- +8%
- vs national avg
- 60.1
- Avg age-adj /100K
Compare or explore this data
Side-by-side state comparisons and cause lookups use the same CDC NCHS figures shown on this page. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.
Higher mean age-adjusted rate
What this means: South Carolina sits in the top third of jurisdictions by mean age-adjusted rate across leading causes (60.1/100K; corpus #12 of 51). Running above the national figure, even modestly, is worth tracking over time -- small persistent gaps often trace back to the same access and chronic-disease factors that drive larger ones.
Higher-rate third on mean age-adjusted leading causes (2017). Heart disease leads the 2017 file. Rates are CDC WONDER age-adjusted; see /methodology#corpus-placement.
Source: CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death (CDC NCHS / NVSS), 2017. Age-adjusted rates allow fair comparison across states.
FIPS 45 · CDC WONDER 2017
South Carolina mortality desk
2017: 36,190 deaths across 10 tracked causes at 60.1/100K mean age-adjusted · corpus #12/51 · 8% above US avg. Nearest rate peer: Michigan (-0.7/100K).
South Carolina in the higher-rate third
In 2017, CDC WONDER tallied 36,190 deaths in South Carolina across 10 tracked cause-of-death categories. Heart disease led the record with 10,418 deaths at an age-adjusted rate of 172.0 per 100,000, placing South Carolina at #17 of 51 states for this cause, where a higher rank corresponds to a higher rate. The top five causes accounted for 29,595 deaths (81.8% of the state total). Among jurisdictions with published CDC WONDER leading-cause files, that mean rate lands in the higher third.
Running above the national figure, even modestly, is worth tracking over time -- small persistent gaps often trace back to the same access and chronic-disease factors that drive larger ones.
Mean-rate neighbourhood around South Carolina
Leading Causes of Death, Top 5
The five leading causes account for 29,595 deaths (81.8% of all deaths) in South Carolina.
The Complete 2017 Cause List for South Carolina
| # | Cause of death | Deaths | % of total | Age-adj /100K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heart disease | 10,418 | 28.8% | 172.0 |
| 2 | Cancer | 10,356 | 28.6% | 162.7 |
| 3 | Unintentional injuries | 3,147 | 8.7% | 60.2 |
| 4 | CLRD | 2,983 | 8.2% | 47.9 |
| 5 | Stroke | 2,691 | 7.4% | 44.9 |
| 6 | Alzheimer's disease | 2,549 | 7.0% | 45.0 |
| 7 | Diabetes | 1,535 | 4.2% | 24.5 |
| 8 | Kidney disease | 950 | 2.6% | 15.5 |
| 9 | Suicide | 838 | 2.3% | 16.3 |
| 10 | Influenza and pneumonia | 723 | 2.0% | 12.3 |
In South Carolina, does a high death count mean a high rate?
10 causes of death in South Carolina plotted by total deaths against the age-adjusted rate per 100,000. Death count and age-adjusted rate move together across South Carolina's causes (r=1.00) -- the causes with the most deaths here also tend to carry the highest per-capita rate.
Causes of death in South Carolina by deaths and age-adjusted rate: Heart disease, 10418 deaths, 172 per 100,000 age-adjusted rate. Cancer, 10356 deaths, 162.7 per 100,000 age-adjusted rate. Unintentional injuries, 3147 deaths, 60.2 per 100,000 age-adjusted rate. CLRD, 2983 deaths, 47.9 per 100,000 age-adjusted rate. Stroke, 2691 deaths, 44.9 per 100,000 age-adjusted rate. Alzheimer's disease, 2549 deaths, 45 per 100,000 age-adjusted rate. Diabetes, 1535 deaths, 24.5 per 100,000 age-adjusted rate. Kidney disease, 950 deaths, 15.5 per 100,000 age-adjusted rate. Suicide, 838 deaths, 16.3 per 100,000 age-adjusted rate. Influenza and pneumonia, 723 deaths, 12.3 per 100,000 age-adjusted rate.
The Trend Line Behind This Data
Show the full 19-year data table (deaths, rate, year-over-year change)
| Year | Total Deaths | Avg Age-Adj Rate | Deaths YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 28,240 | 76.2 | - |
| 2000 | 28,564 | 75.7 | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 28,088 | 72.8 | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 28,885 | 73.7 | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 29,016 | 72.3 | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 28,539 | 69.4 | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 29,325 | 69.5 | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 29,018 | 66.1 | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 29,411 | 64.9 | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 30,002 | 64.2 | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 30,014 | 62.5 | 0.0% |
| 2010 | 30,527 | 62.3 | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 30,690 | 60.8 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 31,334 | 60.0 | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 32,119 | 59.8 | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 32,956 | 59.6 | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 34,563 | 61.0 | +4.9% |
| 2016 | 35,312 | 60.4 | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 36,190 | 60.1 | +2.5% |
Nearby States & Comparisons
Compare mortality data with states bordering South Carolina (2017).
| State | Deaths (Top Cause) | Leading Cause | Age-Adj Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina (this state) | 10,418 | Heart disease | 172.0 |
| Georgia | 18,389 | Heart disease | 175.8 |
| North Carolina | 19,474 | Cancer | 157.1 |
States with similar CDC WONDER rates
Two non-border peer sets for South Carolina in 2017, drawn from the higher-rate third's nearest neighbors on published age-adjusted rates. Border neighbors stay in the table above.
Similar mean leading-cause rate
Nearest jurisdictions by mean age-adjusted rate across leading causes (60.1/100K here), excluding bordering states.
Similar suicide rate (X60-X84)
Nearest jurisdictions by suicide age-adjusted rate, excluding the mean-rate peer set and bordering states.
Data source & methodology
Rates are per 100,000 population. Age-adjusted rates use the year 2000 US standard population. Data covers 1999-2017. Source: CDC WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death (CDC NCHS / NVSS).
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
According to the CDC National Center for Health Statistics, PlainHealthData's mortality figures are rendered directly from 9,690 official state-year-cause records (NCHS Leading Causes of Death for calendar years 1999-2017). June 2026 is when this portal last verified that frozen CDC file is intact; it is not a newer claims year. No figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, our data changelog, or report a data error on this page. Data current as of 2017.