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

The verdict

South Carolina's leading killer is heart disease at 172.0 per 100K (age-adjusted); the state's average age-adjusted rate across tracked causes runs 8% above the national figure.

172.0
Heart disease /100K, leading: +8%
vs national avg rate: -21.1%
rate, 1999-2017: 36,190
total deaths, 2017

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

RATE-QUIET 60.1/100K DEATHS-MID 36K deaths RANK-UPPER #12/51 LEAD-CAUSE Heart disease · 172.0 NAT-ABOVE +8% vs US TREND-STEEP-DOWN -21.1% 18y PHOTO-FINISH Michigan · ±0.7 BOOK-FULL 10 causes · 2017

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).

Neighbourhood around South Carolina's 60.1/100K mean, not a full 51-state distribution reprint.

Top 5 Causes of Death

The five leading causes account for 29,595 deaths (81.8% of all deaths) in South Carolina.

1. Heart disease 10,418 (28.8%)

2. Cancer 10,356 (28.6%)

3. Unintentional injuries 3,147 (8.7%)

4. CLRD 2,983 (8.2%)

5. Stroke 2,691 (7.4%)

All Causes of Death in South Carolina (2017)

#	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

Mortality Trends Over Time

South Carolina - average age-adjusted death rate across all leading causes.

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%

(Phase 2 - dim 5+6 connective signal). The card grid + this table used to show the SAME 3-5 neighbor states' SAME stats twice in a row -- merged into one section, the table absorbs the card grid's job since it already links each state name AND adds California's own row for direct comparison. -->

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

Compare leading causes of death in South Carolina →

States with similar CDC WONDER rates

Two non-border peer sets for South Carolina in 2017. Border neighbors stay in the table above; these lists are nearest other jurisdictions on published age-adjusted rates.

Similar mean leading-cause rate

Nearest jurisdictions by mean age-adjusted rate across leading causes (60.1/100K here), excluding bordering states.

Michigan 59.4/100K Missouri 61.7/100K Indiana 61.8/100K Nevada 58.3/100K

Similar suicide rate (X60-X84)

Nearest jurisdictions by suicide age-adjusted rate, excluding the mean-rate peer set and bordering states.

Alabama 16.6/100K Tennessee 16.8/100K Kentucky 16.9/100K Washington 16.9/100K

Dig deeper into South Carolina's mortality data

All causes in South Carolina → Compare South Carolina →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the leading cause of death in South Carolina? ▼

Of the 10 tracked categories, Heart disease claimed the most lives in South Carolina during 2017: 10,418 deaths, 172.0 per 100,000 age-adjusted.

How many people died in South Carolina in 2017? ▼

In 2017, there were 36,190 recorded deaths in South Carolina across 10 tracked causes of death.

What are the top 3 causes of death in South Carolina? ▼

The top 3 causes of death in South Carolina (2017) are: 1) Heart disease (10,418 deaths), 2) Cancer (10,356 deaths), and 3) Unintentional injuries (3,147 deaths).

How does South Carolina's mortality rate compare to the national average? ▼

South Carolina's average age-adjusted mortality rate is 60.1 per 100,000, which is above the national average of 55.5 per 100,000.

Has the death rate in South Carolina increased or decreased over time? ▼

From 1999 to 2017, total deaths in South Carolina changed by 28.2%. The average age-adjusted rate decreased by 21.1%.

What years of mortality data are available for South Carolina? ▼

Mortality data for South Carolina is available from 1999 to 2017, covering 19 years of CDC WONDER data.

Where does South Carolina rank nationally for Heart disease? ▼

South Carolina ranks #17 out of 51 states for Heart disease with an age-adjusted rate of 172.0 per 100,000 (higher rank = higher rate).

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, or report a data error. Data current as of 2017.