The South Carolina Office of Revenue and Fiscal Affairs has estimated the state’s population will grow by 800,000 people in the next 15 or so years. All the growth is expected to come in 21 of the state’s 46 counties including just about anywhere radiating out from the coasts of Myrtle Beach, Charleston and Hilton Head, plus the Greenville and Spartanburg areas and the counties close to Charlotte. Most every rural county, will see their populations shrink.
It’s a trend that’s been making South Carolina’s population older, wealthier, Whiter and more politically conservative. South Carolina has a majority White population (64.06%) with a notably large Black population (25.30%) one of the highest proportions of any U.S. state. But seriously: Whiter and more politically conservative?
South Carolina already has one of the most consistently conservative state governments in the U.S. Here are some of the most questionable policy decisions in recent years:
Women’s Rights
South Carolina enacted a six-week abortion ban (the "fetal heartbeat" law) in 2023, which the state Supreme Court upheld as constitutional in August 2023 despite acknowledging it infringes on privacy rights. Earlier this year, legislators introduced the "Prenatal Equal Protection Act," which would criminalize abortion as homicide from the moment of conception. It is currently stalled in committee. South Carolina has also passed legislation to restrict transgender athletes from participating in women's sports, and has banned gender-affirming care for minors.
Gun Rights
South Carolina has consistently expanded gun rights, including permit less carry legislation allowing residents to carry concealed weapons without a permit or training requirement. And you cannot read a copy of the Charleston Post & Courier that does not include news of one or more shooting deaths daily! Rabid gunowners say they need to keep guns and ammo on hand to kill defenseless animals during hunting seasons or as a hedge against a federal government that is itching to take away their “rights.” Something that has not happened in, say, 250 years.
Redistricting
The Republican-controlled legislature (75% White) redrew congressional maps that increased potential Republican voters in key districts, resulting in a 2024 U.S. Supreme Court case (Alexander v. South Carolina NAACP) where the Court sided with the state which argued that since Blacks often vote Democratic that new districts were not based on race, but voter tendencies. Critics, including the League of Women Voters and Harvard Law Review, say the decision made racial gerrymandering easier to get away with, since legislatures can now more easily claim political — rather than racial — motivation, even in states like South Carolina where race and party affiliation are tightly correlated.
Immigration
In spite of the shooting death of at least two innocents in Minneapolis by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, the Palmetto State has pledged to fully cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Nevertheless: an estimated 314,000 immigrant residents contribute more than $10.2 billion in spending power to South Carolina's economy. And a 2025 state government research report found that foreign-born workers contributed $9.44 billion in economic surplus — growing 61.76% since 2017 and at nearly three times the rate of native-born worker contributions. Immigrant-led households pay approximately $3.5 billion in state and local taxes annually.
Let’s hope that newer residents of the State will bring more compassionate sensibilities to counter balance those who resist progress.