According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2001, South Carolina had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $24,840 which ranked 42nd in the United States (including the District of Columbia) and was 82% of the national average, $30,413. The 2001 PCPI reflected an increase of 2.6% from 2000 compared to the national change of 2.2%. In 2001, South Carolina had a total personal income (TPI) of $100,901,536,000 which ranked 27th in the United States and accounted for 1.2% of the national total. The 2001 TPI reflected an increase of 3.6% from 2000 compared to the national change of 3.3%.
Earnings of persons employed in South Carolina increased from $67,736,812,000 in 2000 to $69,306,154,000 in 2001, an increase of 2.3%. The largest industries in 2001 were services, 23.2% of earnings; state and local government, 14.8%; and retail trade, 10.4%. Of the industries that accounted for at least 5% of earnings in 2001, the slowest growing from 2000 to 2001 was nondurable goods manufacturing (10.3% of earnings in 2001), which decreased 3.7%; the fastest was services, which increased 6.0%.
According to data released by the US Census Bureau, in 2000, the median household income was $37,119 compared to the national average of $42,148. In 2001, the median income for a family of four was $59,212 compared to the national average of $63,278. For the period 1999 to 2001, the average poverty rate was 12.7% which placed it 36th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia ranked lowest to highest.