Berkeley County Ranks No. 3 in SC for Longest Life Expectancy

Canva

Counties with the longest life expectancy in South Carolina

Life expectancy rates have been on the rise in the United States, with an increase of nearly seven years over the past half-century. (The average lifespan was 70.8 in 1970 and was documented as 77.5 in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.) There are many factors that can contribute to how long you’ll live—from genetics to how much you drink or smoke, your diet and weight, and how physically active you are. But then there’s the matter of where you live.

In some areas of the globe, dubbed “blue zones,” there is a disproportionately high number of residents who live to at least 100 years old. These five particular pockets of the world—Ikaria, Greece; Loma Linda, California; Nicoya, Costa Rica, Okinawa, Japan; and Sardinia, Italy—are heavily researched, as scientists try to determine what it is about these residents’ diets, lifestyles, and environments that can promote such longevity. While it may not be as obvious of a contributing factor, where you live can play a significant role in your overall lifespan, which is why some states and even counties in the U.S. tend to see longer life expectancy rates compared to others.

By delving into 2024 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified the counties with the longest life expectancy in South Carolina. Life expectancy measures the average number of years from birth a person can expect to live and is calculated based on the number of deaths in a given time period and the average number of people at risk of dying during that period. Counties with unreliable or insufficient data were excluded from the analysis. Mortality data came from the National Vital Statistics System.

Read on to see where Berkeley County fits in on the list.

You may also like: Counties with the highest STI rates in South Carolina

Canva

#12. Jasper County (tie)

– Life expectancy: 75.3 years
— 0.1 years higher than the state average

Canva

#12. Horry County (tie)

– Life expectancy: 75.3 years
— 0.1 years higher than the state average

Canva

#11. Lancaster County

– Life expectancy: 75.4 years
— 0.2 years higher than the state average

Canva

#10. Oconee County

– Life expectancy: 75.6 years
— 0.4 years higher than the state average

Canva

#9. Richland County

– Life expectancy: 76.1 years
— 0.9 years higher than the state average

Bennekom // Shutterstock

#8. Edgefield County

– Life expectancy: 76.3 years
— 1.1 years higher than the state average

Canva

#7. Lexington County

– Life expectancy: 76.7 years
— 1.5 years higher than the state average

Nolichuckyjake // Shutterstock

#5. York County (tie)

– Life expectancy: 76.8 years
— 1.6 years higher than the state average

Canva

#5. Greenville County (tie)

– Life expectancy: 76.8 years
— 1.6 years higher than the state average

Canva

#4. Dorchester County

– Life expectancy: 77.0 years
— 1.8 years higher than the state average

Canva

#3. Berkeley County

– Life expectancy: 77.2 years
— 2.0 years higher than the state average

Canva

#2. Charleston County

– Life expectancy: 78.1 years
— 2.9 years higher than the state average

Canva

#1. Beaufort County

– Life expectancy: 81.3 years
— 6.1 years higher than the state average

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.