Unpopular opinion: South Carolina isn’t always No. 1.

It might be in our hearts, but it’s not according to experts + data (lots and lots of data). In fact, the state ranked 42 out of 50.

Charleston gets so many accolades for being a great place to visit + live, but we’re only as good as the state we’re in. And that state just got shockingly bad reviews all across the board by the U.S. News and World Report.

So, how does S.C. compare?

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We’re #48 in education, and in the bottom half of all rankings other than economy + fiscal stability. But, in the spirit of optimism, we ranked #5 in drinking water quality. 🚰

The full run-down (ranking out of 50, data from McKinsey & Company’s Leading States Index):

48. Education

42. Crimes + Correction

41. Health Care

39. Opportunity

33. Infrastructure

30. Quality of life

18. Fiscal Stability

15. Economy

Quick facts:

Iowa, Minnesota, Utah, North Dakota + New Hampshire were ranked in the top five overall, respectively.
Oklahoma, Alaska, Arkansas, Alabama, West Virginia, New Mexico, Mississippi + Louisiana ranked beneath S.C., respectively.

S.C. takeaways:

10.3% of bridges are deemed deficient
18.6% of roads are in poor/mediocre condition
15.8% of adults go without health care due to cost
32.3% of adults are obese
60% of college students graduate with debt
Only 21.9% of children under five attend preschool

While the numbers may seem grim, it’s not all bad news. South Carolina’s 2018 rankings show a big improvement compared to last year— when the state ranked dead last in education and 45th overall.

Another glimmer of hope: S.C. leaped over ten states in the ‘infrastructure’ category, going from 43rd in 2017 to 33rd this year. Perhaps that’s partly due to the gas tax bill, aimed at giving some much-needed TLC to the state’s crumbling roadways.

—The CHStoday team