South Carolina ranked 25th in population in the US with an estimated total of 4,107,183 in 2002, an increase of 2.4% since 2000. Between 1990 and 2000, South Carolina's population grew from 3,486,703 to 4,012,012, an increase of 15.1%. The population is projected to reach 4.6 million by 2025.
In 2000, the median age for South Carolinians was 35.4.In the same year, 25.2% of the populace was under age 18 while 12.1% was age 65 or older. The population density in 2000 was 133.2 persons per sq mi.
In 2002, Columbia was the largest city proper, with 117,394 residents. Other cities with large population concentrations include Charleston, Greenville, and Spartanburg. In 1999, the Columbia metropolitan area had an estimated 516,251 residents, and the Charleston metropolitan area had 552,803.