North Carolina vs South Carolina GDP, 1997 to 2025

What the data shows

• North Carolina: $234.57B in 1997, $895.92B in 2025 (3.8× higher).
• South Carolina: $97.45B in 1997, $378.38B in 2025 (3.9× higher).

About this chart

North Carolina had the larger GDP in 2025: $895.92 billion versus $378.38 billion for South Carolina, a gap of $517.54 billion. Over the full period from 1997, North Carolina grew by 281.9%, while South Carolina grew by 288.3%. North Carolina was ahead in 1997 and remained ahead at every annual observation in the displayed series. The comparison uses the same reference year for both states.

The BEA all-industry series puts North Carolina and South Carolina on the same basis: annual GDP in current US dollars. The first-year figures are $234.57 billion for North Carolina and $97.45 billion for South Carolina. These totals measure production within each state, not residents’ earnings or disposable income. They are not adjusted for inflation, so the percentage changes mix price movements with changes in real output. Differences in population also affect total GDP; this comparison is not a per-person ranking.

The data

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, SAGDP2 all-industry GDP, current US$ billions. Retrieved November 5, 2026. Nominal GDP, not adjusted for inflation; total economic output, not household income or GDP per person.