In a 2026 report, SC’s overall senior health ranking improved, but not everything got better.
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Senior health in South Carolina seemingly improved since last year, according to a recent report from America’s Health Rankings, the longest-running state-by-state assessment of the nation’s health, but some there are still some issues that the Palmetto State needs to face.
Every year, America’s Health Rankings releases a senior health report that evaluates each state using a comprehensive model built upon 56 measures of health and 25 data sources.
The 2026 America’s Health Rankings Senior Report showed progress in several areas of older adult health across the nation, such as the expansion of the workforce caring for older adults, improvements in preventive health behaviors and a continued decrease in early deaths.
Nationally, the report also found that food insecurity among adults 60+ increased by 6% between 2022 and 2023, affecting approximately 7.4 million older Americans, and several measures of mental and behavioral health worsened.
A similar trend occurred in SC, but there are some significant differences from last year’s report. Here are the Palmetto State’s key findings:
South Carolina’s overall rank
SC’s ranking went up three spots year-over-year, from 32nd in the nation in 2025 to 29th in 2026, and 10 years ago, the state ranked 34th. It’s a small improvement, but a step in the right direction, nevertheless.
The biggest changes from last year’s report were the following:
High-speed internet access increased by 38% from 63.0% to 87.1% of households with adults age 65 and older between 2015 and 2024. The current rank for this measure is 29th, and in 2025, the ranking was 33rd.Low-care nursing home residents increased by 16% from 6.8% to 7.9% of residents between 2021 and 2023. The current rank for this measure is 18th, and in 2025, the ranking was 16th.Food insecurity decreased by 12% from 9.8% to 8.6% of adults age 60 and older between 2022 and 2023. The current rank for this measure is 32nd, and in 2025, the ranking was 43rd.
To see the full report, click here.
SC’s strengths and challenges
According to the report, the state’s strengths include:
Low prevalence of frequent mental distress. SC ranks 9thHigh prevalence of older adults with a dedicated health care provider. SC ranks 11th
The mentioned challenges include:
High early death rate. SC ranks 39thHigh rate of motor vehicle deaths. SC ranks 44th
Additionally, there is a 16% increase in suicide among adults 65+ between 2018-2020 and 2022-2024. This year’s report said there were 19.1 deaths per 100,000 adults aged 65 to 74. Last year’s report said there were 18.3 deaths per 100,000 adults aged 65 to 74.
SC’s Housing cost burden also increased since last year’s report. In 2025, the state ranked 3rd for its housing cost burden, but now the state currently ranks 17th in the nation.
Resources for seniors
While the state improved in several measures and increased its ranking, the Palmetto State still has many challenges compared to other parts of the country.
If you or a loved one needs to find resources for assisted living, transportation, meals, medical supplies or help with daily chores, you can find service providers in your area at GetCareSC.
If you’re looking for the right nursing home to place your loved one, then we also have you covered. Here are the 35 highest-rated nursing homes in the state.
The State
Damian Bertrand is a service journalism reporter covering South Carolina for McClatchy Media. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of South Carolina.