Beaufort County, SC

County

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2019 Population

186,095

1.88% 1-year growth

US Senator

Lindsey Graham

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Scott

Republican Party

2019 Median Age

45.5

1.56% 1-year increase

2019 Poverty Rate

10.2%

8.08% 1-year decrease

2019 Median Household Income

$68,377

8.35% 1-year growth

2019 Median Property Value

$298,100

3.18% 1-year growth

2019 Employed Population

76,980

3.44% 1-year growth

About

In 2019, Beaufort County, SC had a population of 186k people with a median age of 45.5 and a median household income of $68,377. Between 2018 and 2019 the population of Beaufort County, SC grew from 182,658 to 186,095, a 1.88% increase and its median household income grew from $63,110 to $68,377, a 8.35% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Beaufort County, SC are White (Non-Hispanic) (67.9%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (17.5%), White (Hispanic) (6.77%), Other (Hispanic) (3.5%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.77%). 0% of the households in Beaufort County, SC speak a non-English language at home as their primary language.

95.4% of the residents in Beaufort County, SC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Beaufort County, SC are Technical College of the Lowcountry (412 degrees awarded in 2020) and University of South Carolina Beaufort (412 degrees).

In 2019, the median property value in Beaufort County, SC was $298,100, and the homeownership rate was 73.3%. Most people in Beaufort County, SC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Beaufort County, SC was 2 cars per household.

Beaufort County, SC borders Colleton County, SC, Hampton County, SC, and Jasper County, SC.

United States South Carolina Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC

Diversity

Beaufort County, SC is home to a population of 186k people, from which 95.4% are citizens. As of 2019, 8.01% of Beaufort County, SC residents were born outside of the country (14.9k people).

In 2019, there were 3.88 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (126k people) in Beaufort County, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 32.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 12.6k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Beaufort County, SC

White (Non-Hispanic)
126k ± 193
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
32.6k ± 699
White (Hispanic)
12.6k ± 1.18k

11.1%

Hispanic Population

20.6k people

11.1% of the people in Beaufort County, SC are hispanic (20.6k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Beaufort County, SC as a share of the total population.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

8.01%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

14.9k people

8.31%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

15.2k people

As of 2019, 8.01% of Beaufort County, SC residents (14.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2018, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Beaufort County, SC was 8.31%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Beaufort County, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.4

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.8

In 2019, the median age of all people in Beaufort County, SC was 45.5. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 46, were generally older than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 43. But people in Beaufort County, SC are getting getting older. In 2018, the average age of all Beaufort County, SC residents was 45.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for South Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
64,736 ± 6,206 people
India
14,943 ± 2,997 people
Honduras
11,181 ± 2,593 people

In 2019, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 64,736 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 14,943 and Honduras with 11,181.

Citizenship

95.4%

2019 Citizenship

95.1%

2018 Citizenship

As of 2019, 95.4% of Beaufort County, SC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2018, the percentage of US citizens in Beaufort County, SC was 95.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Beaufort County, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
6,978 ± 478
Gulf War (2001-)
3,455 ± 423
Gulf War (1990s)
2,218 ± 406

Beaufort County, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.02 times greater than any other conflict.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for South Carolina. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in South Carolina, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in South Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in South Carolina.

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Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of South Carolina across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Economy

Median household income in Beaufort County, SC is $68,377. In 2019, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Beaufort County, SC was Census Tract 21.01 with a value of $137,813, followed by Census Tract 104 and Census Tract 107, with respective values of $107,787 and $105,236.

Males in South Carolina have an average income that is 1.37 times higher than the average income of females, which is $43,921. The income inequality in South Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.461, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Beaufort County, SC employs 77k people. The largest industries in Beaufort County, SC are Retail Trade (10,903 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (9,401 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (9,195 people), and the highest paying industries are Finance & Insurance ($56,327), Utilities ($55,994), and Manufacturing ($53,816).

Wages

Median Household Income

$68,377

2019 value

± $1,987

8.35%

1 Year Growth

± 3.95%

Households in Beaufort County, SC have a median annual income of $68,377, which is more than the median annual income of $65,712 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $63,110 in 2018, which represents a 8.35% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Beaufort County, SC compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Sex in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for South Carolina.

$60,300

Average Male Salary in South Carolina

± $1,526

$43,921

Average Female Salary in South Carolina

± $1,088

In 2019, full-time male employees in South Carolina made 1.37 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the sex-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in South Carolina by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for South Carolina.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in South Carolina

Asian
$57,024 ± $9,306
White
$51,354 ± $1,131
American Indian
$44,350 ± $16,152

In 2019 the highest paid race/ethnicity of South Carolina workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.11 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in South Carolina.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in South Carolina by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Beaufort County, SC is from South Carolina.

0.461

2019 Wage GINI in South Carolina

0.462

2018 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2019, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.461 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.211% decline from 2018 to 2019, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in South Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in South Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 21.01
Census Tract 104
Census Tract 107

In 2019, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Beaufort County, SC was Census Tract 21.01 with a value of $137,813, followed by Census Tract 104 and Census Tract 107, with respective values of $107,787 and $105,236.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Beaufort County, SC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Poverty by Age and Sex

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

10.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Beaufort County, SC (18.5k out of 181k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.3%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Males 6 - 11.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
8,642 ± 807
Black
7,601 ± 751
Hispanic
3,518 ± 485

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Beaufort County, SC is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

77k

2019 Value

± 2,365

3.44%

1 Year growth

± 4.13%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Beaufort County, SC grew at a rate of 3.44%, from 74.4k employees to 77k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Beaufort County, SC, are Management Occupations (9,150 people), Sales & Related Occupations (9,134 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (7,546 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Beaufort County, SC.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Beaufort County, SC, by number of employees, are Management Occupations (9,150 people), Sales & Related Occupations (9,134 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (7,546 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Beaufort County, SC has an unusually high number of residents working as Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance Occupations (1.54 times higher than expected), Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (1.42 times), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (1.26 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Beaufort County, SC, by median earnings, are Computer & Mathematical Occupations ($79,940), Computer, Engineering, & Science Occupations ($75,375), and Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($73,163).

Industries

Employment by Industries

77k

2019 Value

± 2,365

3.44%

1 Year growth

± 4.13%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Beaufort County, SC grew at a rate of 3.44%, from 74.4k employees to 77k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Beaufort County, SC, are Retail Trade (10,903 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (9,401 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (9,195 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Beaufort County, SC, though some of these residents may live in Beaufort County, SC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Most Common

The most common industries in Beaufort County, SC, by number of employees, are Retail Trade (10,903 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (9,401 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (9,195 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Beaufort County, SC has an unusually high number of Real Estate & Rental & Leasing (1.87 times higher than expected), Accommodation & Food Services (1.58 times), and Administrative & Support & Waste Management Services (1.44 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Beaufort County, SC, by median earnings, are Finance & Insurance ($56,327), Utilities ($55,994), and Manufacturing ($53,816).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from South Carolina to other states, or from other states to South Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound South Carolina product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $38.2B, followed by Plastics/rubber ($32.1B) and Machinery ($26.9B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound South Carolina products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for South Carolina.

$285B

2020 Value in South Carolina

$613B

Projected 2050 Value in South Carolina

115% growth

In 2020, total outbound South Carolina trade was $285B. This is expected to increase 115% to $613B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound South Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from South Carolina to other states, or from other states to South Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

North Carolina
$30.1B
Georgia
$22.4B
Texas
$13.2B

In 2020, the top outbound South Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was North Carolina with $30.1B, followed by Georgia with $22.4B and Texas and $13.2B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that South Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Beaufort County, SC went to Donald J. Trump with 54.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (44.4%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.962%). The most partisan county was Allendale County, SC with 75.6% of the vote going to Joseph R Biden Jr. running for the Democratic Party.

Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott are the senators currently representing the state of South Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

South Carolina is currently represented by 7 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (54.4%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (44.4%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.962%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Beaufort County, SC for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Presidential voting results are only available at the county level. Showing data for the counties inside of South Carolina.

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for Beaufort County, SC

54.4% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in South Carolina

Allendale County, SC
75.6% for Joseph R Biden Jr. (Democratic Party)
Pickens County, SC
74.6% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Oconee County, SC
73% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2020 presidential election, the most partisan county in South Carolina was Allendale County, SC with 75.6% of the vote going to Joseph R Biden Jr. running for the Democratic Party.

The following map shows the counties in South Carolina colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from South Carolina

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

Lindsey Graham

Senator from South Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2003

Tim Scott

Senator from South Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2013
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Jim DeMint.

Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott are the senators currently representing South Carolina.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in South Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives from South Carolina

South Carolina is currently represented by 7 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for South Carolina have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Beaufort County, SC awarded 824 degrees. The student population of Beaufort County, SC is skewed towards women, with 1,242 male students and 2,883 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Beaufort County, SC are White (454 and 55.6%), followed by Black or African American (206 and 25.2%), Hispanic or Latino (81 and 9.93%), and Two or More Races (49 and 6%).

The largest universities in Beaufort County, SC by number of degrees awarded are Technical College of the Lowcountry (412 and 50%) and University of South Carolina Beaufort (412 and 50%).

The most popular majors in Beaufort County, SC are Registered Nursing (113 and 13.7%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (98 and 11.9%), and General Business Administration & Management (78 and 9.47%).

The median tuition cost in Beaufort County, SC for a public four year colleges is $10,344 for in-state students and $21,390 for out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

General Hospitality Management
49 degree-majorss awarded
General Biological Sciences
43 degree-majorss awarded
General Business Administration & Management
78 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Beaufort County, SC was General Hospitality Management with 49 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Beaufort County, SC according to their major.

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Technical College of the Lowcountry
412 degrees awarded
University of South Carolina Beaufort
412 degrees awarded

$10,344

Median In-State Public

In 2020, the Beaufort County, SC institution with the largest number of graduating students was Technical College of the Lowcountry with 412 degrees awarded.

Student Sex for Common Institutions

205

Degrees Awarded to Men

619

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2020, 205 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Beaufort County, SC, which is 0.331 times less than the 619 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the sex disparity between the institutions in Beaufort County, SC by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
454 degrees awarded
Black or African American
206 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
81 degrees awarded

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions in Beaufort County, SC was White students. These 454 degrees mean that there were 2.2 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 206 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Beaufort County, SC was $298,100 in 2019, which is 1.24 times larger than the national average of $240,500. Between 2018 and 2019 the median property value increased from $288,900 to $298,100, a 3.18% increase. The homeownership rate in Beaufort County, SC is 73.3%, which is higher than the national average of 64.1%. People in Beaufort County, SC have an average commute time of 20.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Beaufort County, SC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$298,100

2019 Median

± $6,451

$288,900

2018 Median

± $6,174

In 2019, the median property value in Beaufort County, SC grew to to $298,100 from the previous year's value of $288,900.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Beaufort County, SC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Beaufort County, SC the largest share of households have a property value in the $300k - $400k range.

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$68,377

Median Household Income

± $1,987

71.5k

Number of Households

± 1,949

In 2019, the median household income of the 71.5k households in Beaufort County, SC grew to $68,377 from the previous year's value of $63,110.

The following chart displays the households in Beaufort County, SC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Property Taxes

$800 - $1,499

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Beaufort County, SC distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Beaufort County, SC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

Rent vs Own

73.3%

2019 Homeownership

71.6%

2018 Homeownership

In 2019, 73.3% of the housing units in Beaufort County, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 71.6%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 64.1%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Beaufort County, SC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

20.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Beaufort County, SC have a shorter commute time (20.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.5 minutes). Additionally, 1.69% of the workforce in Beaufort County, SC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Beaufort County, SC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2019

Drove Alone (77.5%)
Carpooled (9.94%)
Worked At Home (8.34%)

In 2019, 77.5% of workers in Beaufort County, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.94%) and those who worked at home (8.34%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Beaufort County, SC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Beaufort County, SC have 2 cars, followed by false.

Health

89.3% of the population of Beaufort County, SC has health coverage, with 34.7% on employee plans, 10.7% on Medicaid, 19.4% on Medicare, 19.4% on non-group plans, and 5.09% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in South Carolina was $7,311 in 2014. This is a 4.15% increase from the previous year ($7,020).

Primary care physicians in Beaufort County, SC see 1486 patients per year on average, which represents a 4.21% increase from the previous year (1426 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 894 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 636 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Williamsburg County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (23.4%). Additionally, Union County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (46.8%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,486 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Beaufort County, SC

Primary care physicians in Beaufort County, SC see an average of 1,486 patients per year. This represents a 4.21% increase from the previous year (1,426 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Beaufort County, SC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for South Carolina.

$7,311

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in South Carolina

$4,235

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$5,491

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$10,298

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in South Carolina (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4.15%, from $7,020 to $7,311.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

10.7%

Uninsured

34.7%

Employer Coverage

10.7%

Medicaid

19.4%

Medicare

19.4%

Non-Group

5.09%

Military or VA

Between 2018 and 2019, the percent of uninsured citizens in Beaufort County, SC declined by 6.17% from 11.4% to 10.7%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Beaufort County, SC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.