Beaufort County, SC

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Population

179,316

2.28% growth

Median Age

44


Median Household Income

$60,603

2.32% growth

Poverty Rate

11.9%


Number of Employees

74,171

2.37% growth

Median Property Value

$283,800

3.96% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Beaufort County, SC had a population of 179k people with a median age of 44 and a median household income of $60,603. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Beaufort County, SC grew from 175,316 to 179,316, a 2.28% increase and its median household income grew from $59,227 to $60,603, a 2.32% increase.

The population of Beaufort County, SC is 67.4% White Alone, 18.1% Black or African American Alone, and 11.3% Hispanic or Latino. 12.7% of the people in Beaufort County, SC speak a non-English language, and 94.6% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Beaufort County, SC are Technical College of the Lowcountry (516 degrees awarded in 2016) and University of South Carolina-Beaufort (298 degrees).

The median property value in Beaufort County, SC is $283,800, and the homeownership rate is 70.5%. Most people in Beaufort County, SC commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 20.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Beaufort County, SC is 2 cars per household.

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

About the photo: Sunset on Hilton Head Island

Photo by Lee Coursey

United StatesSouth CarolinaHilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC

Economy

The economy of Beaufort County, SC employs 74.2k people. The largest industries in Beaufort County, SC are Retail Trade (9,651 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (9,425 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (9,340 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($60,206), Wholesale Trade ($51,050), and Manufacturing ($50,794).

Median household income in Beaufort County, SC is $60,603. Males in Beaufort County, SC have an average income that is 1.37 times higher than the average income of females, which is $40,985. The income inequality in Beaufort County, SC (measured using the Gini index) is 0.46, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$60,603

2017 value

± $1,522

2.32%

1 Year Growth

± 4.34%

Households in Beaufort County, SC have a median annual income of $60,603, which is more than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $59,227 in 2016, which represents a 2.32% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Beaufort County, SC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

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

$56,080

Average Male Salary

± $1,419

$40,985

Average Female Salary

± $1,018

In 2017, full-time male employees in Beaufort County, SC made 1.37 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Beaufort County, SC by number of full-time employees.

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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

  1. Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

    $49,597 ± $53,271

  2. Asian

    $47,877 ± $7,789

  3. White

    $47,332 ± $1,044

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Beaufort County, SC workers was Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. These workers were paid 1.04 times more than Asian workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Beaufort County, SC by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

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

0.46

2017 Wage GINI

0.456

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.46 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.695% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2017 the GINI for South Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 101

  2. Census Tract 22.02

  3. Census Tract 107

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Beaufort County, SC was Census Tract 101 with a value of $90,224, followed by Census Tract 22.02 and Census Tract 107, with respective values of $86,063 and $85,872.

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

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

11.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Beaufort County, SC (20.8k out of 174k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Females 18 - 24.

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.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    9,891 ± 816

  2. Black

    8,685 ± 790

  3. Hispanic

    4,289 ± 552

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

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.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

74.2k

2017 Value

± 2,197

2.37%

1 Year growth

± 4.15%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Beaufort County, SC grew at a rate of 2.37%, from 72.5k employees to 74.2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Beaufort County, SC, are Sales & Related Occupations (8,860 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (8,313 people), and Management Occupations (8,172 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Beaufort County, SC.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Beaufort County, SC, by number of employees, are Sales & Related Occupations (8,860 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (8,313 people), and Management Occupations (8,172 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Beaufort County, SC has an unusually high number of residents working as Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (1.65 times higher than expected), Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance Occupations (1.51 times), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (1.43 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Beaufort County, SC, by median earnings, are Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($60,026), Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($57,500), and Computer, Engineering, & Science Occupations ($55,234).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

74.2k

2017 Value

± 2,197

2.37%

1 Year growth

± 4.15%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Beaufort County, SC grew at a rate of 2.37%, from 72.5k employees to 74.2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Beaufort County, SC, are Retail Trade (9,651 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (9,425 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (9,340 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.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Beaufort County, SC, by number of employees, are Retail Trade (9,651 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (9,425 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (9,340 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Beaufort County, SC has an unusually high number of Real Estate & Rental & Leasing (1.91 times higher than expected), Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation (1.75 times), and Accommodation & Food Services (1.65 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Beaufort County, SC, by median earnings, are Utilities ($60,206), Wholesale Trade ($51,050), and Manufacturing ($50,794).

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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

  1. Plastics/rubber

    $15.9B

  2. Machinery

    $15.2B

  3. Mixed freight

    $11.7B

In 2015, the top outbound South Carolina product (by dollars) was Plastics/rubber with $15.9B, followed by Machinery with $15.2B and Mixed freight and $11.7B.

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

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for South Carolina state.

$163B

2015 Value

$244B

Projected 2045 Value

49.4% growth

In 2015, total outbound South Carolina trade was $163B. This is expected to increase 49.4% to $244B by 2045.

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

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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

  1. North Carolina

    $22.2B

  2. Georgia

    $13.4B

  3. Tennessee

    $5.71B

In 2015, the top outbound South Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was North Carolina with $22.2B, followed by Georgia with $13.4B and Tennessee and $5.71B.

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

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Health

86.9% of the population of Beaufort County, SC has health coverage, with 32.8% on employee plans, 11.2% on Medicaid, 18.7% on Medicare, 18.1% on non-group plans, and 6.1% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the county of Beaufort County, SC 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 1448 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.12% increase from the previous year (1418 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1012 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 751 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Dillon County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (20.1%). Additionally, Lee County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (42.8%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,448 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Beaufort County, SC see an average of 1,448 patients per year. This represents a 2.12% increase from the previous year (1,418 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 neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. 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.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. 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.

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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 

$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.

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Health Care Coverage

13.1%

Uninsured

32.8%

Employer Coverage

11.2%

Medicaid

18.7%

Medicare

18.1%

Non-Group

6.1%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Beaufort County, SC declined by 6.2% from 14% to 13.1%.

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.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Dillon County

    20.1% prevalence

  2. Williamsburg County

    19.6% prevalence

  3. Barnwell County

    18.7% prevalence

Dillon County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in South Carolina, at 20.1%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in South Carolina by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Beaufort County, SC is home to a population of 179k people, from which 94.6% are citizens. As of 2017, 8.56% of Beaufort County, SC residents were born outside of the country.

The ethnic composition of the population of Beaufort County, SC is composed of 121k White Alone residents (67.4%), 32.5k Black or African American Alone residents (18.1%), 20.2k Hispanic or Latino residents (11.3%), 3.01k Two or More Races residents (1.68%), 2.15k Asian Alone residents (1.2%), 355 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.198%), 157 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.0876%), and 90 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0502%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Beaufort County, SC are Spanish or Spanish Creole (15,341 speakers), German (634 speakers), and French (Incl. Patois, Cajun) (633 speakers).

Age

Age by Nativity

44

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.3

42

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.1

In 2017, the median age of all people in Beaufort County, SC was 44. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 44, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 42. But people in Beaufort County, SC are getting getting older. In 2016, the average age of all Beaufort County, SC residents was 44.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

8.56%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

9.01%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

As of 2017, 8.56% of Beaufort County, SC residents were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Beaufort County, SC was 9.01%, 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.

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Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    68,828 ± 6,396 people

  2. India

    11,778 ± 2,661 people

  3. Philippines

    9,880 ± 2,438 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Beaufort County, SC was Mexico, the natal country of 68,828 Beaufort County, SC residents, followed by India with 11,778 and Philippines with 9,880.

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Citizenship

94.6%

2017 Citizenship

94.1%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 94.6% of Beaufort County, SC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.1%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Beaufort County, SC was 94.1%, 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.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    121k ± 117

  2. Black or African American Alone

    32.5k ± 502

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    20.2k ± 1.71k

In 2017, there were 3.71 times more White Alone residents (121k people) in Beaufort County, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 32.5k Black or African American Alone and 20.2k Hispanic or Latino residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Beaufort County, SC as a share of the total population.

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Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

  1. Spanish or Spanish Creole

    15,341 speakers (9.52%)

  2. German

    634 speakers (0.393%)

  3. French (Incl. Patois, Cajun)

    633 speakers (0.393%)

12.7% of Beaufort County, SC citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is lower than the national average of 21.5%. In 2015, the most common non-English language spoken in Beaufort County, SC was Spanish or Spanish Creole. 9.52% of the overall population of Beaufort County, SC are native Spanish or Spanish Creole speakers. 0.393% speak German and 0.393% speak Spanish or Spanish Creole, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    6,856 ± 495

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    4,152 ± 562

  3. Gulf War (1990s)

    1,946 ± 378

Beaufort County, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.65 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2016, universities in Beaufort County, SC awarded 814 degrees. The student population of Beaufort County, SC is skewed towards women, with 1,373 male students and 2,863 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Beaufort County, SC are White (483 and 59.6%), followed by Black or African American (224 and 27.6%), Hispanic or Latino (65 and 8.01%), and Unknown (15 and 1.85%).

The largest universities in Beaufort County, SC by number of degrees awarded are Technical College of the Lowcountry (516 and 63.4%) and University of South Carolina-Beaufort (298 and 36.6%).

The most popular majors in Beaufort County, SC are Registered Nursing (102 and 12.5%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (94 and 11.5%), and General Business Administration & Management (68 and 8.35%).

The median tuition costs in Beaufort County, SC are $N/A for private four year colleges, and $9,780 and $20,244 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. General Business Administration & Management

    68 degrees awarded

  2. General Hospitality Management

    40 degrees awarded

  3. Registered Nursing

    38 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Beaufort County, SC was General Business Administration & Management with 68 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. Technical College of the Lowcountry

    516 degrees awarded

  2. University of South Carolina-Beaufort

    298 degrees awarded

$9,780

Median In-State Public

$N/A

Median Private

In 2016, the Beaufort County, SC institution with the largest number of graduating students was Technical College of the Lowcountry with 516 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

288

Degrees Awarded to Men

526

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2016, 288 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Beaufort County, SC, which is 0.548 times less than the 526 female students who received degrees in the same year.

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

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    483 degrees awarded

  2. Black or African American

    224 degrees awarded

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    65 degrees awarded

In 2016 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Beaufort County, SC were to White students. These 483 degrees mean that there were 2.16 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 224 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Beaufort County, SC was $283,800 in 2017, which is 1.3 times larger than the national average of $217,600. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $273,000 to $283,800, a 3.96% increase. The homeownership rate in Beaufort County, SC is 70.5%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Beaufort County, SC have an average commute time of 20.9 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Beaufort County, SC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Income

Household Income

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

$60,603

Median Household Income

± $1,522

68.8k

Number of Households

± 1,880

In 2017, the median household income of the 68.8k households in Beaufort County, SC grew to $60,603 from the previous year's value of $59,227.

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.

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Housing

Property Value

$283,800

2017 Median

± $6,688

$273,000

2016 Median

± $6,378

In 2017, the median property value in Beaufort County, SC grew to to $283,800 from the previous year's value of $273,000.

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.

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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.

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Rent vs Own

70.5%

2017 Homeownership

70.5%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 70.5% of the housing units in Beaufort County, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 70.5%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Beaufort County, SC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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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 1 car.

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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 (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 1.98% 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.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    76.4%

  2. Carpooled

    11.4%

  3. Worked At Home

    6.94%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Beaufort County, SC was Drove Alone, followed by those who Carpooled and those who Worked At Home.

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