Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2023 Population

222,781

1.95% 1-year growth

US Senator

Lindsey Graham

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Scott

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

46.8

1.3% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

11.5%

1.57% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$81,015

4.49% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$393,100

7.76% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

93,990

2.52% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC had a population of 223k people with a median age of 46.8 and a median household income of $81,015. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC grew from 218,515 to 222,781, a 1.95% increase and its median household income grew from $77,536 to $81,015, a 4.49% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC are White (Non-Hispanic) (64.3%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (18.2%), Other (Hispanic) (5.77%), Two+ (Hispanic) (4.15%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.06%).

None of the households in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

95.1% of the residents in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC are University of South Carolina Beaufort (366 degrees awarded in 2022) and Technical College of the Lowcountry (314 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC was $393,100, and the homeownership rate was 75.8%.

Most people in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC was 2 cars per household.

Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC borders Savannah, GA.

United States South Carolina

Population & Diversity

Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC is home to a population of 223k people, from which 95.1% are citizens. As of 2023, 8.04% of Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC residents were born outside of the country (17.9k people).

In 2023, there were 3.53 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (143k people) in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 40.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 12.9k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.1%

2023 Citizenship

95.4%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 95.1% of Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC was 95.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC

White (Non-Hispanic)
143k ± 631
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
40.6k ± 938
Other (Hispanic)
12.9k ± 1.4k

12.9%

Hispanic Population

28.8k people

12.9% of the people in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC are hispanic (28.8k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
58,419 ± 5,900 people
India
18,341 ± 3,319 people
Honduras
13,844 ± 2,885 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of South Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 58,419 South Carolina residents, followed by India with 18,341 and Honduras with 13,844.

Foreign-Born Population

8.04%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

17.9k people

7.8%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

17.1k people

As of 2023, 8.04% of Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC residents (17.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC was 7.8%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
6,592 ± 687
Gulf War (2001-)
4,414 ± 586
Gulf War (1990s)
3,191 ± 558

Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.49 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC employs 94k people. The largest industries in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC are Retail Trade (14,055 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (11,807 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (9,586 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($127,656), Utilities ($85,234), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($70,903).

Males in South Carolina have an average income that is 1.37 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,636. The income inequality in South Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.464, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

94k

2023 Value

± 3,003

2.52%

1 Year growth

± 4.44%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC grew at a rate of 2.52%, from 91.7k employees to 94k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC, are Sales & Related Occupations (12,880 people), Management Occupations (11,081 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (9,423 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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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Industries

Employment by Industries

94k

2023 Value

± 3,003

2.52%

1 Year growth

± 4.44%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC grew at a rate of 2.52%, from 91.7k employees to 94k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC, are Retail Trade (14,055 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (11,807 people), and Accommodation & Food Services (9,586 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC, though some of these residents may live in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$48,242

Median earning men ± $2,210

$37,086

Median earning women ± $1,441

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($100,032), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($96,771), and Manufacturing ($69,002).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($53,277), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($51,944), and Wholesale Trade ($51,667).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.54%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.26M people employed in South Carolina. This represents a 2.54% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.4%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

629
Construction
563
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
560
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$485k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$483k
Retail Trade
$379k
Accommodation and Food Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2022, universities in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC awarded 680 degrees. The student population of Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 1,318 male students and 3,002 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC are White (392 and 58%), followed by Black or African American (156 and 23.1%), Hispanic or Latino (83 and 12.3%), and Two or More Races (29 and 4.29%).

The largest universities in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC by number of degrees awarded are University of South Carolina Beaufort (366 and 53.8%) and Technical College of the Lowcountry (314 and 46.2%).

The most popular majors in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC are Registered Nursing (101 and 14.9%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (89 and 13.1%), and General Biological Sciences (46 and 6.76%).

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

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 80%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 24%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 4,320 (30.5% men and 69.5% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 4,320 students enrolled in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC, 30.5% men and 69.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,327 records, of which 67.4% were women and 32.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
46 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
59 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
46 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC was General Business Administration & Management with 46 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of South Carolina Beaufort
366 degrees awarded
Technical College of the Lowcountry
314 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of South Carolina Beaufort with 366 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 184 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC, which is 0.371 times less than the 496 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 392 degrees mean that there were 2.51 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 156 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($10,344) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($386) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,266) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, 0.83% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.688% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.18M), Some college (892k), and Bachelors Degree (705k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC was $393,100 in 2023, which is 1.3 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $364,800 to $393,100, a 7.76% increase. The homeownership rate in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC is 75.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC have an average commute time of 23.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC is $81,015. In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC was Beaufort County, SC with a value of $84,819, followed by Charleston County, SC and York County, SC, with respective values of $84,320 and $83,060.

Housing

Property

$393,100

Median Property Value 2023

±$8,455

$69,109

Median Property Taxes

±$2,303

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

75.8%

Homeownership

2023

68.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 75.8% of the housing units in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 75.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC was Beaufort County, SC with a value of $84,819, followed by Charleston County, SC and York County, SC, with respective values of $84,320 and $83,060.

The following map shows all of the counties in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

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

$81,015

Median Household Income

± $2,575

91.2k

Number of Households

± 2,811

In 2023, the median household income of the 91.2k households in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC grew to $81,015 from the previous year's value of $77,536.

The following chart displays the households in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, 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.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC is from South Carolina.

0.464

2022 Wage GINI in South Carolina

0.463

2021 Wage GINI in South Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in South Carolina was 0.464 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.334% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (75.5%)
Worked At Home (10.7%)
Carpooled (9.82%)

In 2023, 75.5% of workers in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (10.7%) and those who carpooled to work (9.82%).

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.

Commute Time

23.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC have a shorter commute time (23.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.62% of the workforce in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

11.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC (24.8k out of 215k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 65 - 74.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC is Black, followed by White 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.

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.

Health

91% of the population of Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC has health coverage, with 35.3% on employee plans, 11.6% on Medicaid, 20.3% on Medicare, 20% on non-group plans, and 3.79% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in South Carolina see 1481 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.269% decrease from the previous year (1485 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1696 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 488 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,481 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in South Carolina

Primary care physicians in South Carolina see an average of 1,481 patients per year. This represents a 0.269% decrease from the previous year (1,485 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.2% under 18 years, 16.1% between 18 and 34 years, 35.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 28% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.7% were men and 52.3% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

9.02%

Uninsured

35.3%

Employer Coverage

11.6%

Medicaid

20.3%

Medicare

20%

Non-Group

3.79%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC declined by 4.13% from 9.41% to 9.02%.

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

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