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CITY

Hilton Head Island

South Carolina · 38,196 residents (2025 est.) · 41.4 sq mi
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Part of the Hilton Head Island metro area
The short version

Hilton Head Island is home to 37,911 people in South Carolina. The median age is 59.8, about 21 years above the US median. This is an unusually credentialed place: 56% of adults have a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $687,400, having more than doubled since 2000. Few US cities rank higher on income. 79% of homes are owner-occupied.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 59.8
US median: 38.9
More educated
56% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 35%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
37,911
+12%since 2000
from 33,862 in 2000
38,196 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
917 / sq mi
+10%since 2009
from 831 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
59.8
+30%since 2000
from 46.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
41.4 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
22K27K32K37K42K19902000201020202024Hilton Head Island
202438K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 52.6%(973)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 92.2%(849)
US avg: 6%
10 to 144.6%(1,730)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.3%(1,627)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 242.2%(819)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 346.8%(2,568)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 447.5%(2,841)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.1%(4,604)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6418.6%(7,045)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7419.7%(7,468)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 8413.6%(5,170)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over5.8%(2,217)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$94,657
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $60,438 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$73,409
+100%since 2000
from $36,621 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
58.1%
+12.3 ptssince 2009
from 45.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
8.6%
+1.3 ptssince 2000
from 7.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.521
+5%since 2010
from 0.494 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade8.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services8.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade8.7%
US avg: 6.9%
Public administration3.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance3.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Arts, entertainment, food2.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing2.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$687,400
+35%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $280,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,479
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $847 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
78.7%
+1.0 ptssince 2000
from 77.7% in 2000
21.3% rent
Vacancy rate
39.1%
−6.9 ptssince 2009
from 46.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.05 people
−9%since 2009
from 2.26 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
28.5%
−8.8 ptssince 2009
from 37.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
46.7%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 48.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
7.3
−3%since 2009
from 7.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
39
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic79%(26,752)
Black8.1%(2,758)
Hispanic / Latino11.5%(3,886)
Asian0.5%(181)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic73.8%(27,995)
Black7.2%(2,720)
Hispanic / Latino15.3%(5,806)
Asian1%(382)
Other2.7%(1,008)
Diversity Score
53
+7%since 2009
from 49 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican9.6%(3,641)
Colombian1.2%(460)
Nicaraguan0.7%(279)
Honduran0.7%(262)
Venezuelan0.6%(221)
Salvadoran0.6%(215)
Guatemalan0.6%(210)
Puerto Rican0.4%(170)
Uruguayan0.3%(96)
Cuban0.2%(71)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Argentine0.2%(58)
Spaniard0.1%(27)
Peruvian0%(12)
Asian origin
Chinese0.5%(187)
Vietnamese0.2%(77)
Filipino0.2%(75)
Japanese0%(18)
Thai0%(17)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(15)
Ancestry
English16.5%(6,258)
German16.4%(6,214)
Irish12.5%(4,750)
Italian7.1%(2,676)
American5.8%(2,181)
Polish3.5%(1,317)
Scottish3%(1,125)
French2.9%(1,110)
Swedish1.7%(630)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(428)
Dutch1.1%(422)
Norwegian1.1%(406)
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.8%(297)
Hungarian0.7%(255)
Arab0.7%(252)
Canadian0.7%(248)
Welsh0.6%(232)
Greek0.6%(224)
West Indian0.5%(189)
Jamaican0.5%(189)
Ukrainian0.5%(185)
Czech0.5%(181)
British0.5%(178)
Austrian0.4%(148)
Slovak0.4%(143)
Lebanese0.3%(121)
Swiss0.3%(116)
Lithuanian0.3%(106)
Portuguese0.3%(101)
Danish0.2%(71)
Croatian0.2%(68)
Finnish0.1%(55)
Belgian0.1%(45)
Armenian0.1%(39)
Egyptian0.1%(38)
Macedonian0.1%(28)
Syrian0%(17)
Latvian0%(15)
Romanian0%(10)
Serbian0%(6)
Turkish0%(5)
Slovene0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
56.1%
+10.2 ptssince 2000
from 45.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
93.6%
+1.1 ptssince 2000
from 92.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
24.7%
+9.6 ptssince 2000
from 15.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
18.5 min
+63%since 2000
from 11.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
66.5%
−8.6 ptssince 2009
from 75.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.6%
−5.1 ptssince 2009
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
20.1%
+13.2 ptssince 2009
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
1.3%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.3%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.0%
−3.4 ptssince 2011
from 6.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
49.9%
−6.1 ptssince 2011
from 55.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
69.4%
+2.5 ptssince 2020
from 66.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
7.5%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
43.1%
+7.4 ptssince 2009
from 35.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.5%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 48.3% in 2009
Female
50.5%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 51.7% in 2009
Foreign born
13.8%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.5%
−7.9 ptssince 2009
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.5%
+5.0 ptssince 2012
from 10.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.2%
−7.2 ptssince 2013
from 17.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
92.2%
+7.5 ptssince 2017
from 84.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.3%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 96.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
86.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
83.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2016
from 84.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
12.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2016
from 12.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married23%(3,817)
Married63.1%(10,463)
Widowed3.8%(635)
Divorced10%(1,659)
Women 15+
Never married17.9%(3,189)
Married60%(10,676)
Widowed11.4%(2,032)
Divorced10.6%(1,888)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.2%
−7.2 ptssince 2013
from 17.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
46.0%
−2.9 ptssince 2020
from 48.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
27.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 26.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
39.7%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 37.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
9.5%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 9.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
69.3%
−2.2 ptssince 2020
from 71.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
46.5%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 44.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)11.5%(287)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.1%(378)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era49.6%(1,239)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War8.7%(217)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II5.1%(128)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,499 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Hilton Head Island

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Pop 39,585
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Pop 38,910
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Pop 34,992
Royal Palm Beach
Pop 42,477
Places similar to Hilton Head Island
Head to head

Compare Hilton Head Island to nearby cities

HILTON HEAD ISLAND VS
Bluffton
Income$111,281+18%
Home value$492,100−28%
Population36,807−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HILTON HEAD ISLAND VS
Port Royal
Income$74,870−21%
Home value$347,200−49%
Population16,648−56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HILTON HEAD ISLAND VS
Beaufort
Income$61,220−35%
Home value$345,400−50%
Population15,775−59%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HILTON HEAD ISLAND VS
Hardeeville
Income$78,365−17%
Home value$488,900−29%
Population16,459−57%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina?

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina has about 37,911 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina?

The typical household in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina earns about $94,657 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Hilton Head Island, South Carolina expensive?

In Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $687,400, and the typical rent is about $1,479 a month.

How educated are people in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina?

About 56.1% of adults age 25 and over in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina?

About 8.6% of people in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Hilton Head Island, South Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 14,217 residents, a change of about 60 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →