Isle of Palms is a city of 4,362 people in South Carolina. That is roughly 126% ahead of the South Carolina median. The median age is 54.6, about 16 years above the US median. This is an unusually credentialed place: 72% of adults have a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $1,581,300, having more than tripled since 2000. Owners hold 93% of the housing stock.
At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $156,979, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 54.6
US median: 38.9
More educated
72% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 106%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Isle of Palms
What changed most since 1990
Median home value (2024 dollars)$377,531 → $1,581,300(+319%)US over the same years: +67%
Homes owned by their occupants78.3% → 93.5%(+15.2 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Median age40.4 → 54.6(+14.2 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
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)1.5%(6)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)25.6%(103)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era37.6%(151)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War9.2%(37)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 402 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
Over time
Isle of Palms, decade by decade
Isle of Palms population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
3,682
$114,488
$377,531
42.7%
1.5
2000
4,583
$138,755
$766,735
59.7%
6.7
2010
4,133
$124,403
$1,314,134
63.1%
8.1
2020
4,347
$155,775
$988,175
73.5%
14.5
2024
4,362
$156,979
$1,581,300
71.6%
2.7
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
