CensusEasy
COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Beaufort County

South Carolina · 187,117 residents · 576 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Hilton Head Island metro area
Compare
The short version

Beaufort County is a county of 187,117 people in South Carolina. The median age is 47.3, about 8 years above the US median. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 66,180 people. Owners hold 75% of the housing stock. That is roughly 30% ahead of the South Carolina median. About 42% of adults have finished a four-year degree.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 47.3
US median: 38.8
More educated
42% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
187,117
+55%since 2000
from 120,937 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
47.3
+32%since 2000
from 35.8 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
576 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
76K108K141K174K206K19902000201020202024Beaufort County
2024195K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.7%(8,719)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.2%(9,703)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.5%(10,290)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.8%(12,668)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.1%(11,498)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3410%(18,666)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 449.6%(18,001)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410%(18,717)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6413.8%(25,777)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7416.6%(30,997)
US avg: 10%
75 to 849.3%(17,343)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.5%(4,738)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$71,430
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $46,992 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$41,070
+62%since 2000
from $25,377 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
47.4%
+12.2 ptssince 2009
from 35.2% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
9.3%
−1.3 ptssince 2000
from 10.7% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information14.5%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade8.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services6.3%
US avg: 6.6%
Retail trade6%
US avg: 10%
Finance & insurance3.6%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical2.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Public administration2.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.9%
US avg: 2%
Transportation & warehousing1.2%
US avg: 2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction1%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$309,600
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $168,100 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,229
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $690 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
74.7%
+1.5 ptssince 2000
from 73.2% in 2000
25.3% rent
Persons per household
2.49 people
+3%since 2009
from 2.42 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
4.3
−19%since 2009
from 5.4 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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic67.4%(81,477)
Black23.7%(28,654)
Hispanic / Latino6.8%(8,208)
Asian0.8%(938)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic67.7%(126,704)
Black14.7%(27,545)
Hispanic / Latino12.5%(23,411)
Asian1.3%(2,381)
Other2.7%(5,037)
Segregation Score
41
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican5.7%(10,819)
Central American1.6%(3,065)
Puerto Rican1.5%(2,917)
South American1.3%(2,484)
Honduran0.9%(1,733)
Colombian0.4%(832)
Guatemalan0.3%(525)
Costa Rican0.3%(513)
Cuban0.3%(500)
Venezuelan0.2%(290)
Bolivian0.1%(262)
Peruvian0.1%(250)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Uruguayan0.1%(249)
Spaniard0.1%(225)
Argentine0.1%(213)
Salvadoran0.1%(189)
Dominican0.1%(186)
Chilean0%(72)
Asian origin
Filipino0.3%(522)
Thai0.2%(373)
Vietnamese0.2%(311)
Asian Indian0.1%(257)
Korean0.1%(251)
Chinese0.1%(239)
Japanese0.1%(228)
Taiwanese0%(24)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(82)
Samoan0%(19)
Ancestry
German13.2%(24,984)
Irish12.5%(23,673)
English11.3%(21,534)
American6.2%(11,686)
Italian5.7%(10,800)
French2.7%(5,037)
Polish2.4%(4,642)
Scottish2.4%(4,463)
Scotch-Irish1.5%(2,933)
Dutch1.4%(2,655)
British1%(1,904)
Swedish1%(1,868)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian1%(1,825)
French Canadian0.8%(1,567)
Russian0.8%(1,427)
Hungarian0.7%(1,300)
Welsh0.7%(1,288)
West Indian0.6%(1,134)
Jamaican0.4%(760)
Greek0.3%(579)
Danish0.3%(494)
Swiss0.3%(486)
Ukrainian0.3%(478)
Austrian0.2%(463)
Portuguese0.2%(444)
Lithuanian0.2%(429)
Romanian0.2%(418)
Lebanese0.2%(414)
Finnish0.2%(402)
Czech0.2%(391)
Canadian0.2%(388)
Slovak0.2%(379)
Armenian0.1%(173)
Guyanese0.1%(171)
Iranian0.1%(143)
Croatian0.1%(132)
Belgian0.1%(131)
Serbian0%(92)
Slovene0%(67)
Barbadian0%(54)
Latvian0%(52)
Bulgarian0%(49)
Ethiopian0%(47)
Nigerian0%(47)
Turkish0%(46)
Syrian0%(28)
Arab0%(24)
Brazilian0%(24)
Haitian0%(22)
Ghanaian0%(21)
Israeli0%(6)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
42.0%
+8.8 ptssince 2000
from 33.2% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
93.4%
+5.6 ptssince 2000
from 87.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
17.6%
+5.9 ptssince 2000
from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.8 min
+47%since 2000
from 15.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
77.7%
+3.8 ptssince 2009
from 73.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
4.3%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.5%
−4.1 ptssince 2011
from 8.6% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
55.9%
−5.1 ptssince 2011
from 61.0% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
70.7%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
37.2%
+5.7 ptssince 2009
from 31.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.6% in 2009
Female
51.0%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 50.4% in 2009
Foreign born
8.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
9.4%
−7.7 ptssince 2013
from 17.1% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
95.4%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
85.6%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married30.5%(25,102)
Married59%(48,557)
Widowed3%(2,441)
Divorced7.6%(6,246)
Women 15+
Never married20.3%(17,234)
Married59.5%(50,569)
Widowed9%(7,672)
Divorced11.2%(9,564)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
9.4%
−7.7 ptssince 2013
from 17.1% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
48.7%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
20.8%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
29.6%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
13.4%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.7%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
71.5%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
41.0%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)18.4%(3,279)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)19.7%(3,498)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era39.9%(7,104)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War10.3%(1,838)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.7%(484)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 17,783 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 Beaufort County

DeSoto County
Pop 197,918
York County
Pop 222,434
Santa Rosa County
Pop 211,115
Kootenai County
Pop 191,864
Places similar to Beaufort County
Head to head

Compare Beaufort County to nearby counties

BEAUFORT COUNTY VS
Jasper County
Income$65,613−8%
Home value$325,500+5%
Population38,533−81%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BEAUFORT COUNTY VS
Colleton County
Income$51,114−28%
Home value$162,500−48%
Population39,382−81%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BEAUFORT COUNTY VS
Chatham County
Income$71,097same
Home value$302,700−2%
Population311,855+53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BEAUFORT COUNTY VS
Effingham County
Income$88,438+24%
Home value$276,000−11%
Population74,397−64%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Beaufort County, South Carolina?

Beaufort County, South Carolina has about 187,117 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Beaufort County, South Carolina?

The typical household in Beaufort County, South Carolina earns about $71,430 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Beaufort County, South Carolina expensive?

In Beaufort County, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $309,600, and the typical rent is about $1,229 a month.

How educated are people in Beaufort County, South Carolina?

About 42.0% of adults age 25 and over in Beaufort County, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Beaufort County, South Carolina?

About 9.3% of people in Beaufort County, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Beaufort County, South Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Beaufort County, South Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 100,692 residents, a change of about 117 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

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

How we source and harmonize this data →