What it's like to live in Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island is a small city in South Carolina with household incomes running above the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, a highly educated workforce, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Hilton Head Island deals with home prices well above the national average, hot summers, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- High home prices
- Hot summers
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Hilton Head Island compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Hilton Head Island
Based on Hilton Head Island's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,958
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $59,160 a year
- 47% of Hilton Head Island renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$137,480
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $68,740
- Homes cost 7.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,479/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,479 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are steep, with a median around $687,400. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $687,400 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.0%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety
204 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
Hilton Head Island doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.
Property crime 850/100k · Policed by Beaufort County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 29% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 18.5 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 20% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 42°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 56% above US
56% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Reconstruction Era National Historical Park (15 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Hilton Head Island's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and hot summers. A year of median rent ($1,479/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (20% of workers here already work from home), people who want short commutes, and college-educated professionals.
See all the data for Hilton Head Island →·All South Carolina cities →
Other places near Hilton Head Island
All South Carolina guides →Moving to Bluffton →
11 mi away · pop. 33,157
Rent $2,256/mo · Income $111,281
Compare with Hilton Head Island →Moving to Port Royal →
12 mi away · pop. 15,579
Rent $1,726/mo · Income $74,870
Compare with Hilton Head Island →Moving to Beaufort →
19 mi away · pop. 13,747
Rent $1,212/mo · Income $61,220
Compare with Hilton Head Island →Not sure Hilton Head Island is the one?
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