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Living in
Hilton Head Island.
About
Life in Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head works best if you're drawn to coastal living with substantial means—median home values sit around $687,400, and while you'll find good restaurants and cultural offerings for a town this size, you're really paying for proximity to the beach and a manicured resort environment. The job market is tight with 4.0% unemployment, but most employment centers around hospitality and tourism; if you're remote or retired, this is less of a concern. You'll experience genuine hot, humid summers typical of the South Carolina Lowcountry, with winters that stay mild but rarely frigid.
Hilton Head Island at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
59.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.6%
Foreign-Born
13.8%
Broadband Internet
92.2%
of households
Population Growth
+1.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Hilton Head Island: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Hilton Head Island, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (23.5%), and 12.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
11.9%
of residents
65 and Older
39.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
14.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.0%
of households
Married Couples
54.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.05
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 25% above SC average
Rent, home values, and income in Hilton Head Island
In Hilton Head Island, rent runs 25% above the SC average, and home values are 165% above the SC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,066
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
78.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1987
median year built
Vacant Homes
39.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $781,869 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below SC average
Unemployment in Hilton Head Island
Unemployment in Hilton Head Island is 0.5 percentage points lower than the SC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Hilton Head Island Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.5 min avg
How Hilton Head Island residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Hilton Head Island, most residents drive alone to work (67%), and 83% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 5 mi
Hilton Head Airport (HHH)
Regional airport · few flights118k passengers boarded in 2025
- 66 mi
Charleston International Airport (CHS)
Medium hub3.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 38% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, which covers Hilton Head Island, runs 38% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
203.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
849.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Beaufort County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 19 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Beaufort County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Beaufort County, which includes Hilton Head Island, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 19 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $93,750 |
| 2024 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $202,500 |
| 2023 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $119,000 |
| 2022 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2021 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.2M |
| 2020 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $60,250 |
| 2019 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $31,750 |
| 2018 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.7M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Beaufort County, county-wide
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Chatham County, GA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 25 miles from Hilton Head Island) is typically good — 214 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
214
per year
Moderate Days
151
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Chatham County, GA (25 mi away)
Climate90°F summers, 42°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Hilton Head Island has hot summers (avg high 90°F) and mild winters (avg low 42°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
77°/56°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/73°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
78°/59°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
62°/42°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
46.3"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
59
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
13
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
118
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°F | 40°F | 2.90" |
| Feb | 64°F | 43°F | 2.91" |
| Mar | 70°F | 49°F | 3.11" |
| Apr | 77°F | 56°F | 3.06" |
| May | 84°F | 64°F | 2.50" |
| Jun | 89°F | 71°F | 4.99" |
| Jul | 92°F | 75°F | 5.57" |
| Aug | 90°F | 74°F | 6.50" |
| Sep | 86°F | 70°F | 4.03" |
| Oct | 78°F | 59°F | 3.77" |
| Nov | 69°F | 48°F | 2.51" |
| Dec | 63°F | 43°F | 3.17" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
10.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Novant Health Hilton Head Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Nh Beaufort
Acute Care - Department of Defense · 14.6 mi away · Beaufort
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education11.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island's student/teacher ratio is 11.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 56.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
56.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Reconstruction Era National Historical Park, 15 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Reconstruction Era National Historical Park (15 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Reconstruction Era National Historical Park
National Historical Park
15 mi awayFort Pulaski National Monument
National Monument
16 mi awayFort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
National Historical Park
64 mi awayCharles Pinckney National Historic Site
National Historic Site
70 mi awayFort Frederica National Monument
National Monument
77 mi awayPublic Libraries in Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island Library
11 Beach City Road, Hilton Head Island
Cities Near Hilton Head Island
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Hilton Head Island?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Hilton Head Island FAQ
Is Hilton Head Island, South Carolina affordable?⌄
Hilton Head Island's median rent is $1,479/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $94,657/year. Median home value is $687,400.
Is Hilton Head Island, South Carolina safe?⌄
Hilton Head Island is policed by the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 204 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 850 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina?⌄
Hilton Head Island has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Hilton Head Island is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,479/month and median household income is $94,657/year. The median home value is $687,400. About 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Hilton Head Island is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from