Hilton Head Island vs Summerville
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina versus Summerville, South Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Hilton Head Island edges out Summerville on overall objective livability (47 vs 42 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hilton Head Island | Summerville |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $94k | $74k |
| Cost of Living | $64k | $60k |
| Home Value | $589k | $277k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.47% | 0.63% |
| Income Tax | 6.40% | 6.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.50% | 7.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.85% | 11.25% |
| Unemployment | 2.8% | 5.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 51°F | 50°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 83°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3 in | 49.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 232 days | 241 days |
| Summer Humidity | 73°F | 73°F |
| Comfortable Days | 110 days | 110 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 97.9 | 96.2 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 38 AQI |
| School Quality | 87.1 | 40.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1492/100k | 2207/100k |
| Property Crime | 1386/100k | 2728/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 37,708 | 50,839 |
| Median Age | 59.8 | 38.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.37 | 0.45 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | R+10 | R+11 |
| White (%) | 75.4% | 69.4% |
| Black (%) | 7.1% | 19.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 13.8% | 5.9% |
| Asian (%) | 0.8% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 3.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 30 min |
| Walkability | 7.5/20 | 7.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 64 mi | 11 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.7% | 90.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 33.68 | 24.39 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hilton Head Island or Summerville more affordable?
- Summerville has the lower cost of living: its index is $60k, compared with Hilton Head Island's $64k and Summerville's $60k. Median rent is $2k in Hilton Head Island versus $1k in Summerville.
- Is Hilton Head Island or Summerville safer?
- Hilton Head Island has the lower violent crime rate. Hilton Head Island reports 1492/100k and Summerville reports 2207/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hilton Head Island or Summerville?
- The median home value is $589k in Hilton Head Island and $277k in Summerville, so homes are more affordable in Summerville.