Beaufort County, South Carolina
Among the top 8% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 13% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 88% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 23% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 86% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 92% of US counties
- top 4% for annual snowfall
- top 5% for comfortable days
- bottom 3% for natural disaster risk
Beaufort County is a county in South Carolina with about 189,000 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and D for affordability. Standout strengths include annual snowfall, comfortable days, and broadband access. It rates lower on cost of living and natural disaster risk.
Official websitebeaufortcountysc.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
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cool
68%59%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.9 in3.2 in
oppressive 100%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$81k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$64kbetter than 4% of US counties
Home Value$378k94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 5% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 10% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.51%better than 85% of US counties
Income Tax6.40%better than 17% of US counties
Sales Tax7.50%better than 43% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.25%better than 22% of US counties
Unemployment3.1%better than 81% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)50°F90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)83°F89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.1 in66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 96% of US counties
Sunny Days236 daysbetter than 49% of US counties
Summer Humidity73°Fbetter than 6% of US counties
Comfortable Days109 daysbetter than 95% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk97.1better than 3% of US counties
School Quality87.1better than 87% of US counties
Violent Crime1492/100kbetter than 16% of US counties
Property Crime1386/100kbetter than 29% of US counties
Community
Population189,07189th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age46.886th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4674th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9940th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1023rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)68.0%32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)16.1%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)11.2%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.1%71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.5%54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 62% of US counties
Walkability6.7/20better than 69% of US counties
Airport Distance53 mibetter than 78% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access90.4%better than 90% of US counties
Amenities Nearby7.14better than 77% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 58% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Beaufort County an affordable place to live?
- Beaufort County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $64k, better than 4% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Beaufort County?
- The median home value in Beaufort County is $378k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Beaufort County?
- Median household income in Beaufort County is $81k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Beaufort County?
- Median gross rent in Beaufort County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Beaufort County safe?
- Beaufort County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1492/100k (better than 16%). Property crime is 1386/100k.
- What is the weather like in Beaufort County?
- Beaufort County averages 83°F in July and 50°F in January, with 48.1 in of annual precipitation and about 236 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Beaufort County?
- Public-school quality in Beaufort County is above average, scoring better than 87% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Beaufort County?
- The average one-way commute in Beaufort County is 23 min.
Other counties in South Carolina
Explore South Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)