Population 195,289 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Beaufort County
Household size in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.47 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.62 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.41 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in Beaufort County run small, averaging 2.41 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.47, mirroring the country. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the east.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.0 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.6 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.1 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.3 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.3 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 47.3, Beaufort County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 42.0, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the west.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.0% of households in Beaufort County, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 2.8 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other South Carolina county has a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Beaufort County
Renters in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.3% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.3% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.7% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.1% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.2 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 24.1% of households in Beaufort County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About four in ten owners (39.3%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the west. The renter share is down 5.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.4% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.3% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Beaufort County: 13.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has fallen 6.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1993 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1993 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1995 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1999 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +7 | +6 |
Beaufort County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1999, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1993 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the south. Only three of South Carolina's 46 counties have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,109 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,179 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,410 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,836 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$727 | +$514 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Beaufort County costs $1,836 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $727 a month since 2006–10, up 66%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 32.3% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Beaufort County has the highest rents of any South Carolina county.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Beaufort County
Bachelor's degrees in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.8% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.7% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.3% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.4% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.6 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than four in ten adults 25 and older in Beaufort County (45.4%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 10.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other South Carolina county has a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.2% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.6% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.9% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Beaufort County: 94.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.7 points, as it has nationally. No other South Carolina county has a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Beaufort County
| Period | Beaufort County | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.5% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.8 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Beaufort County has been low: just 2.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Beaufort County has the lowest unemployment rate of any South Carolina county. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.8 points, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Beaufort County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaufort County | 2.41 | 47.3 | 8.0% | 24.1% | 13.3% | 1999 | $1,836 | 45.4% | 94.9% | 2.5% |
| Jasper County | 2.41 | 48.4 | 13.2% | 22.8% | 11.4% | 2001 | $1,224 | 25.6% | 90.5% | 5.7% |
| Effingham County | 2.90 | 37.3 | 11.2% | 21.6% | 7.1% | 2001 | $1,314 | 27.9% | 90.9% | 5.2% |
| Bulloch County | 2.50 | 34.4 | 13.6% | 46.9% | 10.8% | 1994 | $1,074 | 32.7% | 90.0% | 8.1% |
| Candler County | 2.63 | 39.9 | 6.9% | 38.0% | 10.7% | 1984 | $728 | 15.6% | 83.0% | 3.0% |
| Treutlen County | 2.69 | 38.5 | 15.5% | 34.7% | 17.4% | 1987 | $763 | 10.3% | 74.3% | 6.3% |
| Dodge County | 2.73 | 43.0 | 15.5% | 29.4% | 20.4% | 1982 | $673 | 17.3% | 84.8% | 5.7% |
| Bleckley County | 2.45 | 40.7 | 15.3% | 27.1% | 18.2% | 1984 | $845 | 22.5% | 86.9% | 7.3% |
| Pulaski County | 2.41 | 45.4 | 16.2% | 29.2% | 21.0% | 1987 | $906 | 15.3% | 83.7% | 3.4% |
| Macon County | 2.45 | 41.6 | 15.5% | 34.6% | 17.4% | 1981 | $632 | 10.8% | 76.6% | 9.9% |
| Schley County | 2.75 | 41.3 | 9.3% | 20.0% | 13.1% | 1989 | $805 | 22.1% | 86.6% | 8.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: El Dorado County, CA · Shasta County, CA · Sangamon County, IL · Livingston County, MI · Imperial County, CA · Boone County, MO · Peoria County, IL · Newport News City, VA · Kent County, DE · Butler County, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Beaufort County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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