Population 39,056 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Hilton Head Island
Household size in Hilton Head Island
| Period | Hilton Head Island | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.26 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.35 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.10 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.15 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in Hilton Head Island are small: just 2.10 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.26 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only five have smaller households.
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 Hilton Head Island
| Period | Hilton Head Island | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.9 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 53.0 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 56.6 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 58.2 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +7.3 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Hilton Head Island skews older: half of its residents are older than 58.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 50.9 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only six of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people are older.
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 Hilton Head Island
| Period | Hilton Head Island | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.9% of households in Hilton Head Island, well below the national share of 11.6%. Hilton Head Island has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five South Carolina cities.
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 Hilton Head Island
Renters in Hilton Head Island
| Period | Hilton Head Island | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.3% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.1% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.6% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.8% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 20.8% of households in Hilton Head Island rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About half of owners (48.6%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 4.5 points since 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 Hilton Head Island
| Period | Hilton Head Island | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.3% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.7% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 32.8% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.1% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Hilton Head Island: 24.1% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. 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 Hilton Head Island
| Period | Hilton Head Island | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1989 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1989 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Hilton Head Island is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The picture is much the same across South Carolina. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Hilton Head Island
| Period | Hilton Head Island | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,295 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,323 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,583 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,706 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$411 | +$514 | +$606 |
The median renter in Hilton Head Island pays $1,706 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $411 a month from 2006–10, a 32% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.2% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the north; the most affordable are in the east.
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 Hilton Head Island
Bachelor's degrees in Hilton Head Island
| Period | Hilton Head Island | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.1% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 46.7% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 53.2% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 55.2% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Hilton Head Island is highly educated: more than half of adults 25 and older (55.2%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only seven of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have 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 Hilton Head Island
| Period | Hilton Head Island | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.5% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.8% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.2% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.6% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Hilton Head Island is above the national rate: 93.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.1 points, mirroring the country. Hilton Head Island has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five South Carolina cities.
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 Hilton Head Island
| Period | Hilton Head Island | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Hilton Head Island has been low: just 2.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
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).
Hilton Head Island compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island | 2.10 | 58.2 | 6.9% | 20.8% | 24.1% | 1991 | $1,706 | 55.2% | 93.6% | 2.9% |
| Brighton Beach | 2.19 | 59.6 | 4.2% | 17.7% | 16.3% | 1992 | $1,905 | 33.0% | 99.4% | 0.2% |
| Daufuskie Island | 1.75 | 59.1 | 3.8% | 1.5% | 44.0% | 2005 | $1,677 | 78.7% | 98.7% | 3.4% |
| Bluffton | 2.49 | 45.3 | 5.5% | 21.4% | 8.5% | 2007 | $2,169 | 48.2% | 95.7% | 2.4% |
| Parris Island | 2.99 | 26.5 | 45.4% | 1.1% | 26.3% | 1996 | $1,053 | 27.8% | 94.4% | 1.9% |
| Port Royal | 3.44 | 30.3 | 8.0% | 52.5% | 7.2% | 2001 | $2,028 | 42.3% | 96.0% | 1.7% |
| Pritchardville | 2.59 | 50.2 | 3.6% | 16.4% | 2.3% | 2013 | $2,381 | 54.0% | 97.0% | 1.4% |
| Okatie | 1.92 | 67.3 | 1.9% | 11.6% | 9.6% | 2003 | $2,037 | 51.7% | 97.9% | 4.7% |
| Lands End | 2.14 | 60.1 | 27.0% | 7.8% | 48.4% | 1994 | $966 | 45.7% | 96.9% | 0.9% |
| St. Helena Island | 2.43 | 47.4 | 19.7% | 10.3% | 26.5% | 1996 | $1,013 | 34.3% | 93.0% | 2.5% |
| Limehouse | 2.04 | 47.7 | 6.9% | 17.2% | 8.3% | 1994 | $1,381 | 26.0% | 89.1% | 1.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Atlantic City, NJ · Woburn, MA · Wheeling, IL · Wenatchee, WA · Villa Rica, GA · Vicksburg, MS · Summit, AZ · South Valley, NM · Shrewsbury, MA · Long Beach, NY
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 Hilton Head Island. 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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