HomeSouth CarolinaBeaufort County
Beaufort County, South Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Beaufort County, South Carolina has a population of 195,289 across 576 square miles, up 7.8 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $12.87 bn in 2024, 6,087 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 261 7(a) approvals worth $154.4 m.
123 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Beaufort County
How many people live in Beaufort County
- Population195,289
- Households82,333
- Average household size2.37
- Median household income$86,573
- Median age48.1
- Median gross rent$1,653 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$455,600
- Home value to household income5.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income22.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher46.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree19.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over142,290
- Population under 1834,071
- Share under 1817.4 percent
- Population 65 and over55,433
- Share 65 and over28.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64105,785
- Civilian labor force85,152
- Unemployment rate2.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over52.8 percent
- Rank by population among South Carolina counties10th of 46
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents359th
Beaufort County is the 10th largest of 46 South Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 5.3 times median household income, which is a stretched ownership market and usually shows up as rental demand. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 28.4 percent against 17.4 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single storey product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Beaufort County
Is Beaufort County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base7.84 percent
- Census 2020 base population187,098
- Births, 20241,866
- Deaths, 20242,080
- Natural change, 2024-214
- Net domestic migration, 20242,048
- Net international migration, 2024969
- Total net migration, 20243,017
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202412,310
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents249th
The county has grown 7.84 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Beaufort County
Where people moving to Beaufort County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving8,152
- People arriving, from those returns15,087
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.38 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$169,823
- Largest single originBeaufort County Non-migrants (72,412 households)
- Largest single destination (72,412 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaufort County Non-migrants | 72,412 | 141,208 | $9.42 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 3,677 | 6,876 | $653.2 m |
| Other flows - South | 1,709 | 3,185 | $275.9 m |
| Other flows - Northeast | 752 | 1,380 | $178.4 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 751 | 1,420 | $130.3 m |
| Other flows - West | 465 | 891 | $68.6 m |
| Jasper County | 377 | 709 | $32.7 m |
| Charleston County | 204 | 335 | $23.8 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Beaufort County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Beaufort County
What the Beaufort County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$12.87 bn
- County GDP, 2023$12.12 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.2 percent
- GDP change over five years37.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among South Carolina counties9th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents362nd
- GDP per resident$65,917
Output grew 6.2 percent in the latest year and 37.8 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Beaufort County
Who employs people in Beaufort County
- Covered employment, annual average71,044
- Establishments reporting7,748
- Average annual pay$54,768
- Average weekly wage$1,053
- Sector 72, employment13,483
- Sector 72, average annual pay$32,521
- Sector 44-45, employment11,570
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$38,313
- Sector 62, employment7,391
- Sector 62, average annual pay$59,255
- Sector 23, employment4,468
- Sector 23, average annual pay$70,533
- Sector 81, employment4,188
- Sector 56, employment3,862
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 72 | 13,483 | 642 | $32,521 |
| Sector 44-45 | 11,570 | 809 | $38,313 |
| Sector 62 | 7,391 | 732 | $59,255 |
| Sector 23 | 4,468 | 901 | $70,533 |
| Sector 81 | 4,188 | 600 | $48,111 |
| Sector 56 | 3,862 | 526 | $47,530 |
| Sector 54 | 3,611 | 1,204 | $94,287 |
| Sector 71 | 3,143 | 175 | $36,113 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 13,483 jobs, 19.0 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Beaufort County
What businesses operate in Beaufort County
- Establishments, all industries6,087
- Employment at those establishments59,121
- Annual payroll$2.78 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents31.2
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Beaufort County
What is being built in Beaufort County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20241,638
- Declared construction value permitted$816.4 m
- Single family units authorised1,030
- Multifamily units authorised608
- Multifamily share of units37.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$498,382
- Units authorised per 1,000 households19.9
Multifamily is 37.1 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Beaufort County
How much SBA lending happens in Beaufort County
- 7(a) approvals recorded261
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$154.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$591,504
- Median 7(a) approval$300,000
- 10th percentile approval$30,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,327,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,552
- Jobs per approval9.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active57
- Distinct industries receiving approvals113
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer14.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms39
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter201
- Franchise loans44
- Franchise share of approvals16.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (21)
- Most active lenderTD Bank, National Association (36)
- 504 approvals recorded34
- 504 gross approval dollars$34.6 m
- Average 504 approval$1,016,529
- Median 504 approval$521,000
- Distinct CDCs active7
- 504 jobs per approval17.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved16.8
- Most active CDCProvident Business Financial Services, Inc. (11)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals88.5 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$188.9 m
The average approval of $591,504 sits well above the median of $300,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 14.9 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Beaufort County
Do SBA loans in Beaufort County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded40
- Paid in full39
- Charged off1
- Charge off rate on resolved loans2.5 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure178
- Status: Cancelled29
- Status: Paid in full39
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed14
Of the 40 loans that have reached a final outcome, 2.5 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Beaufort County
Which parts of Beaufort County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending10
- HILTON HEAD ISLAND, approvals94
- BLUFFTON, approvals88
- Beaufort, approvals54
- PORT ROYAL, approvals7
- OKATIE, approvals5
- Hilton Head, approvals4
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| HILTON HEAD ISLAND | 94 | $58,729,400 |
| BLUFFTON | 88 | $36,261,200 |
| Beaufort | 54 | $46,164,600 |
| PORT ROYAL | 7 | $5,667,800 |
| OKATIE | 5 | $1,767,500 |
| Hilton Head | 4 | $1,082,000 |
| DAUFUSKIE ISLAND | 3 | $420,000 |
| SAINT HELENA ISLAND | 3 | $800,000 |
HILTON HEAD ISLAND accounts for 94 approvals against 88 in BLUFFTON. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Beaufort County
How big is Beaufort County
- Land area576 sq mi
- Rank by land area among South Carolina counties26th of 46
- Width, east to west34.3 mi
- Height, north to south43.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land339
- Establishments per square mile10.57
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Beaufort County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Beaufort County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population195,289
- Households82,333
- Average household size2.37
- Median household income$86,573
- Median age48.1
Common questions
Beaufort County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Beaufort County, South Carolina?
195,289, in 82,333 households, ranking 10th of 46 South Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Beaufort County growing?
The population has grown 7.84 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 1,866 births against 2,080 deaths, with net migration of 3,017. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Beaufort County?
$86,573. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $455,600, which is 5.3 times income, and median gross rent is $1,653 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Beaufort County?
6,087 establishments, employing 59,121 people with an annual payroll of $2.78 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Beaufort County?
Average annual pay is $54,768, or $1,053 a week, across 71,044 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Beaufort County?
261 7(a) approvals totalling $154.4 m since FY2020, across 57 lenders, with a median approval of $300,000, plus 34 504 approvals worth $34.6 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Beaufort County get paid back?
Of the 40 loans that have reached a final outcome, 39 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge off rate of 2.5 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Beaufort County?
1,638 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $816.4 m. Multifamily was 37.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Beaufort County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Beaufort County come from?
The largest single origin is Beaufort County Non-migrants, with 72,412 households. Arriving households report an average income of $169,823 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Beaufort County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Beaufort County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.