City · South Carolina
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort, city, in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Beaufort had 15,775 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 15.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 13,607 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 13,747 (±26). GEOID 4504690.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
15,775
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 13,607 · ACS 2020-2024: 13,747 ±26
Median household income
$61,220
±$9,318 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $69,324
Median home value
$345,400
±$38,325 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $259,000
Median gross rent
$1,212
±$154 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $1,180
Where is Beaufort and what county is it in?
Beaufort is a city in Beaufort County, South Carolina. It covers 24.5 square miles of land, 555 residents per square mile in 2020.
Beaufort is in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Beaufort, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 15,775 people lived in Beaufort on July 1, 2025, up 15.0% since 2020, faster than South Carolina (+8.8%). The 2020 Census counted 13,607 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 13,747 (±26).
| Measure | Beaufort | Beaufort County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 13,747 ±26 | 195,289 | +343 |
| Households | 5,348 ±442 | 82,333 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.21 ±0.18 | 2.28 | −0.30 |
| Housing units | 6,327 ±486 | 103,177 | +638 |
Beaufort's population since 2000
From 12,950 in 2000 to 15,775 in 2025: up 21.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Beaufort as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Beaufort?
The median resident of Beaufort is 32.2 years old; 16.9% are under 18 and 14.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 62.6%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 26.0%. 3.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Beaufort | Beaufort County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.2 ±3.9 | 48.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 16.9% ±3.8 pts | 17.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.9% ±3.4 pts | 28.4% | – |
| Male | 52.8% ±3.0 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.4% ±2.3 pts | 12.4% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 62.6% ±5.7 pts | 67.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 26.0% ±5.4 pts | 15.5% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±0.7 pts | 1.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.8% ±1.4 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.9% ±1.8 pts | 7.7% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 8.5% ±2.7 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 15.3% ±3.4 pts | 11.0% | – |
| With a disability | 13.0% ±2.9 pts | 13.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.5% ±3.1 pts | 8.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.5% ±1.3 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 39.6% ±4.9 pts | 46.0% | +6.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 14.6% ±3.1 pts | 19.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 81.6% ±4.4 pts | 85.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 7.2% ±1.7 pts | 7.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Beaufort earn?
Half of Beaufort's 5,348 households earn less than $61,220 a year (±$9,318), against $86,573 in Beaufort County and $69,324 in South Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $67,532 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Beaufort | Beaufort County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,220 ±$9,318 | $86,573 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $89,347 ±$9,342 | $126,267 | – |
| Per capita income | $39,044 ±$4,085 | $53,951 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 12.5% ±4.8 pts | 9.6% | −8.5 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 15.7% ±10.9 pts | 15.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.6% ±4.9 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.0% ±2.6 pts | 97.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.1% ±3.8 pts | 94.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Beaufort?
Owners occupy 61.5% of Beaufort's occupied homes and renters 38.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $345,400 by its owner (±$38,325). The median renter pays $1,212 a month including utilities, and 47.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Beaufort | Beaufort County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $345,400 ±$38,325 | $455,600 | +$81,170 |
| Median gross rent | $1,212 ±$154 | $1,653 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 47.0% ±10.9 pts | 45.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,912 ±$179 | $2,030 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 61.5% ±6.6 pts | 75.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 38.5% ±6.6 pts | 24.1% | – |
| Housing units | 6,327 ±486 | 103,177 | +638 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.7% ±2.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 10.4% ±7.1 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 70.4% ±5.9 pts | 64.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.6% ±2.0 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 3.7% ±2.2 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.8% ±3.7 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.5% ±2.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.4% ±3.4 pts | 4.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Beaufort building?
Builders took permits for 125 new housing units in Beaufort in 2025 (125 in single-family houses), 7.9 per 1,000 residents against 8.2 across South Carolina.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Beaufort work and get to work?
68.6% of Beaufort's workers drive alone and 8.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.3 minutes.
| Measure | Beaufort | Beaufort County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.5% ±4.1 pts | 56.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% ±2.8 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 68.6% ±4.6 pts | 71.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 17.9% ±4.7 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 4.6% ±1.9 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.0% ±2.8 pts | 13.2% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.3 min ±2.2 | 23.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Beaufort?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Beaufort, and 10 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $16,944 (Tract 4) to $64,808 (Tract 7).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 7Beaufort County | 6,185 | $64,808 |
| Tract 5.02Beaufort County | 7,529 | $66,515 |
| Tract 6Beaufort County | 2,248 | $40,259 |
| Tract 4Beaufort County | 1,657 | $16,944 |
| Tract 2Beaufort County | 5,327 | $62,712 |
| Tract 9.03Beaufort County | 2,663 | $105,972 |
| Tract 8Beaufort County | 5,352 | $82,031 |
| Tract 9.02Beaufort County | 8,955 | $92,969 |
| Tract 5.03Beaufort County | 6,480 | $80,154 |
| Tract 5.01Beaufort County | 6,658 | $73,182 |
| Tract 9.01Beaufort County | 3,572 | $104,500 |
| Tract 3Beaufort County | 4,209 | $62,204 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Beaufort) · Census block assignment files
How does Beaufort compare with other places in South Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Beaufort is the 2,332nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 33rd-most populous of 271 in South Carolina.
Beaufort ranks 97th of 248 places in South Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 33rd | 271 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 26th | 149 |
| Residents per square mile | 203rd | 261 |
| Median household income | 97th | 248 |
| Per capita income | 67th | 259 |
| Median home value | 37th | 248 |
| Median gross rent | 63rd | 235 |
| Poverty rate | 165th | 214 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43rd | 226 |
| Median age | 224th | 261 |
| Owner-occupied share | 157th | 258 |
| Work from home | 91st | 119 |
| Travel time to work | 245th | 261 |
Beaufort's figures with every place in South Carolina (CSV)
Every place in South Carolina, sortable · Compare Beaufort with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Beaufort?
10 of the 57 figures for Beaufort on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Beaufort are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Beaufort.