City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Isle of Palms, SC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Isle of Palms - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

4,350
Residents
$148,029
Median income
$1,192,200
Median home
$1,787
Median rent (state)

Isle of Palms - the verdict

Isle of Palms ranks in the 94th percentile for household income and the 47th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

94th
percentile, household income
98th
percentile, home value
74th
percentile, median rent
47th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Isle of Palms, SC

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 4,350 residents in Isle of Palms, a small town within South Carolina. The typical household in Isle of Palms brings in $148,029 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.6%. Home values in Isle of Palms run a median of $1,192,200, and the median resident age is 54.2 years. 69.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 49.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 35 residential building permits were authorized in Isle of Palms (Building Boom), up 59% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Isle of Palms reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1462.2 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in South Carolina run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, South Carolina scores 93.7 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,787 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts South Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $224 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 98.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

4,350 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$148,029 /yr

Poverty 0.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina average

How does Isle of Palms compare to other US cities?

Where Isle of Palms sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 94% higher than other cities
Home value 98% pricier than other cities
Median rent 74% pricier than other cities
Safety 47% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just South Carolina and the picture shifts: Isle of Palms ranks #21 of 127 South Carolina cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Isle of Palms's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in South Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

94thIncome percentile
47thSafety percentile

94th percentile nationally for median household income · 47th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Isle of Palms's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Isle of Palms's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 52 Avg. percentile National median
Isle of Palms's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Isle of Palms's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,192,200 2nd percentile more affordable than 2% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Isle of Palms $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Isle of Palms, SC Isle of Palms, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Isle of Palms, SC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Isle of Palms, SC median $148,029/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Isle of Palms, SC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Isle of Palms, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 69.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 49.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,350
Median Income
$148,029
Median Home Value
$1,192,200
Median Age
54.2
Poverty Rate
0.6%
Labor force participation
49.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
69.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1462.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
137.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1325.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,320 residents4,340 residents4,360 residents4,380 residents4,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,348 residents 4,377 residents ▲ +0.7%
Isle of Palms's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
35
housing units authorized
Single-Family
35
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 22
2020 24
2021 48
2022 49
2023 20
2024 35

Permit volume increased 59% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
62.5%
Carpool
7.6%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
0.6%
Work from Home
26.5%
Other
2.3%

Based on 1,826 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for South Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$52
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$224
estimated/month

Estimates reflect South Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a South Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Isle of Palms sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.7
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,787/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Carolina

Baxter
4,355 people
Woodruff
4,337 people
Belton
4,405 people
Surfside Beach
4,217 people
East Camden
4,210 people
Duncan
4,175 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Isle of Palms's 4,350 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Belleair, FL
4,350 people
Hutchinson Island South, FL
4,350 people
Union Mill, VA
4,351 people
Williamstown, MA
4,352 people
North Wilkesboro, NC
4,348 people
McMurray, PA
4,348 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Isle of Palms's $148,029 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Rowena, SD
$148,036 median income
Hicksville, NY
$148,008 median income
Seaville, NJ
$148,095 median income
Fair Lawn, NJ
$147,952 median income
Hanover, MN
$147,944 median income
Cave Springs, AR
$147,917 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Isle of Palms, SC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Isle of Palms, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 97.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.4% White 97.5% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 2.1% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Isle of Palms compares to nearby South Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Isle of Palms (this city) 4,350 $148,029
Baxter 4,355 $146,440
Woodruff 4,337 $64,292
Belton 4,405 $48,164
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Isle of Palms, SC?

What is the population of Isle of Palms, SC? +

The population of Isle of Palms, SC stands at 4,350 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Isle of Palms, SC? +

The median household income in Isle of Palms is $148,029 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Isle of Palms? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Isle of Palms; the closest available measure is the South Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 93.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within South Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Isle of Palms, SC safe? +

Isle of Palms has a total crime rate of 1462.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Isle of Palms, SC? +

Homes in Isle of Palms carry a median value of $1,192,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.