City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Kiawah Island, SC

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

2,196
Residents
$236,607
Median income
$1,723,200
Median home
$1,787
Median rent (state)

Kiawah Island - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Kiawah Island lands in the 99th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

99th
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
74th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Kiawah Island, SC

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 2,196 residents in Kiawah Island, a small town within South Carolina. The typical household in Kiawah Island brings in $236,607 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.5%. Home values in Kiawah Island run a median of $1,723,200, and the median resident age is 66.0 years. Educational attainment runs 86.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 30.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 46 residential building permits were authorized in Kiawah Island (Low Activity), per Census BPS data.

Living costs in South Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts South Carolina at 93.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,787 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $224 across South Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 98.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

2,196 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$236,607 /yr

Poverty 0.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina average

How does Kiawah Island compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 99% higher than other cities
Home value 99% pricier than other cities
Median rent 74% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Kiawah Island against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to South Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

South Carolina-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Kiawah Island's strongest outlier among South Carolina cities

Among the 404 South Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Kiawah Island ranks #2 - the 100th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Kiawah Island only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1 of 403
100th percentile in South Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#15 of 441
89th percentile in South Carolina
Median Home Value
#2 of 404
100th percentile in South Carolina
Poverty Rate
#401 of 439
8th percentile in South Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#3 of 441
99th percentile in South Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within South Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

99thIncome percentile

99th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Kiawah Island's home value compares nationally

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

$1,723,200 1st percentile more affordable than 1% 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. Kiawah Island $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 - Kiawah Island, SC Kiawah Island, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Kiawah Island, 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 Kiawah Island, SC median $236,607/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%
Kiawah Island, 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 Kiawah Island, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 86.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 30.4%

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

Population
2,196
Median Income
$236,607
Median Home Value
$1,723,200
Median Age
66.0
Poverty Rate
0.5%
Labor force participation
30.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
86.5%

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,970 residents1,980 residents1,990 residents2,000 residents2,010 residents2,020 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,015 residents 2,014 residents ▼ -0.0%
Kiawah Island's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
46
housing units authorized
Single-Family
46
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
20.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 62
2024 46

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
37.3%
Carpool
1.5%
Public Transit
3.4%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
48.9%
Other
8.0%

Based on 654 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 Kiawah Island 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

Judson
2,201 people
Ware Shoals
2,207 people
Riverview
2,215 people
Elgin
2,176 people
Graniteville
2,176 people
Kershaw
2,220 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Kiawah Island's 2,196 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Wheeler AFB, HI
2,196 people
Constantine, MI
2,196 people
Bertsch-Oceanview, CA
2,197 people
Granby, CO
2,195 people
Bayou L'Ourse, LA
2,197 people
Llano Grande, TX
2,195 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Kiawah Island's $236,607 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Dunn Loring, VA
$236,563 median income
Rancho Santa Fe, CA
$236,429 median income
Rockford, IN
$236,339 median income
Bellaire, TX
$236,311 median income
Paradise Valley, AZ
$236,250 median income
Nicasio, CA
$236,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Kiawah Island, 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 Kiawah Island, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 98.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.2% White 98.1% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 1.1% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.7% 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 Kiawah Island 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
Kiawah Island (this city) 2,196 $236,607
Judson 2,201 $33,600
Ware Shoals 2,207 $35,896
Riverview 2,215 $131,158
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Kiawah Island, SC?

What is the population of Kiawah Island, SC? +

2,196 people live in Kiawah Island, SC according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Kiawah Island, SC? +

In Kiawah Island, the typical household earns $236,607 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Kiawah Island? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Kiawah Island; 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.

What is the median home value in Kiawah Island, SC? +

A typical home in Kiawah Island is worth $1,723,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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

Verify with HUD →

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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.