Census-designated place · South Carolina
Laurel Bay, South Carolina
Laurel Bay, census-designated place, in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Laurel Bay had 5,882 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,156). GEOID 4540525.
Residents, 2020-2024
5,882
±1,156 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 5,082
Median household income
$54,345
±$17,949 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $69,324
Median home value
$231,800
±$18,048 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $259,000
Median gross rent
$1,454
±$131 (90% margin)
South Carolina: $1,180
Where is Laurel Bay and what county is it in?
Laurel Bay is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Beaufort County, South Carolina. It covers 4.2 square miles of land, 1,220 residents per square mile in 2020.
Laurel Bay 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 Laurel Bay, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Laurel Bay's population at 5,882 (±1,156). The 2020 Census counted 5,082 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Laurel Bay is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Laurel Bay | Beaufort County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,882 ±1,156 | 195,289 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,947 ±378 | 82,333 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.02 ±0.32 | 2.28 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,103 ±369 | 103,177 | no clear change |
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 Laurel Bay?
The median resident of Laurel Bay is 23.0 years old; 36.2% are under 18 and 4.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 45.2%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 38.4%.
| Measure | Laurel Bay | Beaufort County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 23.0 ±1.1 | 48.1 | −2.1 |
| Under 18 years | 36.2% ±4.8 pts | 17.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 4.6% ±2.2 pts | 28.4% | – |
| Male | 49.6% ±4.4 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 13.8% ±6.7 pts | 12.4% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 45.2% ±10.9 pts | 67.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 38.4% ±12.1 pts | 15.5% | +13.8 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 1.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±1.5 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.0% ±1.1 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.7% ±3.3 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.3% ±5.8 pts | 11.0% | – |
| With a disability | 14.9% ±5.4 pts | 13.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.0% ±2.8 pts | 8.5% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.1% ±8.0 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.3% ±8.7 pts | 46.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.3% ±2.8 pts | 19.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 79.1% ±5.7 pts | 85.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 13.4% ±5.4 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 Laurel Bay earn?
Half of Laurel Bay's 1,947 households earn less than $54,345 a year (±$17,949), against $86,573 in Beaufort County and $69,324 in South Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $58,650 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 17.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Laurel Bay | Beaufort County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,345 ±$17,949 | $86,573 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $65,679 ±$11,992 | $126,267 | – |
| Per capita income | $22,523 ±$4,379 | $53,951 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 17.5% ±8.5 pts | 9.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 18.7% ±11.8 pts | 15.9% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 17.3% ±11.5 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.6% ±2.2 pts | 97.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.6% ±5.2 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 Laurel Bay?
Owners occupy 22.5% of Laurel Bay's occupied homes and renters 77.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $231,800 by its owner (±$18,048). The median renter pays $1,454 a month including utilities, and 59.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Laurel Bay | Beaufort County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $231,800 ±$18,048 | $455,600 | +$51,996 |
| Median gross rent | $1,454 ±$131 | $1,653 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 59.6% ±11.7 pts | 45.0% | +15.5 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,505 ±$462 | $2,030 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 22.5% ±7.1 pts | 75.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 77.5% ±7.1 pts | 24.1% | – |
| Housing units | 2,103 ±369 | 103,177 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±9.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.3% ±4.9 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 68.1% ±11.0 pts | 64.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 19.8% ±10.7 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.5% ±2.0 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.6% ±4.1 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 do people in Laurel Bay work and get to work?
88.8% of Laurel Bay's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 28.0 minutes.
| Measure | Laurel Bay | Beaufort County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.2% ±7.4 pts | 56.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% ±5.8 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 88.8% ±6.0 pts | 71.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.4% ±5.4 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.0% ±1.1 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 28.0 min ±6.2 | 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 Laurel Bay?
1 census tract lies mostly in Laurel Bay, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3Beaufort County | 4,209 | $62,204 |
| Tract 5.01Beaufort County | 6,658 | $73,182 |
| Tract 2Beaufort County | 5,327 | $62,712 |
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 Laurel Bay) · Census block assignment files
How does Laurel Bay compare with other places in South Carolina?
Laurel Bay ranks 128th of 248 places in South Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 95th | 261 |
| Residents per square mile | 91st | 261 |
| Median household income | 128th | 248 |
| Per capita income | 209th | 259 |
| Median home value | 89th | 248 |
| Median gross rent | 29th | 235 |
| Poverty rate | 127th | 214 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 144th | 226 |
| Median age | 256th | 261 |
| Owner-occupied share | 258th | 258 |
| Travel time to work | 66th | 261 |
Laurel Bay's figures with every place in South Carolina (CSV)
Every place in South Carolina, sortable · Compare Laurel Bay 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 Laurel Bay?
18 of the 57 figures for Laurel Bay 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 Laurel Bay 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' school search.