City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Laurel Bay, SC

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

5,627
Residents
$52,094
Median income
$221,300
Median home
$1,816
Median rent (state)

Laurel Bay - the verdict

Nationally, Laurel Bay sits in the 23rd percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

23rd
percentile, household income
49th
percentile, home value
76th
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: Laurel Bay, SC

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 5,627 residents in Laurel Bay, a small town within South Carolina. Median household income here is $52,094 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 17.5%. Home values in Laurel Bay run a median of $221,300, and the median resident age is 23.3 years. 20.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 42.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,816 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts South Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $224 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 97.1 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

5,627 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$52,094 /yr

Poverty 17.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina average

How does Laurel Bay compare to other US cities?

Here's how Laurel Bay stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 23% higher than other cities
Home value 49% pricier than other cities
Median rent 76% 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

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 Laurel Bay'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.

23rdIncome percentile

23rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Laurel Bay's home value compares nationally

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

$221,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 51% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Laurel Bay $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 - Laurel Bay, SC Laurel Bay, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Laurel Bay, 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 Laurel Bay, SC median $52,094/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%
Laurel Bay, 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 Laurel Bay, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 20.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 17.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 42.1%

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

Population
5,627
Median Income
$52,094
Median Home Value
$221,300
Median Age
23.3
Poverty Rate
17.5%
Labor force participation
42.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
20.4%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.7%
Carpool
19.2%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
1.4%
Other
0.7%

Based on 2,409 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 Laurel Bay sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.7
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,816/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Carolina

Walterboro
5,490 people
Piedmont
5,786 people
Belvedere
5,458 people
Hollywood
5,330 people
Blythewood
5,309 people
Central
5,299 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Laurel Bay's 5,627 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Towaco, NJ
5,627 people
Anadarko, OK
5,627 people
Waterford, WI
5,627 people
Hidden Valley, IN
5,625 people
Chisago City, MN
5,629 people
Calverton, NY
5,629 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Laurel Bay's $52,094 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Kane, PA
$52,093 median income
Coats Bend, AL
$52,089 median income
Gladewater, TX
$52,100 median income
Socorro, TX
$52,100 median income
Daniels, WV
$52,100 median income
Yuma, CO
$52,102 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Laurel Bay, 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 Laurel Bay, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 47.6% 38.2% 6.3% 7.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 14.6% White 47.6% Black or African American 38.2% Asian 0.2% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 6.3% Two or more races 7.6% 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 Laurel Bay 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
Laurel Bay (this city) 5,627 $52,094
Walterboro 5,490 $48,366
Piedmont 5,786 $51,896
Belvedere 5,458 $57,933
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Laurel Bay, SC?

What is the population of Laurel Bay, SC? +

Laurel Bay, SC counts 5,627 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Laurel Bay, SC? +

The median household income in Laurel Bay is $52,094 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Laurel Bay? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Laurel Bay; 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 Laurel Bay, SC? +

The median home value in Laurel Bay is $221,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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

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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.