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City · 37,911 residents · Beaufort County, South Carolina

Hilton Head Island , South Carolina

In Hilton Head Island, a typical home is worth $687,400 and typical rent is $1,479 a month. Compared with all of Beaufort County, the typical home value is 51% higher and typical rent is 11% lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $687,400

    51% above the county

    165% above South Carolina

    • Hilton Head Island
    • Beaufort
    • South Carolina

  • Typical rent

    $1,479a month

    11% below the county

    25% above South Carolina

    • Hilton Head Island
    • Beaufort
    • South Carolina

  • Typical household income

    $94,657a year

    9% above the county

    37% above South Carolina

    • Hilton Head Island
    • Beaufort
    • South Carolina

  • Households that own their home

    79%

    3 points above the county

    7 points above South Carolina

    • Hilton Head Island
    • Beaufort
    • South Carolina

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$781,869
4.1% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$2,630 a month
5.7% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Hilton Head Island is in Beaufort County. The FHA loan limit ($638,250 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Beaufort County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Hilton Head Island apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Hilton Head Island has the 2nd highest typical home value of the 101 cities in South Carolina with more than 5,000 people ($687,400).

  2. Nearby, in Burton, the typical home value is $247,600: 64% less than in Hilton Head Island ($687,400).

  3. Nearby, in Beaufort, the typical rent is $1,212: 18% less than in Hilton Head Island ($1,479).

  4. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Hilton Head Island rose 4.1%; in South Carolina, it rose 0.9%.

  5. Hilton Head Island has the 9th highest typical household income of the 101 cities in South Carolina with more than 5,000 people ($94,657).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Hilton Head Island

What homes there are in Hilton Head Island, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

No kind of home is the majority in Hilton Head Island; the largest group, detached houses, adds up to 47%, less than in Beaufort County (64%).

Year built

The typical home in Hilton Head Island was built in 1987, 12 years before the typical one in Beaufort County.

There are fewer big homes in Hilton Head Island than in Beaufort County: 59% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 68%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

The FHA limit for Beaufort County is $638,250: about 45% of owner-occupied homes in Hilton Head Island are worth less, and the rest more.

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$2,591 a month

Beaufort County: $2,030 a month

Without a mortgage

$955 a month

Beaufort County: $673 a month

Owners with a mortgage

51%

Beaufort County: 59%

Owning costs more in Hilton Head Island: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $2,591 a month; in Beaufort County, $2,030. Without one, $955.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Homes in Hilton Head Island gained value more slowly than in Beaufort County: 42% since 2015–2019, against 53%.

Rents in Hilton Head Island rose more slowly than in Beaufort County: 16% since 2015–2019, against 38%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureHilton Head IslandBeaufort CountySouth CarolinaUnited States
Rental vacancy 46.9%19.4%8.3%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room 2.8%2.2%2.0%3.4%
People per household 2.052.282.442.53
Drive alone 67%72%76%69%
Carpool 9%10%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0%3%
Walk or bike 3%3%2%3%
Work from home 20%13%12%15%
Other means 2%1%2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

The rental vacancy rate in Hilton Head Island is 46.9%, higher than in Beaufort County (19.4%).

In Hilton Head Island, 2.8% of households live with more than one person per room, about the same as in Beaufort County.

On average, a household in Hilton Head Island has 2.05 people, fewer than in Beaufort County (2.28).

Working from home is more common in Hilton Head Island: 20%, against 13% in Beaufort County.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Hilton Head Island?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Hilton Head Island, worth $687,400, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 69% of the typical household income in Hilton Head Island, which is $94,657 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $232,310 a year. Note: at that price the loan is above the FHA limit for Beaufort County ($638,250), so FHA would not insure it; the payment is only a reference.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Beaufort County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Hilton Head Island. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $24,059 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$5,421

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$674,949
Total interest
$971,094
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $11,608 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,209 a month

  • Tight

    $2,209 to $2,840 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,840 a month

    Your payment · 69%

Compared with the typical household income in Hilton Head Island ($94,657 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$5,421
Principal & interest$4,572
Property tax$258
Home insurance$286
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$304

This loan is over the FHA limit

You'd borrow $663,341, but the FHA limit for a one-unit home in Hilton Head Island is $638,250. You'd need a bigger down payment or a different loan.

You need at least $24,059 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Hilton Head Island and Beaufort County

Hilton Head Island is in Beaufort County, South Carolina. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Hilton Head Island's own numbers

Typical home value
$687,400
Typical monthly rent
$1,479
Typical yearly household income
$94,657
Households that own their home
79%
Effective property tax rate
0.45%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Beaufort County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$638,250
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,010
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+74%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
15%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Beaufort County.

Everything about Beaufort County

Buying

Buying a home in Hilton Head Island

A typical home in Hilton Head Island is worth $687,400: 51% above the county and 165% above South Carolina. With the typical household income in Hilton Head Island ($94,657 a year), a typical home costs 7.3 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Hilton Head Island 7.3 years
  • Beaufort 5.3 years
  • South Carolina 3.7 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Beaufort County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Beaufort County rose 122% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Beaufort County.

Period County South Carolina U.S.
Last year (2025) +4.1% +3.6% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +74% +60% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +122% +104% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Hilton Head Island next to Beaufort County, South Carolina and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Hilton Head Island $687,400
  • Beaufort $455,600
  • South Carolina $259,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Hilton Head Island $1,479
  • Beaufort $1,653
  • South Carolina $1,180
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Hilton Head Island $94,657
  • Beaufort $86,573
  • South Carolina $69,324
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Hilton Head Island next to Beaufort County and South Carolina
Measure Hilton Head Island Beaufort County South Carolina U.S.
Typical home value $687,400 $455,600 $259,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,479 $1,653 $1,180 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $94,657 $86,573 $69,324 $80,734
Households that own their home 79% 76% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,066 $2,174 $1,251 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.45% 0.48% 0.48% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 51% 53% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Beaufort County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Hilton Head Island

For a typical $687,400 home in Hilton Head Island, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Hilton Head Island's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $5,421a month

    Above the FHA limit for Beaufort County ($638,250)
    Down payment
    $24,059
    Cash to close
    $44,681
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $304

  • Conventional, 5% down $5,295a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $34,370
    Cash to close
    $54,992
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $327

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $4,270a month

    Down payment
    $137,480
    Cash to close
    $158,102
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $4,905a month

    Down payment
    $103,110
    Cash to close
    $123,732
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is Conventional, 5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Hilton Head Island and for Beaufort County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Hilton Head Island

0.45%of the home’s value each year

$3,066 a year for the typical owner in Hilton Head Island.

  • Hilton Head Island 0.45%
  • Beaufort 0.48%
  • South Carolina 0.48%

What South Carolina publishes Special 4% assessment ratio for your legal residence (South Carolina General Assembly (South Carolina Code of Laws))

Exemptions and deadlines in South Carolina

Flood risk in Beaufort County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Beaufort County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
15%
10,426
Of those, with NFIP insurance
—
County South Carolina U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 15% 4% 3.5%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Hilton Head Island

Typical rent in Hilton Head Island is $1,479 a month: 11% below the county. In Hilton Head Island, 51% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Beaufort County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,010 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $38.65 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Beaufort County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,772 $34.08 $70,880
1 bedroom $1,844 $35.46 $73,760
2 bedrooms $2,010 $38.65 $80,400
3 bedrooms $2,395 $46.06 $95,800
4 bedrooms $2,880 $55.38 $115,200

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Hilton Head Island

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Hilton Head Island has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,940 in 29928 to $2,040 in 29926.

1 of the 2 is above the fair market rent for Beaufort County ($2,010).

  • 29926 $2,040$2,430
  • 29928 $1,940$2,310

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Hilton Head Island when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Hilton Head Island

HUD lists one building with rents for lower incomes in Hilton Head Island.

  • Sandlewood Terrace 8 Southwood Park Dr, Hilton Head Island 29926 145 homes, 143 low-income · Run by Housing Authority of Beaufort · Average payment: $506 a month · Average wait: 7 months (843) 525-7059

See all 27 buildings in Beaufort County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Hilton Head Island

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Beaufort County; none says it serves in Spanish.

An older man and his daughter go over papers with a professional.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Hilton Head Island

1 program is for Hilton Head Island or Beaufort County, by its own record: they come first, each with what its official page says about being open. The ones below are statewide in South Carolina: they work in Hilton Head Island the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in South Carolina

  • County First Initiative

    For Beaufort County

    South Carolina state agency rural initiative for certain counties: an FHA, USDA or VA mortgage at a special fixed rate with forgivable down payment assistance, for first-time buyers and for people who have owned a home before. Offered by SC Housing (South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • Palmetto Home Advantage

    Statewide in South Carolina

    South Carolina state agency program with forgivable down payment assistance of 0%, 3% or 4% of the loan, with no monthly payments, for any buyer in all 46 counties. Offered by SC Housing (South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • SC Housing Homebuyer Program

    Statewide in South Carolina

    South Carolina state agency fixed-rate mortgage with forgivable help for the down payment, closing costs or prepaid expenses: a 0% second mortgage with no monthly payments, forgiven if you live in the home 15 years. Offered by SC Housing (South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Hilton Head Island

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Hilton Head Island, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • CCCS of the Savannah Area, Inc.- SC Branch

    15 Sams Point Rd, Beaufort · 16 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (843) 379-2227

  • Charleston Trident Urban League, Inc.

    2133 N Hillside Dr, Charleston · 60 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 6 more
    (843) 769-8173

  • Credit.org - North Charleston, SC Branch

    5935 Rivers Ave, North Charleston · 65 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (800) 431-8157

Every agency in Beaufort County All counseling agencies in South Carolina

Help in Spanish near Hilton Head Island

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Hilton Head Island

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Beaufort County is named for Hilton Head Island or Beaufort County.

One other authority has an office in Beaufort County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Beaufort County

These cities are also in Beaufort County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Beaufort County Housing in South Carolina

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Hilton Head Island, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Beaufort County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Hilton Head Island.

All guides
Two parents walk hand in hand with their little daughter.

Questions

Housing questions about Hilton Head Island

Short answers with the numbers for Hilton Head Island and all of Beaufort County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Hilton Head Island?

The typical home value in Hilton Head Island is $687,400, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Beaufort County it is $455,600.

How much does it cost to rent in Hilton Head Island?

Typical rent in Hilton Head Island is $1,479 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Beaufort County is $2,010.

What is the FHA loan limit in Hilton Head Island?

Hilton Head Island uses the FHA limit for all of Beaufort County (2026): $638,250 for a one-unit home and $1,227,400 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Hilton Head Island?

The typical homeowner in Hilton Head Island pays $3,066 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.45% of the home’s value; in Beaufort County, the rate is 0.48%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Hilton Head Island?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Beaufort County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).