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City · 5,882 residents · Beaufort County, South Carolina

Laurel Bay , South Carolina

In Laurel Bay, a typical home is worth $231,800 and typical rent is $1,454 a month. Compared with all of Beaufort County, the typical home value is 49% lower, typical household income is 37% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 53 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $231,800

    49% below the county

    11% below South Carolina

    • Laurel Bay
    • Beaufort
    • South Carolina

  • Typical rent

    $1,454a month

    12% below the county

    23% above South Carolina

    • Laurel Bay
    • Beaufort
    • South Carolina

  • Typical household income

    $54,345a year

    37% below the county

    22% below South Carolina

    • Laurel Bay
    • Beaufort
    • South Carolina

  • Households that own their home

    23%

    53 points below the county

    49 points below South Carolina

    • Laurel Bay
    • Beaufort
    • South Carolina

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

Laurel Bay 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 Laurel Bay apart

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

  1. Laurel Bay has the lowest homeownership rate of the 101 cities in South Carolina with more than 5,000 people: 23%.

  2. The typical home in Laurel Bay is worth $231,800, 49% less than in Beaufort County as a whole ($455,600).

  3. The typical household income in Laurel Bay is $54,345, 37% less than in Beaufort County as a whole ($86,573).

  4. Nearby, in Beaufort, the typical rent is $1,212: 17% less than in Laurel Bay ($1,454).

  5. Laurel Bay has the 7th largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 93 cities in South Carolina with more than 5,000 people (70%).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Laurel Bay

What homes there are in Laurel Bay, 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

The detached house rules in Laurel Bay: 68% of homes, more than in Beaufort County (64%).

Year built

Homes in Laurel Bay are older: the typical year built is 1991; in Beaufort County, 1999.

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
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,505 a month

Beaufort County: $2,030 a month

Without a mortgage

$588 a month

Beaufort County: $673 a month

Owners with a mortgage

62%

Beaufort County: 59%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Laurel Bay is $1,505 a month, less than in Beaufort County ($2,030); without one, $588.

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

The Census does not compare Laurel Bay with 2015–2019 because its boundaries changed. In Beaufort County, over that time, the typical home value rose 53%.

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

MeasureLaurel BayBeaufort CountySouth CarolinaUnited States
Rental vacancy 8.3%19.4%8.3%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate2.2%2.0%3.4%
People per household 3.022.282.442.53
Drive alone 89%72%76%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate10%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%2%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate13%12%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

The rental vacancy rate in Laurel Bay is 8.3%, lower than in Beaufort County (19.4%).

Households in Laurel Bay are bigger: 3.02 people on average; in Beaufort County, 2.28.

To get to work, 89% of workers in Laurel Bay drive alone; in Beaufort County, 72%.

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 Laurel Bay?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Laurel Bay, worth $231,800, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 41% of the typical household income in Laurel Bay, which is $54,345 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $79,745 a year.

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 Laurel Bay. 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 $8,113 (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

$1,861

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$227,602
Total interest
$327,465
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,915 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,268 a month

  • Tight

    $1,268 to $1,630 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,630 a month

    Your payment · 41%

Compared with the typical household income in Laurel Bay ($54,345 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,861
Principal & interest$1,542
Property tax$120
Home insurance$97
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$103

You need at least $8,113 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

Laurel Bay and Beaufort County

Laurel Bay 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).

Laurel Bay's own numbers

Typical home value
$231,800
Typical monthly rent
$1,454
Typical yearly household income
$54,345
Households that own their home
23%
Effective property tax rate
0.62%

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 Laurel Bay

A typical home in Laurel Bay is worth $231,800: 49% below the county and 11% below South Carolina. With the typical household income in Laurel Bay ($54,345 a year), a typical home costs 4.3 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.

  • Laurel Bay 4.3 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

Laurel Bay 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
  • Laurel Bay $231,800
  • Beaufort $455,600
  • South Carolina $259,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Laurel Bay $1,454
  • Beaufort $1,653
  • South Carolina $1,180
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Laurel Bay $54,345
  • Beaufort $86,573
  • South Carolina $69,324
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Laurel Bay next to Beaufort County and South Carolina
Measure Laurel Bay Beaufort County South Carolina U.S.
Typical home value $231,800 $455,600 $259,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,454 $1,653 $1,180 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $54,345 $86,573 $69,324 $80,734
Households that own their home 23% 76% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,430 $2,174 $1,251 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.62% 0.48% 0.48% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 70% 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 Laurel Bay

For a typical $231,800 home in Laurel Bay, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Laurel Bay's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,861a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $8,113
    Cash to close
    $15,067
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $103

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,818a month

    Down payment
    $11,590
    Cash to close
    $18,544
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $110

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,473a month

    Down payment
    $46,360
    Cash to close
    $53,314
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,687a month

    Down payment
    $34,770
    Cash to close
    $41,724
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% 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 Laurel Bay and for Beaufort County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Laurel Bay

0.62%of the home’s value each year

$1,430 a year for the typical owner in Laurel Bay.

  • Laurel Bay 0.62%
  • 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 Laurel Bay

Typical rent in Laurel Bay is $1,454 a month: 12% below the county. In Laurel Bay, 70% 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 Laurel Bay

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Laurel Bay is in ZIP code 29906.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,840: $170 less than the fair market rent for Beaufort County ($2,010).

  • 29906 $1,840$2,190

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Laurel Bay 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?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Laurel Bay

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.

A man listens closely, seated at a meeting table.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Laurel Bay

1 program is for Laurel Bay 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 Laurel Bay 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 Laurel Bay

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Laurel Bay, 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 · 9 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 · 52 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 · 54 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 Laurel Bay

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 Laurel Bay

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Beaufort County is named for Laurel Bay 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 Laurel Bay, 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 Laurel Bay.

All guides
Three women of one family lean in together to stir the pan.

Questions

Housing questions about Laurel Bay

Short answers with the numbers for Laurel Bay 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 Laurel Bay?

The typical home value in Laurel Bay is $231,800, 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 Laurel Bay?

Typical rent in Laurel Bay is $1,454 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 Laurel Bay?

Laurel Bay 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 Laurel Bay?

The typical homeowner in Laurel Bay pays $1,430 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.62% of the home’s value; in Beaufort County, the rate is 0.48%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Laurel Bay?

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).