Beaufort County, South Carolina
Located in South Carolina, Beaufort County has a population of 195,289 residents and a median age of 48.1 years, making it the #359 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 9.6%. The median home value is $455,600, and the median household income is $86,573, which is 15% above the national median.
Demographics
Beaufort County has a population of 195,289, making it the #359 most populous county in the US. The median age is 48.1 years, which is 23.7% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Beaufort County is $86,573, ranking #388 out of 3,222 counties — 15.2% above the national median. The poverty rate is 9.6% and unemployment stands at 2.4%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Beaufort County is $455,600 (+61.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,653/mo and the homeownership rate is 75.9%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Beaufort County, 46.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 36.5% above the national average, ranking #153 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Beaufort County is 80.5 years. 13.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 11.0% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
13.0% of adults in Beaufort County smoke , 27.9% are obese , and 24.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 22.6 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Beaufort County is 6.6 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 12.6 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 14.3 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
14.0% of children in Beaufort County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.0 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 16.6 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Beaufort County is 66.7%. The mean commute time is 25.9 min, which is 6.3% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Beaufort County voted Republican with a margin of 14.5%. The vote was 42.1% Dem / 56.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 4.5 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Beaufort County, South Carolina
Beaufort County, South Carolina has a total population of 195,289, making it the 359th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Beaufort County is 48.1 years, which is 23.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Beaufort County is $86,573, which ranks #388 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 15.2% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 9.6%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 2.4%.
The median home value in Beaufort County is $455,600, 61.6% above the national median. Renters in Beaufort County pay a median gross rent of $1,653 per month. The homeownership rate is 75.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Beaufort County, 46.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 36.5% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.5% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 25.9 min.
Beaufort County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 67.3% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (15.5%) and Hispanic or Latino (12.4%).
All data for Beaufort County, South Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.