Living in Hilton Head Island, SC
Beach town in South Carolina
Hilton Head Island is a beach town in South Carolina, home to about 38,000 people, with 383,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
Is Hilton Head Island a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Low taxes: about $1,296 state income tax per resident, 0.45% property tax
- Easy flying: SAV is 27 mi away
- Strong healthcare: 2 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Great outdoors: coast or a lake close by
👎 Cons
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- No dog parks within 9 mi
- Smaller job market: about 383,000 people live within 31 mi
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Hilton Head Island ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Hilton Head Island: common questions
What is the cost of living in Hilton Head Island?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $889k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,180 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 98, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Hilton Head Island?
South Carolina collects about $1,296 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.45% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Hilton Head Island safe?
Hilton Head Island isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.
What is the weather like in Hilton Head Island?
Hilton Head Island has mild winters: winter days average around 63°F and summer days around 90°F.
Does Hilton Head Island get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from hurricanes: 7 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.9 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Hilton Head Island?
The nearest major airport is SAV, about 27 mi away.
How Hilton Head Island scores
Each bar compares Hilton Head Island with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Hilton Head Island right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.