Hilton Head Island, SC

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Beaufort County · Hilton Head Island-Bluffton · population 38,158

Investors
Hilton Head Island, SC
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
74
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Hilton Head Island stands

At or near all-time high. averaging 9.7% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $787,040
1-year +2.9%
5-yr CAGR +9.7%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$787k$360k$513k$666k$819k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
67/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$3,143/mo$2,403$2,867$3,331202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent113123100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 20.9
Lean rent

At a 20.9 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Hilton Head Island. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
64 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
87 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
52 · w16%
Rent YoY
75 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
77 · w10%
Long thesis

Hilton Head Island has averaged 9.7% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+2.9% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Hilton Head Island's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Hilton Head Island

Hilton Head Island is a city in Beaufort County, South Carolina, with an estimated population of 38,158. It anchors the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton metro area. The median home value in Hilton Head Island is $787,040 as of 2026-04, up 2.9% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +9.7% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Hilton Head Island average $3,143 per month, up 4.5% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 74 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Multi-year compounder: home values up an average 9.7% per year over the last 5 years — sustained, not a one-year pop.
●Quiet strength: +2.9% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Hilton Head Island (Wikipedia)

Hilton Head Island is a resort town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is a barrier island within the South Carolina Lowcountry, located 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Savannah, Georgia, and 95 miles (153 km) southwest of Charleston. The year-round population was 37,661 at the 2020 census, although during the peak of summer vacation season the population can swell to 150,000. It is the principal city of the Hilton Head Island metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 232,523 in 2023.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Beaufort County right now.

NWS active alerts (SC)South Carolina Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Beaufort County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Hilton Head Island

14 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Wexford$1,656,685+2.9%
2Long Cove$1,330,595-1.6%
3Palmetto Dunes$1,146,554+2.4%
4Windmill Harbour$1,075,078+4.8%
5Sea Pines$996,246+5.3%
6Hilton Head Plantation$890,831+0.4%
7Blufton$808,488+5.4%
8Spanish Wells$733,010-1.6%
9Palmetto Hall$718,501+1.4%
10Indigo Run$613,738+1.8%
11Shipyard$599,688+4.3%
12Forest Beach$538,969-1.1%
13Shelter Cove$534,393-2.0%
14Port Royal$414,310-5.1%

Cities like Hilton Head Island

Mount Pleasant, SC73 · RisingBeaufort, SC71 · RisingCayce, SC68 · RisingCharleston, SC71 · Rising

Run the numbers for Hilton Head Island

ToolCan I afford Hilton Head Island?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Hilton Head Island rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Hilton Head Island to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolHilton Head Island cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
57° / 36°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
91° / 71°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
220
~60% of year
Annual precip
50″ rain
2″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
High
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Hilton Head Island listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
73%
Humid climate
Median household income
$63,600
South Carolina state median
Top industries (state-level)
Manufacturing (auto)TourismHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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