Map the Block › Places › South Carolina › Beaufort County
What are the crime rate and median income in Beaufort County, South Carolina?
FBI reports put Beaufort County at 3.3 violent crimes per 1,000 people a year over 2021-2025, 30% lower than the rate for South Carolina (4.6). The median household earns $86,573 and the unemployment rate was 4.0% in August 2026. Population: about 195,289 (Census, 2020-2024).
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Beaufort County?
Over 2021-2025, the county's police agencies sent the FBI reports of about 655 violent and 2,886 property crimes per year. Per 1,000 residents, the violent-crime rate works out to 3.3: 30% lower than the South Carolina rate (4.6), and 12% lower than the national rate (3.7). Burglary, theft and car theft together come to 14.3 per 1,000 residents, compared with 21.3 across South Carolina. Aggravated assaults make up 82% of the violent total. CDC death records show about 13 homicide deaths a year in the county (6.6 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Beaufort County | Per 1,000 | South Carolina per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 655 | 3.3 | 4.6 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 14 | 0.07 | 0.09 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 53 | 0.26 | 0.39 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 51 | 0.25 | 0.39 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 537 | 2.7 | 3.8 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 2,886 | 14.3 | 21.3 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 395 | 2.0 | 3.2 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 2,241 | 11.1 | 15.8 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 250 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (5 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Beaufort County?
The median household in Beaufort County earns $86,573 a year, 25% higher than the South Carolina median ($69,324). Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $455,600, and the median rent is $1,653 a month. 5.2% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 10.5%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.0% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 3,571 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Beaufort County | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 195,289 | 5,296,225 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $86,573 | $69,324 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $455,600 | $250,000+ | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,653 | $1,180 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 2.6% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 9.6% | 14.1% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 5.2% | 10.5% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 46.0% | 32.1% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 75.9% | 71.9% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 48.1 | 40.2 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 94.0% | 88.8% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 8.5% | 9.6% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Beaufort County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Beaufort County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively High”. The hazards rated highest here are hurricanes (Very High) and coastal flooding (Relatively High). The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists 3 active Superfund sites (final or proposed) in Beaufort County: Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Wamchem, Inc. and Kalama Specialty Chemicals. 1 other site has finished cleanup and been taken off the list. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
The National Inventory of Dams lists 1 high-hazard dam in Beaufort County. 1 is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory in condition. Tallest on the list: Beaufort-Jasper Water Sewer Authority Dam 1 (11 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
4 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 52,537 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Beaufort County was covered by 6 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Hurricane 5, Tropical Storm 1), not counting COVID-19. Of 15 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 3 (low). NHTSA counted 27 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 5 pedestrians.
Is there road construction in Beaufort County?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 2 highway work zones in Beaufort County (0 active that day). Listed roads include US278 and SC170. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Beaufort County?
Federal school lists show 35 public and 13 private schools in the county. 8 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 34 fire or EMS stations and 5 police or sheriff stations. National Park Service sites here: Reconstruction Era National Historical Park. 1 state park or recreation area: Hunting Island State Park.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Beaufort County
Gun shops
10 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Beaufort County, plus 15 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). 2 of them are pawnshops licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: Academy Sports + Outdoors #391 (Beaufort), Beaufort Boat & Dock Supply (Port Royal), Mikes Marine (Seabrook), Palmetto Dunes Property Owners Association INC (Hilton Head Island), Plantation Iron (Bluffton), Port Royal Gun & Pawn (Port Royal), Rhett Gallery INC (Beaufort), Shepherd Tactical (Beaufort) and 2 more.
Liquor stores
29 liquor stores are on the map in Beaufort County: A1 Liquors and Wines (Bluffton), ABC Liquor, ABC Package Store, Beaufort Wine (Beaufort), Belfair Fine Wines and Spirits (Bluffton), Big Jim's Liquors (Bluffton), Bill's Liquor & Fine Wines (Bluffton), Bill's Liquors and 21 more. South Carolina has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Beaufort County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Beaufort County?
Beaufort County averaged 655 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 3.3 per 1,000 residents, 30% lower than the South Carolina rate (4.6). The property-crime rate was 14.3 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Beaufort County?
$86,573 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $69,324 for South Carolina and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Beaufort County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.0% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 3,571 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Beaufort County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Beaufort County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively High”. The hazards rated highest here are hurricanes (Very High) and coastal flooding (Relatively High).
Are there Superfund sites in Beaufort County?
EPA lists 3 active Superfund sites (final or proposed) in Beaufort County: Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Wamchem, Inc. and Kalama Specialty Chemicals. 1 other site has finished cleanup and been taken off the list.
Is there road construction in Beaufort County right now?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 2 highway work zones in Beaufort County (0 active that day). Listed roads include US278 and SC170.
How many nursing homes are in Beaufort County?
8 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Beaufort County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colleton County | 38,783 | 6.7 | $51,114 |
| Hampton County | 18,254 | 7.3 | $44,711 |
| Jasper County | 32,166 | 5.6 | $65,613 |
More: South Carolina statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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