Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal cost of living
Prices in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metro area run at 98.0 against a national average of 100, ranking it #114 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 101.2.
What drives the number
Prices in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal run at 98.0 where the national average is 100, so about 2 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #114 of 387 metro areas. Against South Carolina as a whole it is 4.3 points more expensive, which is the usual direction: cities cost more than the states around them.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 96.3, rents at 101.2, other services at 88.1. When the components agree, the headline number is a fair summary of the whole cost of living rather than a proxy for rent.
The number is most useful in reverse: a job here can pay less in cash and still leave a household better off, by roughly 2 per cent before anything else is considered.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 3,640 | $31,530 | $32,173 | $34,580 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,330 | $18,700 | $19,082 | $33,760 |
| Cashiers | 2,470 | $28,800 | $29,388 | $31,190 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,310 | $27,850 | $28,418 | $30,480 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,200 | $29,680 | $30,286 | $34,900 |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,880 | $38,240 | $39,020 | $43,630 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 1,840 | $36,710 | $37,459 | $36,830 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,790 | $36,070 | $36,806 | $42,830 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 98.0.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston | 101.0 | 119.8 | #67 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | 97.3 | 97.6 | #122 |
| Columbia | 93.7 | 79.5 | #189 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | 93.6 | 83.1 | #191 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | 93.3 | 76.8 | #202 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | 91.9 | 70.6 | #244 |
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal: common questions
Is Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal expensive?
Prices are 2% below the national average, a parity of 98.0 where the country is 100. It ranks #114 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against South Carolina as a whole it is 4.3 points more expensive.
What salary do you need in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal?
The median worker there earns $40,090, which buys what $40,908 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 101.2 against goods at 96.3. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.