Beaufort County
County
The Arsenal in Beaufort Historic District
Flag Seal
Motto:  "Heritage By The Sea"
Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
South Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°22′N 80°41′W / 32.36°N 80.69°W / 32.36; -80.69
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
Founded	1800
Named for	Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort
Seat	Beaufort
Largest community	Hilton Head Island
Area
• Total	923.48 sq mi (2,391.8 km2)
• Land	576.04 sq mi (1,491.9 km2)
• Water	347.44 sq mi (899.9 km2)  37.62%
Population  (2020)
• Total	187,117
• Estimate  (2023)	198,979
• Density	324.83/sq mi (125.42/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.beaufortcountysc.gov

Beaufort County (/ˈbjuːfərt/ BEW-fərt) is a county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 187,117.^[1] Its county seat is Beaufort and its largest community is Hilton Head Island.^[2]

Beaufort County is part of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is one of the South's fastest-growing counties, primarily because of development south of the Broad River clustered along the U.S. Highway 278 corridor.^[3] The county's northern portions have also grown steadily, due in part to the strong federal military presence around the city of Beaufort. The county's two portions are connected by the Broad River Bridge, which carries South Carolina Highway 170. Beaufort County has been identified as the most at-risk county in the contiguous United States for combined damage from climate change in the medium term, largely due to high wet-bulb temperatures, economic and farm crop damages, and sea level rise.^[4]

History

From the early days of plantations, African slaves outnumbered the European minority in the colony. The plantations on the Sea Islands had large concentrations of slaves that had infrequent and limited interaction with white people. The islands were sites of the development of the Gullah culture, which preserved elements from a variety of West African roots; the people also developed the Gullah language, a creole language. The county was majority black until around the mid-20th century.

Union troops took control of Beaufort County and occupied the area beginning in 1861. Many slaves escaped and went to Union lines. In some cases, planters had moved inland for refuge, leaving their slaves on the Sea Islands. Slaves began to organize schools and other parts of their communities early in the war in this county, especially on the islands. The Army founded Mitchellville on Hilton Head by March 1863 as a village where black people could practice self-governance; by 1865, it had 1,500 residents. After the war, the Drayton family reclaimed this land for their own private use. In some cases, the Union Army allocated plots for blacks for housing and cultivating crops.^[5]

When freedmen were granted citizenship and the franchise after the American Civil War by constitutional amendments, most joined the Republican Party. Although not the only majority black state, South Carolina was the only southern state during Reconstruction to elect a black majority of representatives to the state legislature.^[5] Beaufort County had many prominent black leaders, such as Robert Smalls, Jonathan Jasper Wright, William James Whipper, Julius I. Washington, and Thomas E. Miller.^[5]

Increasing violence during election campaigns in the state from 1868 on was used by white insurgents and paramilitary groups to suppress black voting; results were also dependent on fraud. In 1876, the Democrats regained control of the state legislature and governor's office, although results were disputed. While black Republicans continued to be elected to local office in Beaufort County and other areas through the next decades, in 1895 the Democrat-dominated state legislature passed a new constitution that effectively disfranchised most black citizens by making voter registration and voting more difficult. They were excluded from the political system and kept in second-class status for decades. In 1903, the county "was reported to have 3,434 literate black males to 927 whites", but due to the discriminatory practices, nearly all black citizens were barred from voting.^[5]

From 1900 through 1950, Beaufort County's economy suffered from the decline in agriculture, which together with oppressive social conditions of Jim Crow contributed to many African Americans making a Great Migration out of the South. African Americans went to northern and midwestern industrial cities for jobs and became an urbanized population. The total county population of 35,495 in 1900 dropped by more than one third to 1930, and did not reach the 1900 population level again until well after 1950, when the population was 26,933. Southern Democrats in Congress helped gain the establishment of military installations in the county and state, which added more population and stimulated area jobs in the second half of the 20th century.

In addition, vacation and resort areas were developed that attracted increasing numbers of tourists through the winter season, and then others all year-round as retirees.

Geography

Interactive map of Beaufort County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 923.48 square miles (2,391.8 km²), of which 576.04 square miles (1,491.9 km²) is land and 347.44 square miles (899.9 km²) (37.62%) is water.^[6]

National protected areas

• Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto (ACE) Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve (part)
• Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge (part)
• Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge
• Reconstruction Era National Historical Park

State and local protected areas/sites

• Auldbrass Plantation
• Altamaha Towne Heritage Preserve^[7]
• Bay Point Shoal Seabird Sanctuary^[7]
• Charlesfort - Santa Elena Historic Site
• Coffin Point Plantation
• Coligny Beach Park
• Daws Island Heritage Preserve^[7]
• Fort Frederick Heritage Preserve^[7]
• Greens Shell Enclosure Heritage Preserve^[7]
• Hunting Island State Park
• Joiner Bank Seabird Sanctuary^[7]
• Old Island Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area^[7]
• Old Sheldon Church Ruins
• Sea Pines Forest Preserve
• South Bluff Heritage Preserve^[7]
• Spanish Moss Trail
• Stoney Creek Battery Heritage Preserve^[7]
• Stony Creek Bridge
• Victoria Bluff Heritage Preserve/Wildlife Management Area^[7]
• Widgeon Point Preserve

Major water bodies

• Atlantic Ocean (North Atlantic Ocean)
• Colleton River
• Edisto River
• Harbor River
• Intracoastal Waterway
• May River
• Salkehatchie River

Adjacent counties

• Colleton County – north
• Jasper County – west
• Hampton County – northwest

Major highways

• US 17
• 
  US 17 Alt.
• US 21
• 
  US 21 Bus.
• US 278
• 
  US 278 Bus.
• SC 46
• SC 116
• SC 128
• SC 170
• SC 802

Major infrastructure

• Hilton Head Island Airport
• Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
• Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 187,117 people, 73,043 households, and 50,500 families residing in the county.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 162,233 people, 64,945 households, and 45,322 families living in the county.^[14][12] The population density was 281.5 inhabitants per square mile (108.7/km²). There were 93,023 housing units at an average density of 161.4 units per square mile (62.3 units/km²).^[15] The racial makeup of the county was 71.9% white, 19.3% black or African American, 1.2% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 5.2% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 12.1% of the population.^[14] In terms of ancestry, 15.5% were German, 13.4% were Irish, 13.1% were English, 5.4% were Italian, and 5.0% were American.^[16]

Of the 64,945 households, 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.2% were non-families, and 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age was 40.6 years.^[14]

The median income for a household in the county was $55,286 and the median income for a family was $65,071. Males had a median income of $41,059 versus $33,959 for females. The per capita income for the county was $32,731. About 7.4% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.3% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.^[17]

2000 census

At the 2000 census,^[18] there were 120,937 people, 45,532 households, and 33,056 families living in the county. The population density was 206 people per square mile (80 people/km²). There were 60,509 housing units at an average density of 103 units per square mile (40 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 70.66% White, 23.98% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.84% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. 6.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 45,532 households, out of which 30.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married couples living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 21.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.30% under the age of 18, 12.00% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $46,992, and the median income for a family was $52,704. Males had a median income of $30,541 versus $25,284 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,377. About 8.00% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.40% of those under age 18 and 6.70% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

Beaufort County is governed under the council-administrator form of government. Beaufort County Council is an elected body responsible for passing ordinances, setting county policies and developing an annual budget for the administration of public services to citizens. The chairman is elected to a two-year term by council at the first meeting in January following a general election. The vice chairman is charged with carrying out the duties of the chairman in his or her absence. Council members serve four-year staggered terms. Each council member represents one of 11 districts within the county.

Politics