Beaufort County ( ) is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

. As of the 2020 census, its population was 187,117. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

is Beaufort and its largest community is Hilton Head Island. 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. The county's northern portions have also grown steadily, due in part to the strong federal

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

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.

History

From the early days of plantations, African slaves outnumbered the European minority in the colony. The plantations on the

Sea Islands The Sea Islands are a chain of over a hundred tidal and barrier islands on the Atlantic Ocean coast of the Southeastern United States, between the mouths of the Santee and St. Johns rivers along South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The la ...

had large concentrations of slaves that had infrequent and limited interaction with white people. The islands were sites of the development of the

Gullah The Gullah () are a subgroup of the African Americans, African American ethnic group, who predominantly live in the South Carolina Lowcountry, Lowcountry region of the U.S. states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida within ...

culture, which preserved elements from a variety of

West African West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Ma ...

roots; the people also developed the

Gullah language Gullah (also called Gullah-English, Sea Island Creole English, and Geechee) is a creole language spoken by the Gullah people (also called "Geechees" within the community), an African American population living in coastal regions of South Car ...

, a

creole language A creole language, or simply creole, is a stable form of contact language that develops from the process of different languages simplifying and mixing into a new form (often a pidgin), and then that form expanding and elaborating into a full-fl ...

. 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. When

freedmen A freedman or freedwoman is a person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, slaves were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their owners), emancipation (granted freedom as part of a larger group), or self- ...

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. Beaufort County had many prominent black leaders, such as Robert Smalls, Jonathan Jasper Wright, William James Whipper, Julius I. Washington, and Thomas E. Miller. 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. From 1900 through 1950, Beaufort County's economy suffered from the decline in agriculture, which together with oppressive social conditions of

Jim Crow The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws introduced in the Southern United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that enforced racial segregation, " Jim Crow" being a pejorative term for an African American. The last of the ...

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

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (37.62%) is water.

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

Major water bodies

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

(North Atlantic Ocean) * Colleton River * Edisto River * Harbor River *

Intracoastal Waterway The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a Navigability, inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States, running from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard and around the southern tip of Florida, the ...

* May River * Salkehatchie River

Adjacent counties

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

Major highways

* * * * * * * * * * *

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. The population density was . There were 93,023 housing units at an average density of . 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. 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. 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. 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 The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 16.3% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 120,937 people, 45,532 households, and 33,056 families living in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 60,509 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 70.66%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 23.98%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.27% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.05%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 2.84% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. 6.79% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

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 Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $25,377. About 8.00% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the

, 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

Beaufort County leans Republican and has voted for that party's presidential nominee in every election since

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...

. Even in the first half of the 20th century, Beaufort was routinely one of the counties in South Carolina which gave the Republicans the highest percentage of the vote. In

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen in Finland, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its ow ...

, for example, Republican nominee

Warren G. Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he was one of the most ...

won only 4% of the total vote in South Carolina, but 36% in Beaufort County.

Economy

In 2022, the GDP of Beaufort County was $10.8 billion (approx. $57,827 per capita). In Chained 2017 dollars, the real GDP was $9.2 billion (approx. $48,930 per capita). From 2022 through 2024, the unemployment rate has fluctuated between 2.2-3.7%. , some of the largest employers in the county include the Beaufort County School District,

Food Lion Food Lion is an American regional supermarket Chain store, chain headquartered in Salisbury, North Carolina, that operates over 1,000 supermarkets in 10 states: Delaware, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsyl ...

Kroger The Kroger Company, or simply Kroger, is an American retail company that operates (either directly or through its subsidiaries) supermarkets and multi-department stores throughout the United States. Founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cinc ...

, Marriott, Publix, the

United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and superv ...

, and

Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other ...

Education

Colleges and universities

* University of South Carolina Beaufort

Community, junior, and technical colleges

* Technical College of the Lowcountry

K-12 education

Most of the county is in Beaufort County School District for grades K-12. However, the Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station has its own system at the elementary school level:
Text list
- "Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station School District" refers to the DoDEA schools the

Department of Defense Education Activity The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is a federal school system headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, and managing prekindergarten through 12th grade educational programs on beh ...

(DoDEA) has two schools covering elementary and middle school for the base. High school students on the base go to the county school district. ; District-operated public high schools * Battery Creek High School * Beaufort High School * Beaufort Jasper Academy for Career Excellence * Bluffton High School * Hilton Head Island High School * May River High School * Whale Branch Early College High School ; Charter schools * Bridges Preparatory School ; Private schools * John Paul II Catholic School * Hilton Head Christian Academy * Beaufort Academy

Communities

Beaufort County is included within the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area which had an estimated population of 232,523 in 2023.

Cities

* Beaufort (county seat)

Towns

* Bluffton * Hilton Head Island (largest community) * Port Royal * Yemassee (partly in Hampton County) * Hardeeville (mostly in Jasper County)

Census-designated places

* Burton * Dale * Daufuskie Island * Fripp Island * Harbor Island * Laurel Bay * Lobeco * Sheldon * Shell Point

Unincorporated communities

Brighton Beach Brighton Beach is a List of Brooklyn neighborhoods, neighborhood in the southern portion of the New York City Borough (New York City), borough of Brooklyn, within the greater Coney Island area along the Atlantic Ocean coastline. Brighton Beach ...

Frogmore Frogmore is an estate within the Home Park, Windsor, Home Park, adjoining Windsor Castle, in Berkshire, England. It comprises , of primarily private gardens managed by the Crown Estate. It is the location of Frogmore House, a royal retreat, and ...

* Lady's Island * Parris Island * Pocotaligo * Pritchardville * Sun City * Seabrook

Named islands

''Some islands are also towns.'' * Barataria Island * Bull Island * Callawassie Island * Cane Island * Coosaw Island * Dataw Island * Daufuskie Island * Fripp Island * Grays Hill * Harbor Island * Hilton Head Island * Hunting Island * Lady's Island * Lemon Island * Little Capers Island (uninhabited) * Morgan Island * Parris Island * Poppy Hill * Port Royal Island * Pritchard Island (uninhabited research station) * Saint Helena Island * Spring Island * St. Phillips Island * Warsaw Island

Notable people

Pat Conroy Donald Patrick Conroy (October 26, 1945 – March 4, 2016) was an American author who wrote several acclaimed novels and memoirs; his books ''The Water Is Wide (book), The Water is Wide'', ''The Lords of Discipline'', ''The Prince of Tides (no ...

, author * Clarence Cummings, weightlifter *

Joe Frazier Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944November 7, 2011) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. Nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He was known for ...

, boxer * Candice Glover, American Idol Season 12 winner * Bob Inglis, politician * Greg Jones, football player * Thomas E. Miller, educator, lawyer, politician, son of Declaration signer Thomas E. Heyward, Jr. * James Saxon, football player *

Duncan Sheik Duncan Sheik (born November 18, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Sheik is known for his 1996 debut single "Barely Breathing", which earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. He has com ...

, musician * Wayne Simmons, football player * Robert Smalls, politician * Stan Smith, tennis player * Devin Taylor, football player * D.J. Trahan, golfer * Kathryn R. Wall, author

References

External links

* *
Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce

Beaufort County history and images

''The Beaufort Gazette''
daily newspaper circulating primarily "north of the Broad"
''The Island Packet''
daily newspaper circulating primarily "south of the Broad" {{Authority control 1769 establishments in South Carolina Populated places established in 1769 Hilton Head Island–Beaufort micropolitan area